How do you calculate miles when everyone's stride is different from class to class. The class set I have (Right Step 300s) calculate steps, miles, & calories burned. If I set a distance for my students, will the calculations be that far off on miles walked?
Frankly, I like to focus on step count instead of distance. Pedometers measure step count (it's what they've been engineered to do), but they can only calculate distance (based upon the stride length you enter into the pedometer). So, the distance is an estimate. The pedometer is doing some simple math for you--taking the number of steps you walk times the length of your stride in feet and then converting that number to miles. For example, 5,000 steps times a 2-foot stride length is 10,000 feet. Divided by 5,280 (the number of feet in a mile), you get 1.89 miles.
Here's why I say that the distance is an estimate. The distance calculation is assuming that every step taken is the same length (which we know isn't true in real life). You are also correct in saying that the stride length is different from student to student.
To make the distance calculation as accurate as possible, you can measure each student's stride length--but you will have to reset the pedometer for each student. Here are several ways that you can measure one's stride length:
-walk one lap around a high school track and count the number of steps that it takes to do it; divide the distance 440 yards or 1320 feet or 400 meters by the number of steps that it took to walk around the track once. (For example, 1320 feet divided by 500 steps equals 2.64 feet. You may need to round the number up or down to enter it into your pedometer, or you may have the kids use that number and do the calculations themselves.)
-measure off 20 feet or 50 feet or 100 feet; divide the distance by the number of steps it takes to walk it.
-walk 10, 20 or 30 steps; measure the distance and then divide by the distance by the number of steps taken.
-walk in water and then make footprints; measure the distance from toe to toe or heel to heel.
Realize that in all of these examples your stride length will vary depending on your pace. You, therefore, will need to determine the stride length for the pace that you will be moving.
You may want to consider giving the students a step count goal instead of a distance goal. Does this help to answer your question?
-- Teresa Vollenweider, President
NEW-LIFESTYLES, INC.
Fitness and Pedometer Expert
