This expresses the amount of “bounce” in each running step. It is measured at the torso and shows how many centimetres you move up and down with each step. Many running coaches find that lower vertical oscillation is more economical, because less energy is spent moving up and down. Garmin has studied many runners of very different levels. In general, more experienced runners tend to have lower vertical oscillation. However, a faster pace is often achieved at the cost of greater vertical oscillation. This is taken into account by vertical ratio (see below). Another benefit of lower vertical oscillation is that the lower body is usually subjected to less stress on impact with the ground.
