DDR, anyone?

Is anyone here familiar with the game Dance Dance Revolution (or DDR)?  I've been using that as a replacement for cardio when I don't go to the gym, and I was wondering if that's worked out for anyone here.

It worked for me for my first few months. Now I only do it as an occasional change of pace for fun.

DDR is awesome

I was really big into Pump it Up a few years ago (very similar to DDR).

I think it works really well as far as a good cardio exercise...and it's fun.

Here's an interesting experiment my best friend did:

He wore his HRM and did a 1 hour session with his exercise bike and burned around 500 calories.

Then he did a 1 hour session of DDR while wearing the same HRM and burned around 450 calories. ( he was playing on light and medium modes)

Isn't that awesome! =)

When playing DDR I'm running, jumping and raising my heart rate, only I'm doing it in on a dance pad.

Hope this helps =)

I've done this experiment myself. I play Medium mode, and I never burn as many calories as I do on a bike or on a treadmill. Perhaps because I'm more fit and can go harder on the treadmill. My HRM almost never gets high enough to be in the cardio range when I DDR.

DDR is a life saver.  I have been playing video games all my life and when I heard about DDR I was like why not give it a try.   So I continued to play and continued to get better before I new it I went from 220 lbs my freshman year of College to 175 by sophmore year....so to answer your question yes it really works!!.  I know that for sure cause that was the only exercies I was doing.   Although it may depend on the difficulty you are on too, I have been playing DDR for about 3 years now and play on heavy mode (DDR), and expert on In the Grove (ITG, much harder than DDR imo)

 
In DDR, there is a workout mode that you can go too and while you play it measures the calories you burn as well.  You can set goals like a treadmill would do for distance or time.  With the DDR workout you can set goals by the number of calories you burn or workout time, so if your goal was 500, the game will let you know when you have reached that goal.  What I usually did was play about 1-2 hrs a day for my cardio during my early college years.  Currently, I am 162 and hitting the gym instead to gain some muscles, I also do cardio at the gym now cause my DDR pad broke :( , probably cause of over use =/.  Although the anime convention I go to every year has good deals on pads so planning on getting my new pad soon :D.


For those who are interested:

DDR is a game that is on the PSone, PS2 and XBOX

the games usually run about:  $20 (older ddr versions) to $50 for the recent versions

Pads:

There are many pads out there that range from $20 - $250 per pad

$20-30 - these pads are mostly plastic and do not have foam imbedded in pad, can break easily with constant use.

$ 60-90 - these are foam pads that can handle constant use, these products last typically 2 years max and more comfortable on the feet

$100 and up - these are metal pads that last so much longer but make you fell as though you are playing on the machine.  Peole who compete in tourney's usually these kind of pads.

I just bought a couple DDR pads and a game off of ddraction.com! I bought the anti-slip pads, not too expensive, but I just wanted to see (after years of wondering) what the game was like because I always used to see people playing it in the malls and I never dared to XD Pads actually range from about $20 to about $500 or more for the champion/tournament metal pads! I might get a less expensive metal pad though if I end up really liking DDR and want to play lots.

I actually need to purchase a new dance pad, as the one I modified was abused and all the sensors shifted. XP So I play one or two days a week at the arcade, trying to get there before the kids get out of school for the day.

I'm on standard level now, sloooooooooooooooooooooooooowly working up to heavy. But I noticed I don't do as well if I do my morning strength training for my legs, as my legs are already tired from the training, being on my feet for over 5 hours at work, and the walk to and from work ( 2 miles total ). I also have a bad knee, no thanks to a horse riding accident back in high school. XP

But I do usually try to do at least 3 to 5 rounds, at 4 songs a round ( it's DDR Extreme ), and try to go for the higher 6 footers that require moving about more so I get more of a work out. By the end, I'm usually soaked with sweat and have already downed an entire quart of water ^^; ).

I'd LIKE to get a set of metal pads, but I have no place to keep them in the living room, so I'm going to hunt for a good foam pad. No more simple $20 pads and having to deal with modifiying them.


~~Bee

bee-chan,

get a RedOctane foam pad. they're about $100, but they're so worth it! No mods, and it's easy on the joints.

I've had mine for about a year or so, and no problems yet :)

to the OP:

yeah, DDR is the best! I can't wait until I get back from college to add into my workouts =]

Is DDR actually considered cardio? I mean, I have a game, and I love it, but I never seem to be working as hard as I do when I run or something. But maybe I'm just not noticing it because it's so fun. XD

haha!

DDR is totally cardio. People that have mastered it are just constantly hopping around.

This guy I know asked his doctor if he could do DDR instead of going to the gym while he was university, and the doctor didn't see why not.

It definitely counts.

Awesome to hear that it's been succesful for other people. :) It just seems like it's too fun to be exercise!

animeflash: I'm on heavy mode too, so I'm definitely getting some kind of workout. ^_^

I remember seeing some article about several high schools setting up PLaystations with DDR to use as a weight loss program for kids and to help improve their physical fitness.

I might just go buy DDR and a mat and see what all the fuss it about, could be a good alternative to running.

Goddess9, I actually DO want to get a pad from redOctane, BUT, I'll be looking through a store OTHER than redOctane themselves. I had ordered two metal pads from them last year, mid summer, they screwed the order up, called the WRONG person in the chain of people to call, that person CANCELED the order because redOctane had lied by saying the pads would be shipped in time for the carnival we were holding ( it was ordered 2 months in advance ). They never told me about the order being canceled, no email, no phone call, no nothing. I had to call them myself, and found out THEN that the order was canceled.

Two weeks later, I find out on the credit card statement that they STILL charged for the pads, saying they were delivered, even though they CANCELED the order and we never recieved anything. We refused to pay it, and had to go through a whole shpeal to get it through their heads that THEY messed up. Their human element STINKS! ^^;

Their pads are awesome, but hoy, no way am I going through them for one of their pads.

~~Bee

ah bee-chan, I can see where you're coming from :)

I've heard horror stories enough times to actually be scared about my pad!

IT is funny I was just thinking about making a topic about this game today :). For everyone that is curious if DDR is really cardio, simple put it depends on the level of difficulty you play at (these are the levels settings for the DDR Universe on the XBOX 360) :

BEGINNER is barely excersice, you are taking about 30 steps a minute.

BASIC is still very light, you can do most songs with one foot and the activity level is still low.

DIFFICULT this is where excersice really starts. This level is a huge step up from the previous one, you will find not only that you are jumping around a bit but you will also find that in parts you are doing upto 5 steps a second depending on the song. In this mode I burn about 400 - 500 calories an hour depending on the songs I play.

EXPERT this is crazy and I have just started to play songs at this level. This level introduces 1/16th steps and 1/8th step jumps meaning you can be moving at 4 jumps a second or 250 - 400 steps a minute depending on the song. This mode will burn insane calories, far more than I ever have running; 800+ an hour

I have actually watched friends use DDR to lose 60+ pounds, having it as there sole form of excersice. Me I just love the game, I have found that I play it so often that I need to add some snacks during the day or I lose weight by accident.