DDR and Video Games: Not Quite Enough?

If you have DDR ultramix 3...try freestyle
I am 6'-4" tall 235lbs (30 over) and in ONE DANCE I burned 200 calories!!! I did five before I could no longer breathe :) my lowest was 120+ My highest was just over 200...My goal is to be able to last one hour on freestyle. I only last about 10 minutes right now so I play regular game for an hour, then slam the freestyle at the end. I play basketball every Sunday and freestyle is harder! Now, my skill level is not real high so I play on 'light' mostly but I can BARELY make 'standard' on some songs. ( I like making my own, they burn more calories, are fast paced but have easy patterns to follow. )

It's very easy to spend over an hour on DDR without realizing it. I have the five most recent versions of the game, all of which have a workout mode that can approximate the number of calories you burn and/or clock your time spent moving. I'm not very graceful on my feet, so I've only just reached Light mode (the four modes ranging from easiest to hardest: Beginner, Light, Standard, and Challenge), but I burn on average 10 to 15+ calories per song. That may not sound like much, but in 1 1/2 hours and 50 songs, that's 750+ calories. Higher modes burn even more. And there are plenty of songs to choose from. Naturally, I have favorites that I love to play over and over, as well as ones that I'm determined to beat (all three versions of "Paranoia" continue to thwart me).

DDR may not tone, but it's great cardio and any sweating burns calories. I believe it's a great way to keep kids and adults active, no matter how much time is spent on it. Just don't forget to have water handy to rehydrate yourself as you go.

years ago, I started playing DDR in the arcade. I ended up losing 70 pounds. I actually started jogging three times a week to work on my stamina and endurance. at least until I strained a ligament in my knee. and then I just stopped playing for a few years, and gained some weight back. so now I'm playing DDR again, and fortunately, I can still play on heavy (or expert it's called now), and I can still play doubles. granted, I'm not as good as I used to be, but it's a start. I still really only play in the arcade, but that's fine with me. it's a social thing for me, too, sometimes. we have a Supernova, so that's the mix I've been playing on. hopefully, I'll lose about 40-50 pounds doing this. and I just got a bike, so I'm going to do the bike-riding thing as much as possible.

Hey guys!
I have ps2 and the ddr game! Recently, I've started playing it, and I am so addicted! I play about an averyage of 1-2 hours a day and I really want to lose some weight! I am about 5 feet tall and I weight 130lbs! Do you think it's possible to lose 20-30lbs? and how long do you guys think it will take if i continue playing ddr for 1-2 hours each day?

I had played DDR when it first came to the states. I lost 15 pounds in almost 2 months.

I quit playing for a long time and started up again losing another 15 pounds, but as i continued i felt like i wasnt getting the workout i wanted anymore, not enough movement.

I then invested in a Pump It Up machine. MUCH more of a workout, it includes a middle button and the arrows are farther apart. The songs are near impossible which gives u room to grow. I also do 200 situps a night to keep my abdomen toned, PIU doesnt do that lol,

I lost 25 pounds in 2 months with PIU.

So for those of u who need a switch from the same songs and foot steps, Switch it up!

No one is mentioning the WONDERFUL songs! (especially stepmania stuff) They get you all pumped up and feeling cool and slick and whatnot. DDR is great. :D You just want to keep playing forever even though your legs hurt like a mother. :p

The cool thing about DDR is that all the steps are very different on each song/difficulty, so your body won't adapt too easily. It's always being challanged! :D Play play!

I'm afraid of going out in public. The womens only gyms are far too expensive and when I'm at a cheap gym I feel I'm constantly being judged. Because of stress, I'm a compulsive overeater and though I'm an active person, my agoraphobia gets in the way.

I just bought DDR and I'm hoping that with proper calorie intake, the proper usage of vitamins and more water, I'll be able to drop the at least half of the 70 lbs I'm overweight.

Anyone else has problems and wants to talk about Agoraphobia or fear of working out in public in general, contact me at enigmatickitsune@hotmail.com.

I just recently got ddr extreme 2 for my ps2. I played 4 only 3 days. And i swear i have never sweat SO MUCH! :-0 i done stair climber, jump roping, cardio dance dvds and even jogging. And nvr had sweat as much as i had playing ddr. I thought it was just me and the way my body was. But yah i was shocked. Anyway after having my first child i got FAT! So im hoping to lose 80 lbs. Im dieting good already. Just need to be more active. And as a stay at home mom. Its hard to get exercise in when im busy with my lil one. Anywho, im gona try and not give up! I will post my results. :-) and i wish everyone success on their road to weight lose. Whether its 5 lbs or 200 lbs dont give up! ;-) byye!

I'm an 18 year and I'm sufficiently underweight (about 6'0", 125-135 lbs depending upon the day). I've just recently gotten back into DDR. I'm wondering what's going to happen to my body if I continue to play often. If I lose anymore weight, I'll probably die. :) Gotta love that metabolism!

I have Dance Dance Revolution 1 & 2 and the reason I got it in the first place was to help me lose/maintain weight. When I first got it I was around twelve/thirteen years old and I had great results that even my pediatrician could see, my doctor recommended it to me in the first place. So after a year or so of letting it gather in the dust I decided I wanted to start working out again with it. So yesterday I pulled out the pad and got it warmed up again. I had cut soda from my diet a week ago and I am hoping with that and eating healthier and excerscising I can bring my weight down and lose a few clothes sizes. So I made a routine to do this for an hour a day and record the amount of calories I lose and water weight/fat weight.

So yesterday I started this routine and did my correct amount of time which was an hour with great results. In a hour I burned "719" calories and after recording myself before and after on a electric scale "2" pounds in water weight. And that was only one day! The key to really burning calories is to keep moving and drinking a lot of water. Don't take large breaks because the longer you keep going the better. I recommend playing on Standard/Heavy mode because it keeps you moving the most, and their isn't a way to fail in workout mode so even if you don't hit "all" the arrows you are still burning more calories then in light or begginers mode. After awhile you will start to get better so don't worry about being in the red the whole song.

This is a great way to stay healthy and even lose weight so I highly recommend this to anyone and any age! (:

Just got my DDR for Christmas! It is an amazing game. I wasnt planning on using it for weight loss. But when I got it, man I played for about 5 hours straight and I couldnt move in the morning really. I dont exercise at all so this was new to me. I love to eat healthy and instead of water, I drink iced tea or green tea. I have lost 10 lbs because of a healthy diet and moderation but I am siked about getting to exercise and have FUN while doing it.

Hey im back! :D i have a previous post. Tho its been a while since i been bak. Cuz i 4got what website i waz on :-0 lol anyway i promised to post my results. Well its january now and in 3 months i lost 20 lbs! :-D i still need a lot more to lose. But im still happy with the progress. I have ddr extreme 2. Im only playing on beginner/lite. Cuz i still cant play the harder songs :-( i know if i cud, i wud be losing more weight. I cant stand songs that are too slow. I get impatient. I like the fast pace. Hopefully i can move on up to standard soon. Its just hard for me cuz, i have bad balance and coordination (cant spell it). If u wana email me: atreyuluvr_87@yuurok.com we can trade stories. Or challenge each other! :-D i need to still lose 50 more lbs. Have fun! Ddr works. :-)

I used to be pretty healthy playing DDR. Me and my friends were addicted to it and we played about 6 to 7 hours every Saturday, until the arcade closed. I've gained like 20 pounds since then. :] So I'm gonna start playing it again. It's the funnest exercise you'll ever have in your life and the more patience you have, the better you'll get at it, and the more exercise you'll get from it. I ADVISE ANYONE OF ANY AGE TO PLAY THIS GAME!!!

ive been playing DDR for 7 years, i LOVE it!!!! it is sooooooooooo much fun!!!! DDR could definately be used for weight loss!! if any of you want to contact me for tips, heres my email: tylerlong92(at)gmail(dot)com

I played DDR for 4 days a week, when I was younger and it helped me lose, 40lbs, the good thing about Workout mode, is you can boost it up to difficult and even if you suck, the more you try and hit the notes, the more calories you lose, and it Keeps going unlike game mode after the bar on top is gone.

i've been playing DDR for 2 weeks and 1 thing i did notice was that my balance improved alot.when i first started and i would almost fall over trying to hit the steeps on time, i woundered then if this would get easyer.. i remember trying to stand one 1 foot before this, i could do it but i was wobbly. after the 2 weeks i could stand perfectly still on 1 foot, and hitting the steeps did get easyer.