Any experienced DDR'ers still get leg cramps?

[psisar]

I was just wondering is some of the heavy DDR players still get leg cramps after playing for 3 months +. I know mine will go away, but will they come back as I progress from light to standard to heavy?

[abrannan]

After almost two years, my calves still get stiff when I play. I don't warm up enough, but I do make sure to stretch plenty during and after my workout. It doesn't normally last past my workout, though.

[Laura Moncur]

I've been playing for nine months and I still get leg cramps. I have to follow a strict regimen of playing a few light songs, stretching a lot, play all my hard songs, stretch a lot and cool down with a few more light songs.

Even then, if I haven't played for a few days, I will be sore the next day. I guess I just over do it whenever I play because it's so dang fun.

[StarDrifter]

I did when I first started, in a bad way. I'd play for maybe 30 minutes on Beginner/Light, and end up walking like a cowboy all day. I started doing leg stretches, and they started going away.

Now they get a little stiff or sore, but the bad leg cramps are gone. And I'm up to 45-60 minutes a day, standard.

Of course, I also used to spend this kind of time playing drums in my youth.

[Jsn]

I'm a new player, have only been playing for about two weeks, but I don't get any leg cramps or pains at all from playing... I really suggest warming up and stretching a lot.

I've only been playing at home for about two weeks. I play at least an hour a day on standard, but I never feel any sort of uncomfortable lasting feelings in my legs. I'll attribute that to the fact that I warm up a bit on the stairs first before play and I stretch basically all through out the day when I'm not doing anything... Besides not feeling pain, I've found that my flexibility has been increasing drastically too, which is nice. So try stretching as much as you can and see if that helps.

Also, not very related to DDR but the bit of pain I've been feeling in my back sometimes has gone away too from stretching a lot.

[Skycania]

I got a bad leg cramp when i just finished Waka Laka on heavy. I had to walk home from the shopping centre afterwards. I.... need.... panadol.

[scoundrelking]

oooooh the cramps. I get them for like the first 20 minutes of my work outs. also the ankle cramps...ouch. But they always go away, and don't happen as much when I stretch before hand.

[usyagi]

I only had a small problem with cramps cuz all I really do is light, but at my first competition(which by the way was like a week ago) the back of my legs cramped up so bad!!!! I could hardly move them for like ten minutes!!

[Manga]

I've never cramped up leg wise.. Of course, I run 4 miles in 30 minutes so I dunno. Never had shin-splints or anything like that.

[0rion.78]

ive never had trouble with cramps during a DDR session but after, my calves cramp up pretty bad. i figure it will go away eventually but for now i have to deal with it lol.

[secretsof2113]

I never have really cramped up. Ive gotten sore a few times, but it never lasts for more than a few minutes.

[circlesoft]

Well...it really only happens to me if I'm really overkilling it, like going straight 10-footers, but I remember when I first started playing I used to get them pretty often.

Some things I find that help are:

-Walk it out. Always. Don't just go from playing to sitting down or something.
-Keep yourself hydrated.
-And...get a banana or something. The potassium in it may help cramps, I think.

Anyways, hope that helps.

[Grant.]

For me it only happens when I decide to do Apple Mix - i feel... - CSFIL:SM - A Challenge. Then I die because my legs lock up (so to speak).

[SSC]

I really don't cramp up anymore...

[psisar]

I can answer my own question now.. I started this thread back in January, and it now being June I'd call myself an experienced DDRer.

So yes, they go away over time. I haven't had a problem with it in about two months. I didn't even have a problem with it when I started playing heavy. Whoop.

[Dakota]

lawl. An experienced player wouldn't get leg cramps because...they're experienced, and they know how to avoid em. Eventually you just learn how to play that your legs don't hurt, and that warming up is all essential.

[xstatic]

sarah is an extremely experienced player. :/ Don't get overly-c0c|<y. We're good people here.

[Dakota]

xstatic said:

sarah is an extremely experienced player. :/ Don't get overly-c0c|<y. We're good people here.

I guess home version is different, if that's what you guys were talking about. If not, sowwy. I don't wanna step off in this forum on a bad foot on my first day here.

[xstatic]

don't worry about it. I can get insanely defensive...like I grow fangs and stuff.. when I feel like a friend is getting dissed. I'll back off.

[Akra]

Whew, I'm glad to know this is normal then. I'd done ~1.25 hours on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night (beginner/light to mostly light) and last night my calves were so stiff that I could only play for 45 min and my scores were much worse. I was worried that they was so stiff; nice to know it's not just me.

I'll keep in mind the suggestion to stretch during the day. I have a desk office job in a small space so it's hard to do, but I'll try to budget in time for it. Just stretching before playing isn't going to cut it.