Using DDR for exercise but one problem

[Xtravagant]

I love using DDR for exercising but I have a huge problem with my feet hurting real bad after playing a few days in a row for 30min or longer each time. I have the pad on a hardwood floor so I can see why it is hard on my feet, but I tried wearing shoes and that isn't good for the pad and it feels too heavy when I dance or something. I also tried putting down a rug but it slides everywhere! I really love playing and my doctor won't let me until my feet feel better cuz she thinks I have a stress fracture. Does anyone have any ideas on how to make this easier on my feet? I need to lose 20lbs!

[LibertyCabbage]

What kind of pad do you use? If its just a flat soft mat, it may be worth while to invest in an ignition style pad with a foam insert. I have one and my feet don't hurt. My leges will, but i imagine that's normal considering its exercise and exercise should make you sore.

I recommend looking at

levelsix.com
mymybox.com
RedOctane.com

or

Ebay

[iamjay]

Are you gelling? I'm so gelling.

[crazeelilgirl]

My knees will hurt if I play everyday but not my feet. I got a pad with an insert from vortz on ebay. It works awesome.
Here is the link if anyone's interested stores.ebay.com/id=96619065 (this is to the ebay store) and www.vortz.com/ (this is the website).
I would definitely recommend these DDr pads!!!

[Xtravagant]

I just use a flat mat that I bought with the xbox game package. It came with DDR Ultramix and that mat. Very flat actually. Will the pad really help that much? If so, this would be great!

[crazeelilgirl]

What pad you're on makes a huge difference, especially once you start improving and moving on to more difficult songs.

[Xtravagant]

Is there any pad that works real well that works with xbox?

[Xtravagant]

I am jay, do you have a mat where it is ok to wear shoes?

[fierala]

Xtravagant said:

I love using DDR for exercising but I have a huge problem with my feet hurting real bad after playing a few days in a row for 30min or longer each time.

I have this same problem, except that my knees will hurt too. I'm not on hardwood and I use the Ignition 2.0 pad. So, now I only play it a few days a week and then either take my bike out for a 6-10 mile ride or do Pilates so I can save my poor feet and knees.

[DJLancer]

I also bought the vortz pad. I've been pretty satisfied with it, for a while it became unresponsive to jumps but it got better somehow. Very accurate and has taken an imense amount of abose and maintained its good accuracy doesnt move aorund too much either

[crazeelilgirl]

DJLancer said:

I also bought the vortz pad. I've been pretty satisfied with it, for a while it became unresponsive to jumps but it got better somehow. Very accurate and has taken an imense amount of abose and maintained its good accuracy doesnt move aorund too much either

How long have you had your Vortz pad? I've only had mine a couple month and I would like to know how long they hold up. So far, mine has worked great.

[DizzyKitty]

For 8 months of everyday play, I played on 2 soft pads I got cheap on hardwood floors. I played with shoes on though and my pads held up fine to this day. My feet would KILL me if I did not wear shoes, even on carpet at my friend's house. And I find I am not nearly as accurate playing in socks as with shoes on.

As I moved onto harder songs though, my husband thought investing in a metal pad was the way to go for me. No more slipping pads :-) I bought one and had all the arrows break/crack within 2 weeks and I'm not a "stomper". I play on my toes as most people probably do. The company became non existant once I had problems with the pad so I ended up buying another pad a month later...the Red Octane metal pad. I absolutely LOVE it and have had no problems whatsoever with it. I believe you can get a different controller box so it works with the Xbox. Whether it's worth it depends on how much you play. I figure I save a lot on not playing at the arcade or joining a health club so...

[Xtravagant]

You can use shoes on a flat mat? Cuz I tried to but was worried about it getting ruined since in the directions it says to be barefoot- well i wear socks anyway. Should I wear shoes with the padded xbox pad I am getting if my feet hurt yet?

[LibertyCabbage]

If you want to use shoes on a soft mat (flat or ignition) i would recommend modding the pad. There are some decent tutorials in the console forums of ddrfreak.com, basically they involve duct-taping the pad to plywood and covering the pad with hardwood floor covering. The idea being to protect the sensitive wiring in the pad from the added traction and stress that shoes will induce on a pad. I play in socks or barefoot so its not an issue, but shoes may hurt the pad in the long run.

[snipp]

I really wanted the Ignition 2.0 pad, but getting that sent to Norway would cost a small litle fortune.
So, I got the original konami flat mat instead. But what I bought in addition was a childrens play mat :-)
The play mat is foamy and lies steady on the floor. (It is this kind of mat that have many funy animals on it and comes in many parts that you puzzel together - makes it possible to fit it exactly to the size of the dance pad).
I think it is made off just about the same kind of stuff that is inside those ignition pads.

In other words, instead of buying a padded mat, it is possible to buy some padding to put on the floor....

[Xtravagant]

hm, the play matt idea sounds like a good one. I could maybe try fixing my flat matt if I can find one of those and then dual with someone since I will have two good matts then.

[griever]

I work retail and had these same symptoms EVERY day at work. Until I remembered that my feet are flat as boards. If this is the case with you, find someone who will get you some shoe inserts. They feel funny at first, but once you're used to them, they're awesome. I got mine from a place called FootEfx.

[abrannan]

Xtravagant said:

I love using DDR for exercising but I have a huge problem with my feet hurting real bad after playing a few days in a row for 30min or longer each time. I have the pad on a hardwood floor so I can see why it is hard on my feet, but I tried wearing shoes and that isn't good for the pad and it feels too heavy when I dance or something. I also tried putting down a rug but it slides everywhere! I really love playing and my doctor won't let me until my feet feel better cuz she thinks I have a stress fracture. Does anyone have any ideas on how to make this easier on my feet? I need to lose 20lbs!

Tape your arches. Get some wide athletic tape and wrap it around the middle of your foot 2 or 3 times (not too tight). This will help give you support in your arches since you aren't wearing shoes.

An x-ray should reveal if you have a stress fracture or not.

[TheBabs]

bah, i heard someone with this complaint beofre ^^

Me, I wear 1.5 inch platform sneakers that aren't exactly 'gellin'' that I DDR in (yes, I have been made fun of when I step on the stage, but I wow 'em at Daikenkai Standard )

My advise is to either break the shoes in or tough it up ^^ my sneakers are mostly for vanity (I'm short) so thats how I got used to them. Now I can't imagine dancing without them

/me

[Cowman715]

Ah... New shoes... Sucks the first few times playin' with them... Specially when you're used to your other shoes. I remember this one time that I got new shoes and they felt like 2000 lbs. heavier lol. I couldn't play with these things so after my first song I decided to try without shoes (which I would recommend NEVER! to do that!) I eventually got used to them and when I switch to a new pair of shoes... I'm gonna be like... Wow these are light!! And kick arse!