Need some help with DDR weight loss/health issues

[tjn4681]

Hey there, I just picked up DDR Max 2 (with the pad bundled) about 8 days ago, mostly due to this site as well as the article from CNN.come. It seemed like an interesting and fun way to lose weight, especially since I have an affinity for video games. Anyhow having just started I do have a few questions concerning whether or not my routine seems sound and a few health questions concerning joints and whatnot...here goes

Here are the facts...I'm a 23 year old, 5'10 male weighing approximately 244 lbs.

So far my routine is:

DDR: Play DDR Max 2 4-5 times a week for about 35-40 minutes at a time in workout mode. I was on light mode for the most part but i'm trying to get into standard since light seems to be getting too easy for me thus not offering much of a workout.

Diet: I try to keep my diet at roughly 1800-2000 calories a day and 20-30 grams a fat a day.

Other Forms of Excercise: I'm trying also to alternate with some light weight lifting to alternate with on the days that I dont play DDR, which usually equates to bicep and tricep curls. I don't have access to a bench press and there are no gyms within a reasonable distance to me. Do Push ups make a valid substitute for bench pressing if you want to build your upper body?

Question 1: Does this seem like a proper routine or should I make any adjustments to it? I've tried reducing my caloric intake but it isn't easy. I was 243 lbs the day i started playing DDR. 8 days later I've weighed myself and it appears i've gained a pound and a half. Granted I haven't eaten as well as I would have liked in the past week. However my clothes seem to fit slightly more loose on me, so i'm sort of confused. Although I've been told weight on scales tends to fluctuate no matter what so anyway, just wondering if my routine is sound or not. I'm trying to lose roughly 40-45 pounds, i'd like to be at an ideal weight of 200 or so.

Other concern: DDR clearly seems to be high impact. I've had knee problems for a couple years now, mostly due to a wrestling injury way back in highschool about 6-7 years ago. An MRI on my leg a few months back says that the cartiledge was slightly thinning but he didn't think it was anything too serious, the Doctor prescribed Glucosomein Sulfate which helps regrow cartiledge. I also tend to get chest pains frequently, although my doctor associates that with anxiety, because aside from a slight heart murmur (which has nothing to do with the pains) he sees nothing wrong with me. Since i've been playing DDR in the past 8 days not only do my knees not hurt but they feel better then they've ever felt before. They don't hurt at all whether I crouch, sit indian style, jump around, walk up stairs or anything. They feel great now. And I no longer get chest pains either. So here is my question

Is DDR Beneficial or detrimental to ones joints? I was worried my knees would feel worse after playing it but they feel better then ever. I don't however relish the thought of 5 years down the line finding my knees to be permanently damaged or anything, so its sort of a concern of mine. I'm more or less playing the game to lose weight and for leisure, i'm not trying to play non stop mode on heavy or anything and getting AAAs by pulling off insane moves so I'm not really trying to overdo it game wise, so I'm wondering if its normal for joints to possibly even be strengthened through this?

sorry for the long post, just curious about a lot of things. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks for reading.

[abrannan]

Quick hit thoughts here:

- Try to stay under 1800 calories, 1500 if you can do it (You may need to work up to this).

- Good job also working in weight training. Look at this thread for my tips on using Push-ups and Sit ups to augment your regimen. You also don't need a full wieght bench, you can do a lot with a 30lb set of dumbbells from Target.

-30-45 minutes is good, provided the intensity is gettin gyour heart rate up to 70% of max (23 beats in a 10 second count) for that time.

- DDR, if not played in an extreme style, can be good for knees. It gets you moving, which is always good.

[Bossocity]

"Do Push ups make a valid substitute for bench pressing if you want to build your upper body?"

Doing a push up with the proper form there are different muscle groups that you will be working on. The muscle group that gets the most benefit are the arms. There aremany men who do nothingbut push up and have huge arms. The best thing to do to increase your arm size is by elevating your body higher up. The easiest way to do this is by using the steps. You can place your feet on the second steps from the bottom. By doing the push up in this form you are add more pressure to your arms thus they will get bigger. As you get more experience you can use other items to increase the leverage.

Stolen word for word from:

ar.essortment.com/pushupexercis_rwct.htm

[abrannan]

Bossocity said:

"Do Push ups make a valid substitute for bench pressing if you want to build your upper body?"

Doing a push up with the proper form there are different muscle groups that you will be working on. The muscle group that gets the most benefit are the arms. There aremany men who do nothingbut push up and have huge arms. The best thing to do to increase your arm size is by elevating your body higher up. The easiest way to do this is by using the steps. You can place your feet on the second steps from the bottom. By doing the push up in this form you are add more pressure to your arms thus they will get bigger. As you get more experience you can use other items to increase the leverage.

Stolen word for word from:

ar.essortment.com/pushupexercis_rwct.htm

Two points:

1) Raising your feet has an additional effect: It works different muscles, because your arms are at a different angle. Raising your feet all the way to a handstand will put the maximum resistance on your arms, but you won't work your chest barely at all. Your shoulders will get a good workout.

2) Push-ups cannot give you the "maximum momentary inetensity" that you need for maximal muscle growth, short of having someone sit on your back while you do push-ups. It is a lot harder to regulate (and measure) the resistance you're getting from push-ups than it is to measure how much you've bench pressed.

I'm not saying abandon push-ups, they're still one of the best non-equipment exercises you can do. Just know the benefits and crawbacks to the exercises you do, and adjust your workout accordingly.

[tjn4681]

Thanks for all the feedback, glad to see I wasn't too far off the mark. I've actually been trying to reduce my caloric intake for a while now, i'll do alright some weeks but other weeks it tends to catch up to me, still trying though.

I do have one other question though, do you know of an easy way to stretch your biceps and abs? I notice whenever I curl dumbells, for the next few days I can't straighten my arms theyre permanently at a 90 degree angle and its really painful when i try to straighten them. My abs tend to get pretty sore after crunches, don't know if that can be avoided at least somewhat by stretching or not.

[abrannan]

For ab stretches, there are a few yoga positions that can help:

1) Cobra/Up dog - Lay flat on your stomach, put your elbows under your shoulders and lift your head/shoulders up, keeping your hips on the ground. If that's not enough of a stretch, move your hands under your shoulders and extend your arms.

2) From your knees, stretch you arms out in front of you while bowing your head down, walk your hands over to the right a few inches then back to the left, you should feel the stretch in your obliques.


For your arms I'd recommend elbow circles before and after your workout, before you get sore.