Curiosity about DDRmarathon

[klenta]

http://www.ddrmarathon.com

I saw a post about it pop up at another site I visit. I just have a lot of difficulties believing that playing DDR can really be used to prepare for a marathon. I listed off my reasons that I thought were true (I could be wrong).

Link to the post

The author of the DDRmarathon blog responded (assuming it is him) stating that he did complete a marathon.

Which made me a bit uncertain. It's the internet, I don't know if he's telling the truth or not.

So has anyone heard of this guy? Or even confirm the authenticity?

Regardless, do you think it's actually possible to train for a marathon via DDR? (Not that I intend on doing a marathon... I'll be happy if I ever got to the point of doing a 10k though not through DDR.)
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[Synaesthesia]

Assuming it's real (despite no real proof existing that I see on the site), DDR was probably an extremely small constituent. The game requires so little energy, even at its highest levels, compared to an intensely cardiovascular activity like running. For instance, I can go play a set of 300/PS/MU and get my sad little As on them, and be somewhat tired. Or, I could run a single mile and be a lot more tired compared to the DDR set. My guess is the guy was probably already genetically predispositioned to have fantastic energy and stamina, so once he was even mildly in shape he could start doing things like a half-marathon and whatnot. Or he's just lying.
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im a lasagna whale

G_G

[Ryu_Hirakashi]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

This guy is off is rocker!!!! I'm currently training for a marathon and I run at least 30 miles a week. Training 5 days a week. I don't even have time to play pump because I'm so busy running. Running is like a full-time job for me.

I'm sorry but most DDRers couldn't even fathom what it takes to run a marathon. Even if you can play 10s all day long, that doesn't mean you can run a marathon. Most DDRers are just high school kids that sit on their asses most of the time and play DDR just so they can feel like they are getting in shape. Just the sad truth I must say.

Hirakashi Ryu
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Quote:

For a beginner, if learning how to play pop'n music is like a parent holding his / her child's hand while crossing a busty street, then learning to play IIDX is like being kicked out of a moving car in the middle of nowhere and having to scrape enough money for a taxi cab ride home.

[klenta]

It's good to know that I wasn't just shooting off my mouth then.

I can't see DDR = marathon either. Thanks. n.n
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[Aku Soku Zan]

I suppose I could see how it could help your physical stamina but I wouldn't count on 10 hours of DDR over running 10 miles. They're two different things. If it works for some people though, more power to 'em.
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[AdvanceWarsAddict]

Well, I think we're trying to analyze two different styles here. Marathons are for endurance, stamina, and overall speed. DDR is generally for technicality and accuracy. I'm not saying that DDR doesn't occasionally have stamina tests (played MAX 300 recently?) but for overall endurance marathon for the win. DDR for footing.


Marathon:
Stamina
Endurance

DDR:
Technicality
Accuracy
Balance
Stamina (fast songs)

[jerbucket]

Saw the link from my logs at ddrmarathon.com, so I thought I'd drop by.

So you doubt what I did huh? What else is new. Well, what do I have to do to prove it? Here are my times from the Chicago marathon web site:

This is without major DDR training

Final Time Chiptime Class Age Gender
04:41:02 04:26:27 MALES 25 TO 29 29 M

This is with only DDR training (I ran once a week to make sure I could keep up and played DDR probably 20 hours a week)

Final Time Chiptime Class Age Gender
3:58:49 3:57:58 M2529 29 M

So there is almost a 30 minute time difference when I trained almost exclusively with DDR.

But I'm getting sick of all these naysayers. Look, I trained for the STL 2005 marathon with DDR! End of story. Get over it. Apparently no one can frickin' believe it. I didn't think it was so strange until a friend of mine insisted I tell Konami about it. Instead of that, I put up a web site. I expected comments like "wow, DDR can really be used for serious training" and stuff like that. Instead all I get is negativity. Well, whatever. People really are pretty frustrating creatures - anything at all new or innovative and people immediately dismiss it. Sheesh. Now I know how Galileo felt telling people the earth revolves around the sun.

So for all you people who insist I didn't do it, fine. Whatever. In fact, that is the whole point of the web site. For people who don't think it can be done, I'm going to do it again, and I am going to log EXACTLY how much I play, and so forth. And this time, I'm pretty out of shape (unlike last time where I had run a marathon a few months before).

You - DDR players - should know more than anyone the physical stamina it takes to play 30 or 40 high BPM songs in a row.

Adios!

[Ryu_Hirakashi]

[Synaesthesia]

All I know is the best arrow smash players know how to minimize their movement to an extreme degree, which is why I can play such games a lot but can't do distance running effectively at all. Maybe if you were playing DDR in an ineffective manner to score but effective for running (i.e., way too much movement on the panels, especially doubles mode), it COULD have worked, but it certainly isn't AS effective as an actual marathon training regimen as Ryu spoke of.
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im a lasagna whale

G_G

[jerbucket]

Ok, I have to say everyone's comments are pretty interesting. Look, I know everyone seems to have an opinion on this matter, but the deal is this: I trained both ways, and I am simply telling you which way I found more effective. And yes, I'm sure my playing doesn't minimize movements, but also I think the quantity of playing is important. I would literally play hours a day. The arcade became my training ground. Usually when I was so tired that I couldn't play anymore, I would go over to the boxing game and work out my upper body. Also, during that time period I was only eating fruits and veggies + cottage cheese for meals.

Also, I had run a marathon 6 months previously, so I used DDR to mainly kept me in marathon shape. Except it had the added effect of improving my time by almost 30 minutes. I still ran once a week (on Saturdays - for the long run) to make sure my legs could still take the running and they could.

Let's wrap this conversation with this: DDR is truly an amazing game. It changed my life and helped me do what I never, ever thought I could do. That game put me in the best shape of my life and without it I could not have completed either marathon. In the first, I used it as a secondary means of training, and for the second it was my primary means.

I hope anyone who reads this post in the future knows that yes, there was someone on this earth who used DDR to train for a marathon, and yes he did it under 4 hours, and YES you may be able to do the same.

Adios!

[Tyrgannus]

Well, If you played 3 hours of nothing but PSMO, then you basically ran a marathon, but nobody does that.

Of course, now that I said that, some sick stamina beast is going to try this out.
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AA Bob wrote:

Summer is as much of a 12 as PSMO is a 9.

[flcl573]

I'd have to say that maybe ITG would be a better idea than DDR, for training and such. Same game, whatever, but neither really helps much for me.

[giuocob the night poster]

[howardleung]

I think this is interesting..I'm going to try that out..I'll do like 20 hours of DDR every week and see if I can run for 4 hours in a row.....

But, this does seem kind of impossible at first..but then again NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE..so I believe this guy for training on DDR for marathons!!
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