Why do people use the bar so much?

well they put the bar there for a reason...

but personally I only use the bar when I run out f energy... which sadly has been a lot lately (somebody's out of shape!)

---

*in before flaming*

Anyway, I learned to play DDR at home, so I'm used to playing without the bar. I know I'll sometimes lose my balance, but it's not a problem. I've never touched the bar while playing.

---

I use the bar to maintain stamina and balance.

but like someone's said, it gives a different feeling playing with bar and without bar

---

Some songs just absolutely need bar unless you're a god but I generally stay away from bar unless I'm about to tip over or attempting a 10 or something like that.

At my country, all the pro's use the bar.

---

Normally, I try to stay away from the bar, unless I really lose balance. I lose balance more than I should though since I'm actually really unfit. But then I only use one arm to hold it.

But I use it a lot for a few 9 footers and 10s. I can't pass Paranoia Survivor without the bar, and can't get as far as I can in LoM without it.
I'm not sure if my scores would be better if i used it on songs i don't usually use it on... but they probably would.

---

it is because, you have better control of where your feet is going, DDR was created for you to move around and not just hang on a bar to stay in one location.

DDR FTW

---

Same.

When I play on a machine, I can still play without the bar most of the time but sometimes the little recesses in the pad trip me up. The bar is used to regain my position on the pad.

---

I always have one hand in the bar. I'm not necessarily using for support, but just so that I can know where I am (make sense?) It keeps me in place. I don't know why I started doing that. I try to stop, but than I find my self doing it unconsciously.

Personally, I get a better sense of achievement without the bar. It dents my accuracy instead of actually helping it, and it's less fun for me.

I play with the bar if I find a hard part coming up, or I lose balance. Oh, and I use the bar for doubles of medium 8's and up at the arcades. My arcade sucks though.

---

I tried using the bar for doubles when I started doing doubles, but it nearly made me fail the song. I'm just not used to the awkward position it puts me in. So I do doubles no bar, generally ITG 8s, with a couple 9s barely passed.

---

I try to hold on both bars, but shift my body toward the left if the arrows are on the left pad, and right if they're on the right pad.

---

I don't use the bar much for singles or doubles. Generally on singles a 10 will warrant its use, but not for stuff like bag lol. Pretty much just songs that are over 250bpm and have 8th note runs. For doubles I use the bar when there's arrows that I have to literally throw myself across the pad to hit. Paranoia Rebirth is a song I need the bar for, 'cause i can't physically shift my weight that awkwardly lol.

I think using the bar is ok once in a while as a tool to improve. It shouldn't be used as a crutch. Once you can pass a song with the bar you should try to pass 1/4 of it without the bar, then 1/2, and eventually with practice you should be able to do the whole thing barless. That makes more sense to me than attatching your hands to the bar with superglue. :p

I see the bar as being there for people that are new to the game and it's their first time playing at the arcade. The bar takes too much fun from the game, so I literally smack my friends' hands whenever I see them playing at the arcade. I detest the bar.

---

I abuse the bar as much as I can.

You see I don't mind that at all. Yes of course so some songs it's very helpful to use the bar but don't, like you said, use it as a crutch.

The problem for me is when people use it for everything!

I don't use the bar... simply because I don't live near a convenient arcade so I never got used to it.

I always lose control whenever I'm about to attempt an EXPERT difficulty... Hehehe, it supports me better that really gave me a good grades...

I learnt how to play without the bar. This may explain why my PA's a bit meh. Thing is, I can clear loads of stuff barless (FAXX Heavy's probably the hardest I can clear, and only just!), I just have to use the bar when I PA. It works to an extent (on something like HONEY PUNCH, I can drop it from 22g to around 7-8g), but my AAA count is rather...low.

---