Footspeed tips?

I've seen a number of threads about how to improve or increase stamina while playing DDR, but I've found that the main factor holding me back on most boss songs is the fact that I just can't physically move my feet fast enough. Footspeed can be just as important as stamina in getting good scores on boss songs, so I'd like to know: Do you guys have any tips for improving footspeed?

Weight can always be a factor, unless you're already in good physical shape, in which case I recommend (and yeah, this may sound crazy) leg/ankle weights when playing. If you can pass the same songs you play already with weights on, then you'll be able to improve not only stamina, but also footspeed. It worked for me when I did it, so if you think you're up to it then that's my suggestion.

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The way I went about it was slowing down the songs I wanted to practice and gradually ramp them up. This was much easier in the MAX/MAX2 days when Training mode both A) supplied a song speed function and B) it slowed down the music as well (rather than turn it off entirely).

Also just beasting songs. When SuperNOVA came out, there wasn't really anything that was good practice for Fascination MAXX, so I just played that over and over.

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The only trick I've really seen people do is flat-foot or heel-toe, but that technique is so hard to get a hold of(I've tried it for years and have finally given up and kept playing normally). The only way I've heard helps is to put the arrows on a higher speed so it forces you to move less.

What other players have taught me, is to just step on one of the edges of the panel. Woe be unto you if the sensor on the nearest edge is dead.

Couldn't get myself to play that way, since I play flat-footed.

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I do heel-toe and bracketing I guess.

Yes, I step on the inner edges of the panels, that's why I dislike machines with dead sensors.

I think that means I play flat-footed.

Oh, I play barefoot.

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inb4 "barefoot gameplay ruins pads."

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How come? I think I step lightly.

For reference:

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Fair enough. Stepping on the inner edges and doing it lightly.

I've seen pads with panels that have craters in them.

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I wish i could help but my footspeed is shit (well, i cleared Determinator with 85ish% on a R21 cab 1.5 years ago but it was maybe a fluke and i was warmed up that day).

Like always, this take a lot of practice. Like for stamina, you can target specific songs or stepchart and work on it.
I personaly wished to play I'm so Happy since the speed is beetween the 200bpm wall (FaxX/Felm/Anti-matter/ect) and the old boss songs (150/160bpm) but it can't happend outside asia.

Anyway, if you have an homepad or that you can play edit at your local ddr arcade (or even better, have an R21 cab) you can work on speed step by speed by increasing the bpm speed and the difficulty of the paterns.

Also stepping on edges and playing more lightly might help too. Stamina is somehow related to footspeed. Because when you're out of breath, footspeed decreases a lot. And of course, being warmed up helps (at least for me).

So, where and how do you play Zowayix ?

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Hloding the bar increases footspeed as you're shifting your weight from your feet and waist to your arms.

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Play songs with 16th streams at 120 bpm.
Then gradually start playing things at 130 bpm then 140bpm and so on.

By the time you notice, you'd be like "shiz, 130bpm 16th streams are so damn slow".

i wish i had bigger feet

i have a problem hitting the back with using a bar(a chair)

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All I have is DDR II for Wii. I play on the bundled softpad no bar wearing socks.
Sorry, I should have mentioned this earlier.

Thanks for the tips guys!

I'm pretty much on your same level, but after playing for more than 12 hours, I began to notice that i've gotten a lot faster by doing EVERY chart ( to , if I can manage it), through this I've been seeing that my "footwork" has increased in speed. But....I do want to mention I have been going to the gym and using those machines that strengthen your calves and the such so, maybe it's just the strength i've been building up or simply because of playing 1 to 2 hours of DDR a day that's helping me move much faster than before. Oh and STRETCH!

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As I have said before, getting real stamina the fastest way is running on a daily basis, you shouldn't really expect dancing games to do all this for you in no time. The speed in which you gain stamina and footspeed also depends on weight and the kind of food you eat. Another tip is not to try to pass songs on a lazy or mediocre way just to keep energy for the rest of the song, you should try to first play 15% of the song with all your energy, then 20-25%, and so on. And depending on what you are playing, (being a little contradictory), try to move your feet the least, since trying to stomp on the center of the arrows is not always the best idea for hard songs.

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I have this problem as well. I couldn't even use bracketing because maybe, my feet is too short ( 9 US Size) Or I am too light ( 45 kg) Or Our pads here are crappy. So I have to play really heavily because If I step lightly it won't register. That's why I couldn't even A Max 300
Should I gain weight or what?

I'm in the same boat as o2gulo in terms of size. 9 Us, and 48 kg. But my footspeed is alright. I can stream 16ths 165-170 for quite a while. I guess what really helped me, is definitely hit the insides of the pads. I also agree that stamina and footspeed go hand in hand. If I have more stamina, basically I can move my feet faster. I guess the best way to increase stamina, is to run as Ali said, or just play a lot. I recently got access to a pretty good machine in terms of maintenance, and I have gotten MUCH better in terms of stamina AND footspeed. I suppose if you had a CF or a good metal home pad, you could mod it a little to make the insides sensitive, and practice a lot with that if you don't have access to a well maintained machine.

I'm not too sure if shoe size even helps me at all. I have size 10 feet and I still have issues with heel-toe. I think it just takes a type of coordination and I really don't feel like going back to the easier songs to work on it with less arrows, but I've been told that's how people do it. Playing no bar kind of helps because the harder the songs get, the more forced you are to move less(if that makes sense).