DDR Limit of ability

So, I have noticed a few things happen lately. One is obvious, but the other is a problem I am currently facing.

So, I was a natural for DDR, starting off on Standard difficulty and even getting A ratings on my favorite songs. I got good quickly, and after mastering crossovers (thanks to Tsugaru, oddly enough, and R&P shortly after). Unsurprisingly though, I was AAing 9 footers, but barely passing (usually failing) 10s. Nevertheless, I kept playing and got better etc, etc, etc.

1. I think the 18-19 barrier is impossible for me. I can pass several 18s, but certain ones (Possession :cha make me feel like I'm not even close. I guess this isn't really a bad limit compared to most people, but....

2. To an extent, I feel I can't improve my score beyond a B on songs over 15 that I can pass. I can AA a few 14s, but I can't even get an A on any 15 except Ropp C and Zeta.

Thoughts on moving forward/opinions/stories?

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everyone hits slumps now and again. Just keep practicing until you get it down.

Personally though, accuracy is probably the hardest thing to actually get good at compared to footspeed or stamina. The most you can do is see where you can improve your technique (ie what skillsets you struggle on a lot like crossovers or bursts or whatever) and just practice that a little more. Looking at videos of decent players and how their technique works can also help.

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If you've gone as far as you can get by attacking hard songs head-on, then you need to figure out what you're lacking, and work to add it to your game. If you need a bar to play 18s, then ditch the bar for a week or two, and work your way back upto 18s without it. When you can play with the bar again, your balance and stamina will be so greatly improved that you'll stand a fair chance against them all.

If you want to improve foot speed and stamina, buy some ankle weights, and play with them for 2 weeks, until you can pass 18s in them. When you take them off, then.. well, y'know, anime! You'll probably notice that you'll have to work your way up from 13s if you want to be able to play more than 3 songs without a break, but you'll be improving in ways you can improve simply by playing 18s and hitting your head against a wall.

That's actually a really bad idea. The increased torque is really really bad for your knees. Something like a weighted belt would probably be better in that regard.

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A couple of years ago I can barely clear MAXX Unlimited (and with crap score).

Now I PFCed that thing.

So all I can say is keep playing and play often (and play for longer sessions). At the end of your session, play a set that will leave you out of breath.

Finally, you might find it necessary to study charts via StepMania or watching others play.

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It all pretty much boils down to practice. It took me 8 years of playing to AA Max 300. Some people just simply progress faster than others. You could always get all hardcore and pay attention to your playing technique. Do you step hard or lightly? Do you lower your center of gravity during fast turns? Do you pay attention to how far apart your feet are during streams? Do you control your breathing so that it's constant through out the song? Most people go "lol I just play", but I had to pay attention to all of these minor details in order to progress. I breathe through my nose through an entire song, I control my stomach muscles in order to provide faster turning, I switch from flat foot to the balls of my feet on command then back again, I raise my shoulders up and bring my arms to my sides to control energy expenditure. All of this allows me to exceed my plateau. May be slow and seem obsessive, but it works for me.

So, my issue is more like mental blocks on easier songs:

Max 300 I can full combo until right before the freeze arrow. On that pattern, I just can't physically do it. (Mental block) even though I know the pattern and can do it slowed down. It's like a mild panic because it was a hard part for me. (Note, I can also full combo after the pause ends from learning that section.)

On a harder song, such as VD, I will be able to full combo it for a good deal, but when I try to follow what the song wants (the run right before the pause for instance) I can't do that quickly enough. Your advice may help with that.

Finally: step jumps. I am not fluid with them. I have tried being lighter, I've tried being heavy, shifting weight, etc. I have no issues with a quick series of jumps only (Max 300 SMM Cha or Possession) but the quarter note step in Eternal Love Mix are difficult.

I do appreciate the advice though. :3

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For step jumps, I ignore the single arrow. I act as if there is another arrow besides the single arrow making it a regular jump. So really, I double jump. It works for me.

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I tried that, but it doesn't help with the cross over in the step jumps.
LD->D-DR, for instance, then back. I have tried reading it LD->DU->DR, but this only serves to make the pattern harder, and it's too fast for me at the moment.


Side note: I realize something today, almost every song that create massive difficulty for me exceeds 400 BPM in some way.

IE sixteenth notes over 200 BPM, quarter at 400, etc. I am actually surprised I didn't realize this before.

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May help to let go of the bar with one hand and give your body more freedom of movement to hit the crossover. You're gonna have to practice a little though until you get the hang of it (till you ~go with the flow~ so to say).

For the pattern you mentioned (LD->D->DR), you're gonna be facing to the right so let go of your left hand.

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Doesn't help that actual execution of step jumps, lol.

Even if I use no bar at that portion, I cannot hit the step jump timing very well and turn the cross overs. :/

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I can't say anything to help there besides just practice until your legs get used to the speed. Do your legs lock up at some point or do you just get tired in general?

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In my experience the easiest way I broke through difficult barriers in DDR is to NOT play DDR...In which i mean supplement your DDR playing with exercises like squats, crunches and ESPECIALLY stair climbing. I noticed that after those exercises my balance, speed and jumping ability exceeded my growth from DDR alone and i improved dramatically.

You can also use edit mode on home DDR to emphasize any particular skill or step pattern you want to memorize/master. Make a slow chart with streams of tight 16ths or put some "unconventional" jumps in between streams to be able to read them faster, as the hardest songs on DDR have many little quirks and tricks that aren't used too often on sub-15 tracks. It also helps to play certain songs before others to loosen yourself up. An example was on DDR Max 2 i would play So Deep a few times in a row or play In The Navy and then play Max Unlimited which it became easier to pass. Those two songs seemed to work best over others because of the skippy nature of their steps loosened me up and reinforced certain muscle memory attributes.

Lastly, when you're not exercising make sure to eat good foods to fuel and grow them muscles.

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The Limit Does Not Exist.

WAOW, SUCH VERY HELPFULS DIDDER ADVICE

Work on improving stamina and footspeed through other exercises beyond just playing the same songs over and over. Replaying songs can help with timing, but not much else. Whatever exercises you choose to do (and there are plenty for endurance/speed), make sure you do it consistently, and make sure to push and get as much out of each exercise as you can. Unless you push your body, you'll never get as much out of each individual exercise as you should. Find your limit, and then work towards going beyond it.

Regarding that idea of using body weights, that can help quite a bit, but dont overdo it. I'm not totally knowledgeable on the subject, so feel free to correct me if im wrong, but too much weight will damage whatever part of your body is covered by the extra weight. Ankle/Leg weights are useful, and maybe a weighted vest, just dont rely on using them a lot, you just risk injuring yourself, and [sonic sez]THAT'S NO GOOD[/sonic sez].

Obviously balance is important, especially with crossovers and spins, so try to keep yourself centered. While im sure most people avoid spins whenever possible (obviously if you use the bar you're not exactly in prime position to be doing them at all), at certain speeds they can be done comfortably and with relative ease. I won't say that you should go do all the spins in Healing Vision ~Angelic Mix~, but I will say that if you can stay balanced while spinning, then try doing them at lower speeds and see if you feel comfortable doing them. As for crossovers, there's not much to it beyond balance and being aware of where you're stepping. So many times i've seen people do crossovers, and they pivot so much, or they dont pivot enough, that they wind up missing the arrow. The actual crossover motion is really simple, so just keep you balance (I know, you're tired of seeing that word).

Be sure to also improve your ability to read notes at fast BPMs. Understandably, some people struggle with reading notes scrolling by at a dynamic BPM, and if you tend to use speed modifiers, it makes it even harder to read the notes when they scroll faster. Train your eyes to follow the notes at faster speeds, and it will help greatly when trying to pass songs like Fascination MAXX or FELM. If you can comfortably read the ending to Max. (Period) on, say, a 1.5x speed mod, you should be fine for pretty much anything you'll encounter in DDR.

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My two cents: the Sky Is The Limit.

The Skies Are Not Enough.

If you play more, you'll get better.

It's a reference to a song but, okay.

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Ohhhhh, I see what you did there