Fantastic family exercise - DDR plus Parents plus Kids = FUN!
Ranked #19,954 in Health, #202,831 overall
Make fun exercise a family event!
A huge challenge facing moms and dads today is to ensure their kids get their daily dose of fun exercise that goes (get this!) BEYOND using a mouse and keyboard!
I was faced with this, ahem, opportunity for extreme frustration 2 years ago but managed to solve it most brilliantly indeed (if I do say so meself!). And that's what I'm going to share with you in this lens. So without any further ado, let me introduce you to:
In the beginning, there was...... "Mom, I'm Borrrreeeeeeddddd!"
Confess! You heard that siren seductive call of OMIGOSH NOT AGAIN! in your mind just now, right? :)
Yep, I dealt with that as well. Give my kids an opportunity to jog outside and they'll whine:
"But Mommmmmmmmmm, it's 324 degrees in the shaaaaddddddeeeeeee!"
Direct them instead to a nifty game of tennis, and they'll respond:
"But Mommmmmmm, the tennis racquet is heeeeeeaaaavyyyyyyyy!!!"
Okay, true, that's an exaggeration. My kids WILL exercise if I force the issue (after all, remember....my home is NOT a democracy, it's a benevolent dictatorship and I'm the benevolent dictator), but I really did want to find something they all could enjoy.
And then one moment it all came together in a blinding flash!
Behold:
Confess Your Immediate Reaction!!
What did you think when you saw this?
Can parents do DDR or is it only for kids?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byHeck yes - Parents can do ANYTHING! Muah haha!
aj2008 says:
I dont do it - because my co-ordination problems mean total frustration and foul language. But I do know Mums who sneakily keep fit on it when their children are at school!
Posted June 22, 2009
Heck no - Parents should exercise by raising up coffee cups and that's all
So I started to research Dance Dance Revolution and guess what I found!
Dance Dance Revolution (otherwise known as DDR) is a tremendously fun activity that burns off calories like nothing else! It's not just for kids, no sirree! Moms can do it, Dads can do it, heck, the whole family can easily burn up an hour having fun and exercising together!
Here are some nifty resources to learn more about DDR:
Exergaming News
Get Up and Move Boards
How to Play DDR (Beginner)
The first thing I realized when considering buying DDR was that I needed:
The game itself (it can be played on a PS2, PS3, Xbox, etc.)
Dance mats
TV screen
Thus began my insane quest for flinging my family into the world of DDR.
And folks think I have no life!! HAHAHA!
But I digress. :)
Anywhos, I opted for a PS2 back then, mainly because, well, the Xboxes were sold out (I think). And I found:
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byThen I needed the Dance mats
To play DDR, you need dance mats. Now, true, some games come with a dance mat already in the cute little software box, but trust me - your kids will stomp their way thru it within 1.5 months (or at least, that's what my kids did).
Go instead for the foam mats below - they're far more durable.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byThen I needed the Dance Dance Revolution Software
I opted for Dance Dance Revolution Super Nova because of the nifty cool songs they have including:
Battle Without Honor Or Humanity - By Tomoyasu Hotei
Funkytown - By Lipps's, Inc
Mugen - By s q `
My Only Shining Star - By Naoki feat. Becky Lucinda
Video Killed The Radio Star - By The Buggles
Xepher - By Tatsh
and bunches more.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byThen I needed (you know where this is going, right?)
We decided to put the DDR stuff in our guest room, which alas lacked a TV.
But not to fear! We managed to rationalize even that. And you can too! :)
You'd be astonished at what kids can do with DDR today
Before unveiling the nifty new DDR goodies, I did take a peek on YouTube to see what else was there. And I found:
And then the Big Day came!
My husband and I got the kids their DDR setup for the 2006 Winter holidays!
And here is my family with their brand new setup....3 years ago.

They're about 3 feet taller nowadays, mind you. :) But we've had the exact same setup (minus the mats which we replaced as I had mentioned, 1.5 months after getting the system) now for 3 years! And it still works just as good as the day we got it.
Let's now recap, shall we?
So! Let's now recap the Ling Adventure of incorporating DDR into our family fitness.
It started with:
I needed to get my kids (and me!) fit.
I researched online...and found DDR.
I researched further....and discovered what DDR setup would work for my family.
I found discounts at eBay and Amazon etc....and coordinated it all as a 2006 Holiday Gift.
And that's how I incorporated fun fitness with my entire family. Wasn't it a grand journey?
But don't stop there! DDR is great for YOU to lose weight too!
When I'm in good physical shape, I also do DDR with my kids as well. Since 2006, I've lost 52 pounds, and let me tell you - DDR is phenomenal for weight loss indeed!
Here are some nifty tips and guides to max out your DDR benefits.
DDR Freak Tips
DDR Geek Tips
DDR Fit Club Weight Loss Stories
And don't forget...there are bunches of great Dance Dance Revolution games from which you can choose like:
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byIn closing
Share W/Your Friends!
Tweet it!
Stumble it!
Rate it!
Favorite it!
DDR makes it really easy to enjoy family fitness togeher. I hope you enjoyed reading this page as much as I did making it!
Please feel free to share it with your network...I'll bet they'll find it useful as well. Oh, and if you get a chance, if you have benefited from this lens, might you rate it up top? I very much appreciate your time, thanks!
Share This! widget code was learned from the post: Squidoo Shameless Plug Widget. Credit - GreekGeek
capriliz wrote...
That looks like a fun way for the kids to exercise!
Carmen(another RocketMom)
by lingstar

Life...it's Character-Building! ![]()
Welcome! My name is Barbara Ling, and I'm all about:
- Achieving my goals in life by pro-...
by 6 people |























