Do You Hold the Back-Bar?

[Ottervinn]

Heheh, I do!

I occasionally play on Standard mode, the 3rd difficulty. ^^; My hand-eye coordination is awful, let's say.

But I've recently seen people on Youtube and stuff moaning at awesome DDR videos because someone is holding the bar; but why?

Yes, it does look more impressive if you aren't holding it, but it distributes your weight more easily. =/

So do you hold the bar or not? ^^

[Finzo]

I usually do, unless it's an easier song. My balance is absolutely dreadful.

[Adziu]

I almost never do. It's not because of any idea of superiority, though; it's simply how I learned.

People seem to give me a lot of kudos for it, perhaps unwarranted. Personally I find it much more fun, and distributing weight without the bar is part of what makes DDR enjoyable.

Admittedly, though, I do find it looks rather more impressive than when people are clinging on for dear life, especially if they're doing something that's not very hard. As long as you're not doing that funny bum-sticking-out velociraptor-posture some people do when they don't hold the bar.

[Ottervinn]

Oh, I see. ^^

Although I have seen people on Youtube complaining about people who are holding onto bar and get a really high score on say, Max 300 on Heavy mode, so this is where the thread came from.

I tend to hold the bar for slightly harder songs, I only really let go if I'm confident with a song, I've just realised. xP

[Adziu]

Oh, I see. ^^

Although I have seen people on Youtube complaining about people who are holding onto bar and get a really high score on say, Max 300 on Heavy mode, so this is where the thread came from.

I tend to hold the bar for slightly harder songs, I only really let go if I'm confident with a song, I've just realised. xP

From what I've seen, it's more...'Okay, you can do it, but now take the challenge to the NEXT level and do it without the bar.'

Max 300, incidentally, is one that I usually DO use the bar for, because I just don't know it and the arrows move so fast that you can't get your weight right early enough. You have to actually have memorised at least the general patterns to be able to do it without the bar.

[Ottervinn]

Oh, I see. ^^

Although I have seen people on Youtube complaining about people who are holding onto bar and get a really high score on say, Max 300 on Heavy mode, so this is where the thread came from.

I tend to hold the bar for slightly harder songs, I only really let go if I'm confident with a song, I've just realised. xP

From what I've seen, it's more...'Okay, you can do it, but now take the challenge to the NEXT level and do it without the bar.'

Max 300, incidentally, is one that I usually DO use the bar for, because I just don't know it and the arrows move so fast that you can't get your weight right early enough. You have to actually have memorised at least the general patterns to be able to do it without the bar.

Well yes, there is the typical comment of: 'Oh, try taking it to the next level.', and then there is the 'LOL THAT SUX HE'S USING THE BAR' thing. ^^

It is a damn hard song.... I tried it once, probably lost within 3 seconds.

[Floof]

I'm thrifty, so I play DDR at home. The consequence of this is that I do the songs without the bar because I use the mat. Even in the arcades I completely forget that the bars are there and I just do my thing, no matter how much I fail. xD

And I really don't like how much I have to stretch to meet the foot pads when I use the bars. But there's quite a big difference between playing on the home mat versus playing on the machines. Having recently conquered Afronova (yes, I'm very new) I'm pretty sure I'll be using the bars when I try it in the arcades.

[wildfireskunk]

When I first started I didn't use the bar, and I didn't until I met a group of guys who did use it. I managed to get to the point of being able to A Max300 without the bar before I started using it, and 5 years on I'm glad I did. It does make it easier to play the game, and will help you improve a lot more if that's what your aiming for. When you get better with the bar you'll also get better without it, if that takes your fancy (I can do 12s on ITG no bar, and am close to doing Pandi 13).

Although things are more impressive no bar, if you're playing to do well then 100% of people score better with the bar, and can pass harder things. Even the worlds best no bar player agrees with that ^^

Urr... But, yeah! I use the bar most of the time now, unless I'm not playing particularly seriously. Or PIU, as I play barless a lot on that

[Mesodyx]

As long as you're not doing that funny bum-sticking-out velociraptor-posture some people do when they don't hold the bar.

Guilty as charged!! *holds hand up* hehehe

I tend to use the backbar when I start getting tired, being as unfit as I am xDD Otherwise I generally don't mind going without it.

[Adziu]

Well, the velociraptor thing makes practical sense. It just isn't the most...stylish way to do things. And when things get really fast it's not like style enters into things much anyway.

[wildfireskunk]

Let's be honest here people, style doesn't really come into it at all unless you're doing a proper freestyle routine, haha. I don't think anyone would say people look 'cool' or 'stylish' whilst playing DDR. As much as I love the game, I know that you look a bit of a fool playing it :p

I get 'the claw' when I play barless on hard things. I don't know why it happens, but it's kind of funny hehe.

[Mesodyx]

Let's be honest here people, style doesn't really come into it at all unless you're doing a proper freestyle routine, haha. I don't think anyone would say people look 'cool' or 'stylish' whilst playing DDR. As much as I love the game, I know that you look a bit of a fool playing it :p

I get 'the claw' when I play barless on hard things. I don't know why it happens, but it's kind of funny hehe.

Good point there xDD, not quite as outragious looking as parapara but still, not the sorta game you wanna be keeping your dignity on anyways hehe. I did one worse than the claw thing, I became so aware I was doing it at one point, I held my hands close by my sides, and it made me look like I was doing the Riverdance on the machine! ^^;

[Nessie-chan]

I tend to go hip hop if I do songs without the bar...

Unless its La Senorita on difficult and then I salsa xD

[CrystalNeko]

Eh I'm not used to using the bar, I have a dance mat at home so I'm pretty much used to DDR without it. And I don't touch the terrible hard songs so there's no need for it 8D *wimp* No wait I lie, after DDR-ing for a while we usually play a difficult one on our last go just for the lols, it's fun flailing about without the bar x3

[Mesodyx]

Unless its La Senorita on difficult and then I salsa xD

So tru, that song just makes you wiggle your hips amirite?

[Miikuruu]

omg i totally do its so hard to play without holding the backbar >.> especaially in love love shine

[Toadsanime]

Yeah, I usually do. I don't really play DDR so much, hence me not being so perfect at it; I can do standard only really. My feet were pretty much the opposite way around when I was born, and though that's no longer so, I still can't even walk a straight line and stuff. I tell myself that's one of the reasons I can't do DDR much, but I guess it's just the lack of playing.
Can do Heavy-Challenge when playing StepMania, though.

[speedlolita]

I play the same either way, I just find holding the back bar increases my stamina.

[rue]

I normally use the bar for anything thats fairly fast, or if im feeling lazy at the time, and if I don't I find I end up with my left arm by my side and the elbow held on to by my right hand behind my back... I suppose its a subconscious way of stopping me flailing like a moron; moreso than on para. xD

But, yes, I've only really been playing just under 2 months now, properly, and this has helped me improve at a fair pace.

[ShurikenFire]

I hold the back-bar frequently, reasons being, i like to do songs on difficult/heavy and expert (or however they do difficulties on each machine, basically red and green) a lot of the time i don't do songs that i've done hundreds of times unless it's some that i really like. If i did Candy i can do it on red without the bar despite it's arkward steps same for quite a lot of songs like the popular PS1 DDR games. Max300 and healing vision on yellow/standard i don't need the bar for, in fact most songs that are standard/yellow i never use the bar for. If i get tired and don't have the energy to channel my weight around as quickly i hold onto the bar even for the easier songs xD.
Personally, the people who are all 'omg u hold the back bar what a loser' i couldn't give a . if they said it, i don't really play DDR for competition, i play it for fun and have a laugh now and again if i do get higher scores than people i play with who are better than me (which isn't often xD) and hey, they see no problem with me holding a bar, it's just the trolls of youtube who wanna pick at it and claim it's not real DDR. I believe the bar is there for a reason.

[Raymatt Havoc]

I do tend to hold the bar quite alot when doing fast passed high ranked songs but with some no bar put in there for good measure.

Then on the easier songs I tend to joke about and have fun without the bar as anyone who as gone to the same meet would tell you. =]

[Adziu]

Still more comfortable without the bar. Anything more difficult than expert mode Dead End and I would probably end up holding on with one hand, though.

[thecomedian]

I'm so rubbish at DDR that I usually have to hold the bar. Although quite often I do forget, and I fall off...

Practicing at home is funny because I have no sense of balance whatsoever.

[Aisoku]

It depends; when I play expert doubles I almost always use the bar, when I play singles it really depends on my mood & stamina.

[sparkle]

I do otherwise my feet slip D: I play on the standard mode on arcade ones [highest on the ddr thing near me] and on my arcade mat i can only go up to mid-level... darn stepmania xD