Video Games in Gym Class - DDR 101?

Saige writes: "When I was in school, gym class was basketball, running laps, and icky locker rooms. Today, kids get to play video games - and get credit for them! No, it is not as bad as it seems. Apparently, someone has become clued in that Dance Dance Revolution promotes physical activity, and a school in California is making use of that. Can I go back and retake gym?"

Comments

Remember the old NES mat?

[peterdaly]

This is not that much different than the "mat" for the track and field game that used to be available for the origional NES (Nintendo).

Used to be pretty good excersize. I remember working up quite a sweat as a kid on one of those, I can see why it may be used gym. After two days of using it, my parents made me take in down the basement to play it. :-)

Ahh, the memories...

-Pete

A better way

[SCHecklerX]

Would be if h.s. was like college, where you could choose a focus class in things like scuba, karate, swimming, running, sailing, canoeing, diving, judo, etc.

This video game thing is pathetic. This country goes more downhill every year.

I hated gym class too. Golf, softball, dodgeball and all the other crap they had you do was a joke. I was the captain of my XC team, and gym class destroyed my season junior year b/c of an @$$hole in gym class blindsiding me playing basketball and fracturing my foot.

Sports are great. H.S. gym has always been lame. Video games just add to the lameness. My opinion is if you participate in a sport, you should't be required to take gym class at all. Oh well.

Re:A better way

[Saige]

This video game thing is pathetic. This country goes more downhill every year.

Obviously you haven't ever played Dance Dance Revolution.

I have a treadmill, one that I use 3-5 times a week for a workout. You know what? I'm planning on getting DDR for my Playstation - why just run on a treadmill, when I can get as good a workout with DDR, and have a lot more fun in the process?

Next thing you know, you'll be complaining about those rowing machines that make it into a game by having you race a computer opponent.

It is not like they're sitting there on their behind playing Quake for hours on end - they're up and moving around, getting exercise. Quality exercise. Does it matter there's a screen around making it into a game? I think not.

Re:A better way

[Rayonic]

> This video game thing is pathetic. This country goes more downhill every year.

(I've quoted you because I'm sure you'll get modded into oblivion in a second.)

Anyway, your comments are short-sighted. I don't see this video game being any more idiotic than chasing some ball around a court, or hitting a ball with a stick and running around a diamond. The only difference is that it's easier for "non-jocks" to get into, more immediately gratifying, and teaches you rhythm.

It's amazing how many people aren't willing to try a new thing. I mean, isn't innovation what made [insert your country of origin] great?

Re:A better way

[Saige]

I've been doing a treadmill for 3-5 times a week for a year and a half. I can jog a decent amount of time without even breaking a sweat now. I'm not in amazing shape, but definately doing pretty well.

I played a game of DDR, and was starting to sweat at the end of the 5th song. My legs were noticably tired also. It is not a poor-quality workout. Sure, there are better ways if a workout is your only goal - but this is nothing to blow off. Especially the harder levels, which look a hell of a lot tougher than even my treadmill, due to the constant shifting of a person's weight and center of gravity.

One more comment

[OpIv37]

I forgot to mention this in my previous post-

I attended public high school (back in the last century). Our gym equipment was pathetic, particularly the weightlifting equipment and the sports balls. They even had lacrosse sticks that appeared to be made out of bamboo. Public high schools should buy basketballs that still bounce and soccer nets without holes in them before they spend $8000 on a video game.

Dude, get a life or something....

[Brian_Ellenberger]

I'm sorry, but high school sucks enough without arrogant liberals like yourself trying to suck every last pleasure out of life. Come on, being able to get a freakin SODA POP at school shouldn't be a controversy.

"raise money for the school (and large companies)."

Or maybe they are there because people enjoy drinking soda. Please stop seeing life through a narrow Marxist lense. Gosh, Heaven forbid people buying things and enjoying them. Must be a conspiracy...

Brian Ellenberger

Re:Sugar Water machines

[Zathrus]

Depends on the county. Where I went to HS it was against county rules to have a publicly accessible cola machine (ok, it's Atlanta - Coke machine. Anything else would've been heresy). There was one in the teacher's lounge, but that's it. Rules may've changed in the past decade or so, but that's how it was at my school. Several neighboring counties didn't have the prohibitions though - I recall going to some school competition at another school and envying their availability of Cokes.

Frankly, however, "flavoured sugar water" or no there's a serious issue with phys ed in schools today. I'll admit I never really enjoyed it in grade school or high school, but I still understood the need for it then, and I see it even more so now. Many schools have dropped the daily physical education class for a regular classroom course, some have eliminated PE entirely. This is not only sending the wrong message to kids (ok, I question how many "messages" we should expect schools to send as opposed to parents, but still), but it also eliminates one of the few outlets for kids to cut out stress from the school day.

I've never seen, much less played, DDR, but if it gets kids to want to excercise and is effective, more power to the teachers innovative enough to make use of it.

Re:Sugar Water machines

[Peyna]

Exercise and diet both play important roles in overall health. School can limit a child's options as to what they can eat at school in way of school lunches or vending machines, but that's about it. For the most part, good eating habits, and learning to eat healthy foods is learnt at home.

As for exercise, that can be taught at school, by quality Physical Education instructors. (Which are in short supply I think). It's sad that too many PE teachers treat PE as not much different than slightly organized recess. PE should be used to teach kids to pursue active lifestyles and to enjoy recreation. Even those that aren't in the best current phsyical shape can learn this.

Anyway, diet is something that is mostly learnt at home, and probably at a very early age. Physical activity can be taught in many places.

Re:Teaching exercise?

[Peyna]

They need to be taught that it is something they need to do their whole life, not just in gym class. Look at the percentage of kids from your gym class that still have a highly active lifestyle? Especially those that aren't involved in sports anymore? It does make a difference.

In elementary school, it will be hard for the kids to see the value of it aside from having fun, but in middle school/high school, they can understand the value of an active lifestyle.

Re:On topic

[SuiteSisterMary]

I think this is the cheeze wiz of excercise, with the added bonous of producing somone who can hold their own on a dance floor.

Exactly. How is this any different than a treadmill? Or an exercise bike? Or step aerobics? Answer: It's more fun. It provides immediate feedback and encouragement. It gives you a TANGIBLE goal to work towards; the next level, the next song, unlocking something cool, whatever.

Re:What about History class?

[Dimensio]

If you are "sitting" in front of DDR then you are not playing the game properly.

Sure, there are "hand-held" controllers for the game, but that really defeats the purpose of playing.

OTOH, I suspect that you actually have no idea how DDR works and instead you are spounting off garbage based on your ignorance rather than actually bothering to learn about the subject because doing so would actually require effort.