I noticed it tones other areas if you focus on it. Upper thighs, and if you put on weights, even your arms if you put in movement, also keeping your "core" (abs area) and you bum tight while playing helps as well... But it seems to work best when you are actually at a higher level where you are actually moving constantly.

Then again most people are just against letting it be a legit workout because it's a videogame, but it does work for endurance. so does walking for that matter, but ddr does help alot more in the heart rate area, you can walk for miles and nothing will change. I can prove that because I have actually tested the theory. I can list before and after shots of people who had started to play ddr and then after several months to a year of playing everyday for periods of time. They really did go from pudgy to toned.

I still use it as a work out, not as a game.