There are two pedals, a soft one and a hard one. Start with the soft pedal: it is easier to push down, so you can feel the ground pushing back without fighting the equipment. When that sensation is clear, move to the hard pedal. You have to push harder to make it go down, and it also pushes back harder, which is closer to a real ground reaction. Do not put an advanced player on the hard pedal just to look serious. The point is to meet the ground as a feeling first, then as a heavier load.
