Top 10 Health Benefits of Ping Pong / Table Tennis

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Whether you’re playing doubles or singles, table tennis, or ping pong, can be a fast-paced competitive sport. In fact, when played at an intense rate, it can be a great way to burn calories and get fit.

But before you start, make sure you have what you need for an intense game of ping pong. Click the images to check out these items on Amazon!

Here are the Top 10 from Health Fitness Revolution and author of the book ReSYNC Your Life Samir Becic:

  • Playing improves hand-eye coordination and it stimulates mental alertness, concentration and tactical strategy. This makes it the perfect game for young people to sharpen reflexes, and for older people to refine tactics.
  • Develops mental acuity. The speed, spin and placement of the ball are crucial in table tennis, and practiced players are highly skilled in both creating and solving puzzles involving these three attributes.
  • Improves reflexes. Due to the fast-paced, short-distance nature of the sport, both gross and fine muscle movements are improved. The game is distinguished by bursts of exertion and recovery, leading to fast-twitch muscle development.
  • It’s easy on the joints. Have you had knee surgery, back problems, tired of twisting your ankles? Try table tennis. It’s a great way to improve your leg, arm and core strength without overtaxing your joints.
  • Burns calories. A 150-pound person can burn 272 calories by playing table tennis for an hour. Considering the fact that the sport is entertaining and addictive, it can be a fun and easy way to burn calories.
  • Offers a social outlet. Whether you play in the community center or at home with friends, table tennis offers a great way to bond with other people while you lose weight. Because young and old people can play the game, it can help improve communication and build relationships, irrespective of age. Playing at home with siblings or parents can bring family members closer and enable them to spend more quality time with each other.
  • Keeps your brain sharp. Alzheimer’s Weekly reports a clear increase in motor skills and cognitive awareness from playing table tennis, after a series of preliminary clinical studies in Japan found that table tennis markedly increases the flow of blood to the brain, and could possibly even prevent dementia.
  • Improves coordination. Following the ping pong ball as it moves quickly toward you, and following its trajectory as your opponent hits it helps improve hand-eye coordination.
  • Improves balance. Staying balanced and being able to quickly change direction are key to being successful in a ping pong rally. This is especially important for the elderly.
  • Stimulates various different parts of the brain. By anticipating an opponent’s shot, a player uses the prefrontal cortex for strategic planning. The aerobic exercise from the physical activity of the game stimulates the hippocampus, the part of the brain that is responsible for allowing us to form and retain long-term facts and events.

To see more of our Top 10 lists, click here.

Health Fitness Revolution by Samir Becic Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization, to make the world a healthier, fitter place, please donate!




16 COMMENTS

  1. Playing table tennis is a good way to release stress during any hectic day. It can calm the mind and rejuvenate a person by simply playing the game relaxingly. This is what I like about this sport.

  2. I never thought that you could burn so many calories just by playing table tennis! It’s not as active as a sport as running or soccer, so I thought there would be some major differences. If that’s the case, I think I’ll get a tennis table for my family. We could set it in our living room and play on it during the weekends!

  3. Playing a game of Ping Pong will need you to definitely get those muscles moving, energy, concentration and maintain some of rules. Playing ping Pong is source of fun and exercise hole of your family.

  4. Thanks for sharing. and “Most beginner Ping-Pong players will burn between 200 and 350 calories per hour of play,” according to Lisa Feldermann, personal training program manager at Blink Fitness in New York. “Elite competitors add fancy footwork to their game,” says Feldermann, “which lets them burn up to 500 calories per match!

  5. thanks for the information, I like ping pong game a lot, it is not too intensive as well as maintain a good pace of fitness, will keep playing with ping pong game.

  6. Great Article. I am a 48 years old man getting closer to my 50s and i’ve been playing table tennis (recreationally) for the past 5 years.

    I feel ping pong has helped me stay stronger as i am fit and don’t look my age.

  7. I saw a great list of ping pong benefit here. What I want to confirm is the mental advantage of playing table tennis daily. It definitely helps your brain. Some experts say table tennis is better than chess regarding mental health. I’m not sure about that but I know it does me develop a strong mind

  8. thnak you about article!
    I am married. I love my children, love ping pong. My family play ping pong, it makes my family more fun and more engaging and good healthy
    I’m so happy that!

  9. I have Fibromyalgia and was nervous to play . But I’ve done so slowly and it has been a real benefit all around . Even when I’m only able to play 3 or 4 sets I feel the charge through my body!

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