Table tennis (or ping pong as it is also commonly known) is currently one of the fastest growing sports in the world and almost everyone will have played it at some point in their lives. This article will cover five of the best reasons for taking up the sport.
1. Table Tennis Keeps you Healthy and is Great for All Round Fitness
Table tennis is a fast paced sport which really gets the blood pumping and is great for working up a sweat. In particular your leg and core muscle groups will get a really good workout helping to boost health and fitness. At competitive levels, ping pong can be one of the fastest sports around. The value of staying active and getting exercise to keep your mind and body in tip top shape is well known, however you don’t have to be a pro to get a good workout. Even playing just a couple of hours a week can do wonders for your fitness levels.
2. Everyone can Play
Table tennis is suitable for anyone and everyone and is one of the few sports which is inclusive enough so that young or old, short or tall, male or female, fit or couch potato, can play together. The sport is incredibly inclusive and presents no age or gender barriers. Disabled players may also compete against their able-bodied counterparts without being unduly disadvantaged, since there is much more to the sport than raw strength or power. Ping pong can also potentially be played well into your eighties, possibly even older. Unlike many other sports it’s never too late to start playing and it’s very easy and quick to learn the basics of the game.
3. Table Tennis Keeps your Brain Active and Mentally Sharp
To a beginner player, the speed at which the ball moves will seem incredible and it will be surprising at just how many “impossible” spots a more advanced player actually returns. However, with just a little practice your hand-eye coordination and your reaction times will increase dramatically and you’ll soon be returning those impossible shots too. Also, table tennis is good for the brain due to the amount of rapid thinking which goes into each point as your brain quickly calculates how best to play the ball in order to outwit your opponent.
4. You can Play Anywhere, Anytime
Being a non-seasonal sport, ping pong can be played any time of the year and can be played indoors or out (dependent on the weather). The amount of space required is actually pretty small at a beginners level with smaller sized tables available and most good tables will fold away when they are not in use.
5. Table Tennis is an Inexpensive Sport
One of the best things about ping pong, particularly in relation to many other sports, is that you don’t have to invest much money when first taking up the sport. A good beginner’s paddle costs significantly less than £50 and should last a long while if it is properly cared for. A home table should cost from around $250-$500 although can cost considerably more for those more interested in pursuing the sport at a higher level. The cost of club membership is also very reasonable compared with other sports such as tennis or golf.
And finally, although I said this article would cover the top five reasons to play table tennis, we have so far not covered the main reason which is that table tennis is just plain fun. No matter what your age, gender or fitness level, you’re bound to have a great time playing table tennis. It is a sport that is easy to learn and yet incredibly difficult to master.