Introduction:
We all agree that practicing any kind of sport is definitely good for your health and wellbeing. However, sports aren’t all the same. Some sports deliver much more benefits than other sports. That’s why you need to choose carefully the sport that you dedicate your time to.
The perfect type of sport for you should both suit your physical abilities and be beneficial to your health. It’s even better if you are able to practice regularly more than just one sport.
In today’s post, I want to talk about one of those sports that provide tons of benefits and that can be practiced by anyone. Literally anyone. Age is irrelevant with this sport.
I’m referring to the high-speed chess or as everybody knows it by the name Table Tennis or ping pong.
Table tennis is a very special sport because it has so many advantages that you can’t find anywhere else.
Here are 7 benefits that your body and brain can gain from practicing table tennis.
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Improve your mental alertness:
Table tennis is a fast-paced sport that requires total concentration on the ball with an excellent hand-eye coordination. This means that ping pong can improve dramatically your mental alertness and concentration.
Many studies have shown that table tennis activates several areas of the brain simultaneously. That’s why some well-known researchers from The American Museum of Natural History have stated that ping pong is the best brain sport.
Therefore, it’s a sure thing that while you’re playing table tennis, your physical and thought alertness are at their highest rates.
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Improve your reflex
Due to the high speed of play that players experience during table tennis, regular players notice an important improvement in their ability to react immediately and unconsciously to any outside stimulus.
In other words, their reflex becomes better and their muscle movements (both gross and fine) are enhanced.
This ability can be of a great help in different martial arts. Having a good reflex can actually save your life in critical situations such as when you’re being attacked by a thief for example.
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Burn calories fast
Tests have proven that table tennis is one of the best calorie-burning sports. Ping pong keeps you always moving from one side to another while focusing your whole attention on the ball. Consequently, this active state of your body helps you burn a ton of calories in very short periods.
Approximately, you can easily burn between 200 to 300 calories per hour of play depending on how active and competitive the game is. These numbers depend on the specifics of your body.
As you can see, table tennis can be an entertaining way to lose weight. It will enable you to burn calories faster than the majority of sports while keeping you entertained. What do you want more than that?
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It’s a great way to bond with other people
Everybody likes table tennis. Most importantly, everybody can actually play it. No matter how old you are, you won’t say no to a quick ping pong game.
Ping pong is a lot of fun. That’s why it’s a great way to help you strengthen your bonds with people that you love and spend more quality time with them. This has worked with me for years especially with my kids. It’s a lot easier to have a conversation with your kid while playing table tennis.
Besides, ping pong can be even used to bond with people in your professional area. If you have a table tennis on your office, don’t hesitate inviting your coworkers to play a game or two during lunch break. This can help increase your popularity in the office.
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Restore your energy
As we grow older, our ability to focus for long periods declines. That’s why while working on something, we need to have multiple breaks every now and then to regain our energy.
All people understand that. However, most people don’t know what to do during those breaks.
It’s a common advice to drink water and eat fruits during those breaks. That’s a good advice. However, playing a quick table tennis match with a colleague can offer far better results.
Ping pong helps you restore quickly your energy and sharpen your focus by stimulating various brain areas which somehow refresh your brain’s capacities.
So, the next time you feel like you’re unable to concentrate during a certain task either at work or at home, remember to pick up the paddle and throw a few balls.
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Good for body joints
Many doctors recommend that table tennis as an effective solution for people that suffer from back problems and joint pain. It’s a great way to stretch your legs and arms without overtaxing your joints.
In most cases, ping pong is actually easy on the joints and doesn’t require performing difficult muscle movements that can get you hurt. That’s why it’s a perfect option for seniors.
However, you should be careful to avoid any misfortunate injuries. Table tennis isn’t usually a dangerous sport. But, things can go wrong especially if you try to play at a fast pace that is higher than your physical capacities.
Bottom line, unless you’re a professional table tennis player, don’t get overly excited during the game. The older you get the more vigilant you need to be.
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There’s nothing better to do at home
Take a few minutes to answer the following question: How many physical activities that you can enjoy at home with your parents and kids?
I’m pretty sure that number isn’t as high as you’d have expected. Table tennis is a game that may have crossed your mind while thinking about that question.
With this generation’s obsession with video games and digital activities, it’s hard to find something common with them as parents. What makes table tennis special is that all generations love it. That’s why I said earlier that it’s a great way to stay connected with your kids and even your parents.
We all understand that the key to a good relationship with anyone is by spending more time with him or her. But the problem that keeps recurring is finding something common between you and the person you want to spend more time with.
From my personal experience, I can say that table tennis can be the perfect solution that you’ve been looking for. So, give it a try.
Conclusion:
Those were the main benefits of table tennis that should be enough to convince you to start practicing table tennis. At least that what I hope so.
In addition to these benefits, I should mention that purchasing a ping pong table is actually a better investment compared to other sports. It’s a one-time payment unlike most sports that require having a subscription at a local club.
I hope you enjoyed the article and if you have any questions or personal experiences you’d like to share, please feel free to use the comments section below.