When thinking about ping pong, also known as table tennis, many people usually get the image of an Olympic sport in their minds. True enough, it is an Olympic sport. But, there is another association some people make when hearing about table tennis — that it’s a fun social sport to play with friends and family.
Besides being a boatload of fun, ping pong also provides many benefits. Some of these benefits can help keep you alive, and here’s how!
How is Ping Pong Good for the Heart?
Ping pong is a fast-paced sport that is also quite an aerobic activity, making it beneficial to the heart. Playing table tennis can raise your heart rate and help to strengthen your body’s cardiovascular system over time. Ping pong is a fast-paced sport that is also quite an aerobic activity, making it beneficial to the heart.
Having high blood pressure makes your heart have to work much harder to pump your blood through your body. As a result, the left ventricle of your heart can thicken, increasing your risk of life-threatening heart problems. Playing table tennis regularly can help to lower your blood pressure, protecting your heart from future damage.
The cardiovascular activity from ping pong can also help to improve your blood flow, resulting in improved circulation. The increased blood flow also benefits the smaller vessels around your heart where fat deposits can cause blockages, potentially reducing your risk for heart attacks.
Overall, the aerobic activity you get from table tennis can decrease your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Plus, of course, you’ll feel better over time. No more huffing and puffing after climbing a flight of stairs!
What are the Other Benefits of Table Tennis?
Despite how fast-paced table tennis can be, it remains quite a low-impact sport. Low impact means you can get all of your cardiovascular activity without putting additional stress on your joints. As a result, most people can enjoy ping pong, even if they have some joint pains or issues (though if you do have these problems, it’s best to consult your doctor prior to starting the sport).
Other benefits of table tennis include:
- Improved reflexes to help you in your daily life
- A fun and engaging way to burn extra calories and lose some weight
- A great way to work your core and build up the mobility of your extremities
- Improved balance that can prevent slips and falls in the future
- Improved hand-eye coordination
- Can reduce your stress and potentially improve your mental health
And, of course, because table tennis requires you to think on your feet, it can help to make you more mentally alert. It can also improve your quick decision-making skills, something that could really come in clutch in critical moments.
The mental benefits you get from table tennis are such that even some studies say playing the sport regularly can help to ward off diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
What Do You Need to Start Playing Ping Pong?
Table tennis is a fantastic sport to get into because it is so easy to start. You’ll need ping pong balls, then some paddles. You don’t need to buy the best ping pong paddles, but you can if you feel like you’ll play the sport enough to justify it. You can also purchase a ping pong table so you can play at home. Alternatively, you can join a sports club or gym that offers table tennis. And that’s it — those are pretty much the most significant things you need to start reaping the benefits!
Wrapping Up
With how easy and affordable it can be to get into table tennis, it’s no wonder that it’s remained a popular sport. Thanks to its many benefits and the fact that it’s just a really fun activity for friends and family, table tennis is here to stay.
Getting started can be as simple as joining a sports club, but if you fall in love with the sport, you just might end up with a ping pong table at home!
