11 reasons why table tennis is great for your health

Table tennis is a great game to know how to play so that you can compete against family and friends, but did you know that it has some major health benefits as well? That’s right, instead of getting in your workout gear, choosing a motivational soundtrack, and plopping down on a bike for 30 minutes, you could just as easily put on a pair of your favorite sweatpants, head down to your basement or sun room, and get a great game of table tennis in before calling it a day.

Both your body and mind will thank you.

If you are a fan of table tennis, or are trying to learn, here are the top health benefits to know about to keep you motivated!

1. It dramatically improves your reflexes. Thanks to the fast-paced nature of the game, your reflexes (both gross and fine muscle movements) will improve as a result consistent play. Reflexes are not only important in your daily life, but they can help you avoid big and small accidents as you navigate through this crazy world!
2. It improves hand eye coordination. A great rally of table tennis will stimulate and improve your mental alertness and concentration. It also helps your mind and body develop mental acuity. Hand eye coordination is not only important because it helps with many different kinds of exercise as the eyes send signals to your brain which then send signals to your arms and hands, they can also make everyday tasks such as writing and cooking easier as well.
3. It burns calories. Just like all movement, table tennis burns a surprising number of calories. It’s funny, engaging, and you can truly work up a serious sweat if you get good enough. That means that instead of driving to the gym and running on the treadmill for 30 excruciating minutes, you can just call over your neighbor and play an hour of table tennis.
4. It’s low impact. Unlike running and weightlifting and other common forms of exercise, table tennis is low impact and easy on your joints. It’s perfect if your wary of back problems, have a history of spraining your ankles, or simply don’t want to leave the house, but still want to get a good sweat in. While you are moving constantly when you play table tennis, you aren’t making large movements.
5. It stimulates you socially. Table tennis is of course commonly compared to tennis. The major difference is that the court is far smaller. That means that you can actually have a meaningful conversation while playing table tennis as opposed to yelling across an entire full-sized tennis court. It’s also a great way to prove to your kids that they can have fun away from the many screens that make up much of their days. To boost your social life with table tennis, see the stiga xtr outdoor table tennis table review.
6. It keeps you flexible. It may not seem like it, but table tennis requires quite a bit of flexibility. From stretching across the table from one end to another, to simply leaning down to pick up a lost ball, you are going to stretch out your muscles after a long day of work and sitting at your desk.
7. It keeps your brain sharp. Table tennis is known as the “world’s best brain sport” because it is highly aerobic, uses both upper and lower body, and requires fantastic hand-eye coordination and reflection. It also stimulates a part of the brain that are very different from one another as you seek to plan shots, strategies for the next rally, and try to predict flight patterns of balls.
8. It improves your balance. This should come as much of a shock. As you fight to hit back any and every ball, you are also giving your balance a major workout.
9. It helps you build strength. While it’s not getting on the bench press, or doing 100 curls, those repetitive low-impact movements help build muscle in your arms, shoulders, and back.
10. It improves your heart health. One of the best ways to keep your heart healthy is to put it through extended periods of fitness – 20 minutes at least. Since bouts of table tennis can last an hour or more, it’s a great way to keep your heart young and happy.
11. It actually can help treat dementia. Thanks to the Sport and Art Educational Foundation, it has been discovered that table tennis can activate various parts of the brain that improves dementia patient’s awareness.