Table tennis is one of the most popular sports in the world, both in terms of the number of people involved and the number of countries where it is played. The International Table Tennis Federation has more than 200 countries and is one of the three leading world federations for this indicator. Anyone can play table tennis, practically without restrictions on age, health, and physical fitness.
Students are recommended to delegate some of their papers to someone from a professional writing service WriteMyPaperHub.com to get essays written online by experts to have time for table tennis as it has many health benefits. Let’s figure out what health benefits you will enjoy if you play table tennis regularly.
Strengthening the Cardiovascular System
Many healthcare specialists note that table tennis helps to strengthen the cardiovascular system and brings pressure back to normal. They recommend this sport as prophylaxis for heart attacks and strokes. Table tennis is referred to as aerobic exercise, which increases blood circulation, has a positive effect on the work of the heart, and increases the body’s endurance.
Good Eyesight
Table tennis is not only a great workout for the muscles of the body but also a great workout for the eyes. Constant concentration on the ball, which is moving away, approaching, then slowing down, then accelerating, helps to relieve stress and fatigue, as well as maintain excellent vision. This is especially true for those who have to spend a long time at the computer. Ophthalmologists recommend playing table tennis for the prevention of both myopia and hyperopia.
Muscle Strengthening and Joint Flexibility
Playing table tennis regularly helps to strengthen the muscles in the legs, arms, back, and abs. Also, playing table tennis uses the various joints of the arm, legs, and torso. As a result, the joints become more flexible, which allows you to maintain physical activity until old age.
Strength, Agility, Speed of Reaction
As sportsmanship grows, these qualities inevitably develop. With a good level of play, the ball flies quickly enough, therefore, in order not to lose a point, it is necessary to react as quickly as possible, act dexterously and put strength into the blow. For example, boxers regularly play table tennis to develop a high reaction rate.
Movement Coordination and Vestibular Training
Table tennis is a technically challenging game where, for the correct execution of a blow, it is necessary to clearly coordinate the work of the arms, legs, and torso. This can be compared to dance, where the steps are strictly distributed over a certain number of musical measures.
Losing Weight and Keeping Fit
This is a nice bonus from regular practice of any kind. However, table tennis is classified as an aerobic exercise, and in terms of energy costs, it ranks 5th in the world among all sports, so the extra kilograms quickly recede.
Does Table Tennis Affect Only Physical or Also Mental Health?
In addition to its physical health benefits, table tennis has an invaluable contribution to mental health.
- Development of analytical thinking. In table tennis, it is necessary to think in advance about the “move” or even the whole match, that is, “turn on” analytical thinking, but at the same time it is important to make decisions with lightning speed with each retaliatory blow, that is, to use the operational thinking as much as possible. In life, this will help you learn how to make the right decisions, practically without hesitation.
- Resistance to stress and self-control. In table tennis, it is important to fight for every rally, because the set is short enough, up to 11 points. This means that it is important to control your emotions throughout the meeting. Even a slight irritation can “mess up” the game, concentration will be lost, and, as a result, the meeting will be lost. Therefore, self-control is a loyal companion of the table tennis player.
- Willpower and self-discipline. Sports exercises train not only muscles but also will, although the mechanism is approximately the same. To achieve results in table tennis, you need to exercise regularly, and this is not always easy. The ability to realize your goals is one of the most important traits of a person’s character, which allows you to move to new heights; and the desire to win, the ability to never give up is one of the most important qualities of a player.
- High concentration of attention. In the course of the game, you need to keep in mind a lot of things at once: the score, the tactics of the game, and the current rally of the point. At the same time, concentrating as much as possible on the ball and the actions of the opponent. Therefore, being as attentive and involved as possible “here and now” is simply a necessary part of playing table tennis.
- Emotional release. One can notice the removal of chronic fatigue syndrome. All residents of a big city understand what we are talking about. In fact, any change in activities, especially if it is associated with physical activity, allows you to rest and recover. But, as mentioned earlier, while playing table tennis it is impossible to think about anything other than the game itself, so there is simply no room for any other thoughts. Intense physical activity helps to relieve emotional stress and raise the mood.
It turns out that playing table tennis is not only fun but also good for your physical and mental conditions which are interconnected.
