5 Benefits of Playing Ping Pong

In addition to winning bragging rights in front of your friends over a few games at a bar, there are actually more benefits of taking your game to the next level:

• Makes you better at other sports - Ping Pong sharpens your reflexes due to its fast-paced nature. Compared to Tennis and Pickleball, Ping Pong requires quicker muscle responses since the table is much smaller than the courts the other two sports are played in.

• Helps you with catching falling objects in your daily life - We all remember the movie scene in which Spider-Man catches the falling objects of a food tray. Ping Pong has been shown to improve hand-eye coordination, based on an article published by Harvard Medical School. If you play Ping Pong consistently, don't be surprised that you will be able to catch a falling glass the next time your cat knocks it over (my real-life experience).

• Upkeeps your brain - Playing Ping Pong engages different parts of your brain, keeping your mind sharp. Numerous studies have shown that routine Ping Pong players display better fractional anisotropy and axial diffusivity values (markers of structural integrity and coherence) in regions of the brain. Not surprisingly, similar to Mahjong, Ping Pong is linked to maintaining brain health, in addition to burning a few calories!

So the next time you think about getting together with your family or friends, consider thinking Ping Pong to enjoy these benefits in addition to keeping the ties strong.