Why is Table Tennis Beneficial for
Table tennis, commonly known as ping pong, offers substantial benefits for brain health due to its unique blend of physical activity, mental stimulation, and hand-eye coordination. Dr. Daniel Amen, a physician, psychiatrist, and brain imaging expert, refers to table tennis as “the world’s best brain sport,” describing it as “aerobic chess.” This sport not only sharpens your mind but also provides an excellent aerobic workout. It engages both the upper and lower body while enhancing eye-hand coordination and reflexes.
Dr. Antonino Barbera has highlighted the advantages of table tennis in addressing and potentially reversing the effects of various neurodegenerative conditions, such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. According to a recent study (Ken-ichi Inoue, MD, of Fukuoka University in Fukuoka, Japan), Parkinson’s patients who played a five-hour table tennis session once a week for six months, experienced significant improvements in speech, handwriting, getting dressed, getting out of bed, and walking.
Brain health and neuroplasticity development are crucial, and studies show that multiple parts of the brain can be stimulated simultaneously while playing table tennis. These include:
How Table Tennis The Brain
1. Improves Cognitive Function:
Table tennis engages multiple brain areas, including the prefrontal cortex (responsible for decision-making) and the cerebellum (involved in motor control). The quick decision-making required during play enhances focus, planning, and strategic thinking.
2. Boosts Hand-Eye Coordination:
The fast pace of the game demands sharp visual tracking, reflexes, and motor skills, strengthening the neural pathways that connect the brain and body.
3. Enhances Neuroplasticity:
Table tennis’s repetitive and complex movements encourage the brain to form new neural connections, improving adaptability and learning capacity. At this stage, the brain retains important neurons necessary for strategic thinking, coordination, quick decision-making, and reflexes. Regular exercise such as table tennis and mental activities facilitate the growth of neural pathways, which are vital for brain development. However, to optimize this growth, a healthy environment is also needed, including adequate sleep, proper nutrition, and hydration. Chronic stress acts as a neuro nemesis, inducing negative neuroplasticity and increasing the likelihood of developing neurodegenerative diseases.
It has been scientifically proven that if you play table tennis for 10 minutes a day, it boosts activity in the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum. A study of 164 Korean women aged 60 and over showed that table tennis improved more brain function than dancing, walking, gymnastics, or resistant training.
4. Improves Memory and Concentration:
Playing table tennis challenges the brain to quickly process information—such as the ball’s location, its spin, and the opponent’s position. This helps enhance short-term memory, focus, and concentration. Table tennis is a sport that emphasizes extreme focusing skills that can help improve schoolwork and long-term skills that are healthy for the mind. The repetitive approach to practice and drills requires that players become experts in the maneuvers and tactics that they’ve learned which is also teaching life-long skills in memory and work ethic.
Studies concluded that regular table tennis training can help maintain mental capacity and prevent or delay senile dementia in addition to providing a therapeutic alternative to medication for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, and mild mental disabilities.
5. Slows Cognitive Decline:
Studies indicate that regular table tennis participation can help delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease by keeping the brain active and engaged. Studies also show that the sport improves long-term memory, reduces the need for medication, improves awareness and cognitive thinking, decreases brain deterioration, and enhances motor skills. Considering that there are approximately 5.5 million people living in the United States with either Alzheimer’s or a form of dementia and approximately 44 million people worldwide with these conditions, table tennis has proven to be a huge benefit in helping to fight these diseases.
6. Improves Mood and Reduces Stress:
Table tennis also triggers the increase of neurotransmitters in the brain which can help reduce depression and stress while improving memory and moods. Physical activity, even low-impact sports like table tennis, triggers the release of endorphins (feel-good hormones), which reduces stress and anxiety while boosting overall mood.
7. Enhances Balance and Spatial Awareness:
The sport requires quick adjustments in body positioning and awareness of one’s surroundings, which supports better balance and proprioception.
Because table tennis is both mentally engaging and physically accessible, it is often recommended for all age groups—from children developing their coordination to older adults seeking to maintain brain health and cognitive function.
Table Tennis is the Best Brain Boosting Sport (https://www.instagram.com/doc_amen/reel/CyGwJ_uRvRk/)
RECAP: Benefits of Ping Pong: the #1 brain sport! (https://www.rotarycluboffortcollins.org/stories/benefits-of-ping-pong-the-1-brain-sport!)
Why Table Tennis. 10 Aspects of the Sport That Will Change Your Life
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Battley, Andrew. “Is Table Tennis the Future of Alzheimer’s Therapy?” Age UK London Blog, 31 Mar. 2017, www.ageuklondonblog.org.uk/2017/04/04/table-tennis-alzheimers- therapy/.
Gordon, Jamie. “Dr. Miriam Stoppard: Why Table Tennis Is Great for the Brain.” Table Tennis England, 11 May 2017, tabletennisengland.co.uk/news/dr-miriam-stoppard-why- table-tennis-is-great-for-the-brain/.
“How Ping Pong Can Help Prevent and Treat Alzheimer’s Disease.” Ontario Table Tennis, 6 Dec. 2017, ontariotabletennis.com/news/how-ping-pong-can-help-prevent-and-treat-alzheimers-disease/.
PongBoss and Khaled Say: “Table Tennis and the Brain.” PongBoss, 9 June 2018, www.pongboss.com/tips/table-tennis-brain/.
“14 Benefits of Playing Table Tennis (Cerebral, Emotional & Physical Benefits).” 99Sportz, 18 Jan. 2020, www.99sportz.com/benefits-of-playing-table-tennis/.