Table tennis is a cheap and accessible activity that can be played with people of all ages.
| Fast Answers | |
|---|---|
| Why get into table tennis? | It's fast, fun and easy for everyone to play. |
| Who is it for? | All ages and abilities. It's also a great way to stay fit if you are less mobile or returning from injury. |
| Is there a cheap option? | It can be very affordable as most clubs offer sessions for a few pounds. |
| What if I want a proper workout? | Table tennis can be intense and can really get the heart pumping. It also improves cardiovascular fitness and endurance levels. |
| Can I take it to another level? | There are tournaments at all levels, from schools through to county and national championships. |
| Is there a disability option? | Table tennis is a very accessible game. |
| Is there a family option? | Just get a few bats and a ball and you can start to play anywhere, even on the dining room table! |
Table Tennis
Men and women can participate in individual, doubles or team events. Matches consist of a best of five sets of 11 points each. At professional level, the sport is really fast. The ball travels at speeds of 100mph and is struck more than 180 times in a minute - about three shots a second. One of the main benefits of playing table tennis is that it is non-contact, so you can get all the benefits of a high-energy workout without the risk of collision injuries.
Pig-pong
Put simply, ping-pong is a more relaxed version of table tennis. You can play it on your dining room table, or even make a table out of cardboard boxes. Professional table tennis players generally wouldn't refer to their sport as ping-pong, but recreational players might use both words. Ping-pong is full of giggles! Whether you improvise with saucepans in the kitchen or dust off the table in the attic and play Round the table with the whole family, it's a fun activity that everyone can join in with.
Disability Table tennis
Table tennis is a completely inclusive sport and nearly everyone can participate in its full format or when adapted. Table tennis offers people the chance to develop their fitness and coordination and it also helps to build social skills. There are opportunities for disabled people to play table tennis at local, national, international and Paralympic levels.
Table tennis for kids
Children can often start playing and enjoying table tennis from the age of 4 or 5 onwards. It is a great activity for kids because you don't need much equipment, it can be played anywhere and it's space effective. You can also play indoors so it doesn't matter if the weather is bad outside!
Source: BBC