Table tennis has been around for some time, you probably played it in school during P.E or you remember seeing it in classic 80s movies, nonetheless, you are probably quite familiar with it!
But often table tennis is being overshadowed by other sports, even if it’s super fun and you can play it with a friend.
So, here are some interesting facts about table tennis you didn’t know that might make you play it more!
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The Origin
Like with many things, the origin of table tennis is not completely sure, but it’s commonly taught that it originated during the victorian era.
The upper-class Englishmen probably made this game a fun activity to do after their suppers, and it’s also connected to the fact that people in English liked any sport that way played on the grass, with a ball – so that’s why they invented something similar for the indoors!
They would use any table and pile up stuff to act as a net, but it evolved into something great!
The Olympics
Table tennis became part of the Olympic world late to the party – in the year 1926, the International Table Tennis Federation was founded, and even after the meetings the sport was not included.
Only years later, in the year 1988, table tennis was finally introduced as an event to compete in.
This did not stop table tennis from becoming one of the most played sports in the world, with many legendary athletes to come out of it!
The Proportions
So, think you can play table tennis on a regular table? Sure, it’s possible but it’s not going to feel the best. The summon, modern tennis table is 2.74m long and 1,52m wide, while the height is 0,76m.
The material is also important, especially for professional table tennis players – it makes all the difference!
Ping Pong Diplomacy
This one is for the history lovers out there, as table tennis has some major historical and political roots.
Back in the 70s, due to political differences, and to mend them, the US and China decided to exchange their table tennis players.
The diplomacy went smoothly and it was considered a success, as both sides decided to tighten their bonds this way. This started the friendly table matches between the two sides!
Is It Table Tennis Or Ping Pong?
One of the biggest misconceptions that a lot of people have is, what’s the real difference between table tennis and ping pong?
Experts from PingPongRuler.com state that there is no difference between the two sports – only the slight variations.
But at the end of the day, both sports are played the same way while using the same gear so it’s not important how you call it!
This can cause lots of discussions and debates, but it’s not as serious as many people tend to believe. The important thing is that you love the game itself!
Longest Record In History
People have been trying to break the Guinness world record in everything you can imagine, the same happened with this sport.
The record was set multiple times with the latest one being in 2017 – Steven Seibel and Brian Seibel achieved the unimaginable 11 hours 6 minutes and 30 seconds game of table tennis. They already had a record back in 2004 but decided to try again after that record was broken by someone else.
Health Benefits
Sure, any activity is better than just sitting around, but table tennis has lots of health benefits, both physical and mental.
To play table tennis, you need to be super focused and aware of your surroundings, and this helps a lot with brain activity and mental health.
The adrenalin kick, the motor reflexes, and the amount of attention you need to pay to play well are super beneficial and it will make you feel good!
How To Be Good At It?
Sure, it’s an easy sport to play, especially nowadays when there is adequate gear and equipment accessible to everyone.
Back in the day, the rackets were poorly made and the ball wasn’t the best for bouncing from one part of the table to another, once the plastic ball was introduced the sport became way easier to play and a lot more people could enjoy it.
Now, that doesn’t mean that everyone can be good at it, only a select few have the desired eye and body movement that is required to be good and excel beyond averageness.
Legendary Players
Over the years, many table tennis players have climbed to the top, talented athletes all over the world are fighting for the legendary title.
One of those legendary table tennis players is Jan Ove Waldner, he was so good at what he was doing, he obtained the name ‘’The Mozart of table tennis’’ throughout his career.
Nowadays the legendary status is carried by the incredible Ma Long, who held first place in table tennis longer than any other player.
Good Workout
Table tennis is extremely good for losing weight and fast calorie burning. Your whole body is being moved around, every muscle is activated even if you are just standing in one place – you’ll do a lot of fast, harsh movements!
It’s all in the footwork, you’ll focus on the core and have nicely formed muscles afterward, the more you play the more strong you’ll be.
Also, the good thing about it is that people of all ages and abilities can play table tennis, as you can create your own pace and play as fast or as slow as you’d like.
It’s A Popular Spectator Sport
Like with many other sports, table tennis is good for making predictions and betting who’s gonna win.
It’s probably because it will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat and it’s super fast-paced with lots of adrenaline boosts from both the players and the audience!
At the end of the day, table tennis is such a fun sport, from its origin and history to the ever-growing empire and the importance it holds in today’s sport.
More people should try and play it, regardless if it’s just for fun or not – you’ll have a great time nonetheless!