The Power of Table Tennis for Seniors

You’ve all heard it… Table Tennis, just like eating your veggies, is just plain good for you, both mentally and physically.

As you may know, table tennis is a great activity with some great health benefits too!

It improves your hand-eye coordination - many seniors experience some changes in their hand-eye coordination as they get older
It keeps you social by meeting and enjoying playing with other people which is important for mental health
It improves your reflexes
It improves your balance
It gets your heart pumping
It sharpens your mind and mental alertness through making quick decisions and using tactical skills when playing
It improves body composition and bone health
It improves both gross and fine muscle movements due to the fast-paced, short-distance nature of the sport

Daytime Advanced-Intermediate Group with coach Priyanka

And if that’s not enough, did you know that it also stimulates your brain in different ways that you may not be aware of. Renowned physician, psychiatrist and brain imaging expert and author, Dr Daniel Amen, calls table tennis “the world's best brain sport” because it is highly aerobic, uses both the upper and lower body, and is great for eye hand coordination and reflexes. Table tennis also utilizes many different areas of the brain simultaneously as you are tracking the ball, planning shots and strategies, and figuring out spins.

Daytime Advanced-Intermediate Group with coach Doğaç

Table tennis is being utilized as a treatment for Dementia, Parkinsons and Alzheimer’s. A few years ago, the Sport and Art Educational Foundation started a table tennis therapy program, which was designed for seniors with early stages of Alzheimer's and various forms of dementia and cognitive decline. Because table tennis activates various areas of the brain simultaneously, players can stimulate their overall state of awareness.

Fortunately, being a 7-days a week table tennis facility, the Ottawa Table Tennis Club (OTTC) offers some great daytime training programs and play opportunities for those who are older, retired or close to retiring who would like to try it out, meet others or even return to the sport you practiced when you were younger.

Daytime Learn to Play Group with coach Rafa

From beginners to advanced players, there are training programs available especially for you, but should you simply like to come in with a friend and play, that is certainly also an option that is open to you. Read more about becoming a club member, where many benefits are offered including lower rates per session, group and private lessons from beginners to advanced players or call us at 613-238-6688 to discuss your needs and for more options.