As the name suggests, it's tennis... on a table. You can play singles or doubles and use bats to hit a light ball over the net and onto their opponents side of the table.
An Overview of Table Tennis
Players must allow a ball played towards them only one bounce on their side of the table and must return it so that it bounces on the opponent's side. It demands lightening fast reactions! The sport is played for fund and competitively across the world. There are opportunities to play in clubs, sports venues and youth centres across the country.
Table tennis is suitable for every age and fitness level, and it's easy to find a place to play - with tables everywhere from parks to leisure centres, bars and shopping centres. You can even play at home - all you need is a ball, bats and a table.
Benefits
One of the main benefits of playing table tennis is that it is non-contact. It is also one of the few competitive sports that requires players to move at speed without straining the muscles or joints through stretching or using heavy equipment. For people returning from injury or the elderly, table tennis tennis can be the perfect sport to sustain fitness levels. The action of having to hit a fast-moving ball with a bat several times a second means table tennis also improves reflexes, eye-to-hand coordination, mental alertness and speed of movement.
Costs
Table tennis is a cheap and accessible sport played. Table tennis equipment, such as bats and ping-pong balls, can be relatively inexpensive to buy, with some leisure centres and clubs also offering a rental service. Hourly rates for hiring a court often begin at approximately £5 per session, although membership deals can create a lower cost per game.
Equipment
Table tennis bats and ping-pong balls
Facts
- Egyptian table tennis fanatic Ibrahim Hamato lost both arms in an accident when he was 10, but he carried on playing by improvising with his mouth.
- The first World Championships were held in London in 1926, but it did not become an Olympic sport until 1988 in Seoul.
The Quest-accredited Stokewood Leisure Centre is our community centre in the Winton/Charminster area of Bournemouth. It includes a pool, sauna and over 60 weekly fitness classes, a spin studio and gym.
The Branksome Centre is a vibrant community hub located in north-east Poole.
It hosts a wide range of arts, crafts, sports, learning and social activities for all ages. The Centre also has its own Community Coffee Shop, which is open 9.00am-3.30pm Monday
BH Live is the south coast’s leading operator of leisure and event venues; a social enterprise that designs and builds engaging experiences to inspire people and enrich lives.
We provide sports training and competition for people with intellectual (learning) disabilities.
A leisure centre catering for all ages and abilities
The Junction Sports & Leisure Centre is at the very heart of our local community, So whether it's using the Swimming Pool, the superbly equipped Cybex Gymnasium, the softplay Kidz Kingdom, available Function Room, Indoor Cycling facility, Tennis Courts,
Dorset Table Tennis Centre is a Premier Community Club which offers table tennis activities to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities in the local area. Coaching and a pay and play opportunity are available 6 days a week.
Dorset Table Tennis Association is affiliated to Table Tennis England. Each local league in Dorset is affiliated to it. DTTA supports table tennis development and opportunities throughout the county including the co-ordination of county teams for cadets,
The Sports Club provides sporting, wellbeing and recreational facilities for the community including Football (U14s, U18’s Gents and now a SW Premier League Ladies team); Table tennis, Yoga, Tia Chi, Kickboxing and Fitness (including the occasional er
Sports Community centre, with facilities to cater for tennis and cricket outdoors, a 4 court sports hall + 5 a-side football, dance studio and studio hall
Our Sports and Social Programme is delivered by peers with their own mental health lived experience. Whether you want to meet someone 1-2-1, play football or get out in nature at our walking or gardening groups, we will help you find somewhere you fit in
The League organise competitive Table Tennis in the towns and villages of mid and north Dorset.
several of the clubs have sessions for those wishing to take up Table Tennis and play socially rather than in a league.
Run a local league and cup competition and practice sessions for players of all ages and abilities. Enters individuals/teams into Table Tennis England competitions. Close links to schools in the district running school time visits and after school clubs.
A local club offering table tennis for league and social players
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Coaching grant to increase and/or retain the number of young people (age range up to U25) participating in table tennis and/or increase equality in the sport – by increasing the number of women and girls, disabled people or those from ethnically diverse communities participating.