A beloved sport around the globe, ping pong is not only fun to play but great for the mind and body. It’s even been shown to help you live longer! So if you’re looking for a new challenge, look no further than ping pong. You’ll need a table, regulation ping pong balls, paddles, and a partner or two. Start by finding someone who’s at a similar skill level to you or maybe a little better. Then, work on your stance and skills to improve with time.
The game is played on a table divided by a net, with each player using a bat (sometimes called a paddle). Rallying takes place over the whole table. Players are allowed to touch the ball only once during a rally with any part of their paddle hand, and may not hit it with their non-paddle hand unless there’s a reason to do so.
This is the main difference between ping pong and table tennis. In the United Kingdom, it’s legally correct to only use the term “table tennis” as there was a trademark registered by London toy importers Hamley Brothers for a version of the game manufactured by John Jaques & Son in 1900.
Throughout most of the 20th century, table tennis was dominated by athletes from central Europe, with world championships won nine times by Hungary and twice by Czechoslovakia. But in the 1950s, Asia began producing champions as well. This expansion of the sport led to so-called ping-pong diplomacy, which contributed to enhanced relations between China and the West.