The sport of ping pong has become a popular activity for people of all ages and abilities. It is a fast-paced, high-energy game played on a flat, square table with two players facing each other. The goal is to hit a small ball back and forth over the net until your opponent can’t return it. Ping pong is commonly played recreationally, but it has also been an Olympic sport since the 1988 Games in Seoul. It is also widely played at work, school, and community parks. The sport is a great way to relieve stress and has been used by doctors to treat patients with depression and anxiety. It is a very social and active sport, and it is easy to find other people to play with.
The most important difference between ping pong and table tennis is the paddle or bat each player uses. The ping pong bat (also called a “hardbat”) has a sponge-like material between the wood and its outermost layer. In contrast, a table tennis bat has rubber on its outermost layer. The thickness of this rubber, or pips, can change the way the ball spins and therefore alter the style of play.
For example, if you have a thicker pips, you can place more spin on the ball and make it go faster and farther. This allows you to play more aggressively and is the main reason why ping pong is considered a faster game than table tennis. Ping pong is so popular that it has even inspired the creation of a twitch arcade sports video game and a line of accessories, from paddles to warm-up suits. It is a fun, low-impact workout that requires hours of practice to get good at.