Table Tennis

Why table tennis is wonderful after 50

Table tennis is one of the most enjoyable ways to stay sharp after 50. The quick rallies keep your reflexes and hand-eye coordination working, the gentle side-to-side movement helps your balance, and constantly reading the spin gives your brain a friendly workout. Best of all, it is a wonderfully social game, full of laughter, easy to play indoors all year round, and low-impact on your knees and hips. Because it does raise your heart rate and get you moving, take a few minutes to warm up your shoulders and legs first, and check with your doctor before starting any new physical activity.

Your first month, week by week

Common mistakes to avoid

• Gripping the racket too tightly. A tense, white-knuckle grip kills your touch and tires your hand. Hold the racket firmly but relaxed, as if you were shaking hands with a friend.
• Standing up too straight and flat-footed. Bend your knees a little, lean slightly forward, and stay on the balls of your feet so you are ready to move in any direction.
• Forgetting to move your feet. Reaching across your body for the ball throws you off balance. Take small steps to get your body behind each shot instead of stretching out an arm.
• Hitting every ball as hard as you can. Power comes later. Focus first on control and simply keeping the ball on the table; a steady, well-placed shot wins far more points than a wild smash.
• Ignoring the spin on the ball. Spin makes the ball jump left, right, up, or down off your racket. Watch your opponent’s racket at the moment of contact and adjust your angle instead of being surprised every time.
• Watching only the ball and never your opponent. A quick glance at how your opponent is standing and swinging gives you an early clue about where the ball is going and what spin it carries.

Words you'll hear

Forehand

A shot played on your dominant side (the right side for a right-handed player), swinging the racket across the front of your body.

Backhand

A shot played on the other side of your body, with the back of your racket hand facing the ball. It is handy for balls that come to your non-dominant side.

Topspin

Forward spin put on the ball by brushing up and over it. Topspin makes the ball dip down onto the table and kick forward, so it is both safe and attacking.

Push

A gentle, controlled backspin shot used to return low balls near the net, especially a short serve. It keeps the ball low and buys you a little time.

Loop

A heavy topspin attacking stroke where you brush up the back of the ball. It is the main attacking weapon in modern table tennis.

Rally

The back-and-forth exchange of shots after the serve, which continues until someone misses or the ball goes off the table.

Let

A point that is simply replayed with no change to the score, most often when a serve clips the net but still lands correctly.

Where to find your people

• Local table tennis clubs are the heart of the sport, welcoming players of every age and level with open tables, coaching, and plenty of friendly faces happy to rally with a newcomer.
• Senior centers and community recreation centers often have a table tennis table and regular drop-in sessions, making them one of the easiest and most comfortable places to start.
• Your local YMCA frequently offers table tennis along with open-play times, so you can turn a game into a healthy weekly routine close to home.
• USA Table Tennis (USATT), the sport’s national governing body, lists sanctioned clubs across the country and can help you find organized play and gentle beginner tournaments near you.
• Community leagues and church, library, or neighborhood-association groups often run casual table tennis nights, which are a wonderful way to play regularly and make new friends.