Secondary Skill Sport

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson & table tennis

Table tennis, when played competitively, has an impressive list of physical benefits, the most obvious of which is eye-hand coordination. The speed, spin and placement of the ball are crucial, and practiced players are expert in both creating and solving puzzles involving these three attributes.

Improved reflexes result because of the fast-paced nature of the sport over very short distances. Both gross and fine muscle movements are improved. The game is distinguished by bursts of exertion and recovery, leading to fast-twitch muscle development.

Table tennis is commonly played by athletes that require extreme quickness, fast decision making abilities and hand-eye coordination. Table tennis is often called "high-sped chess" and many professional baseball, hockey and basketball players, golfers, boxers, and tennis players play table tennis during the off-season to improve these skills. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson often play each other in table tennis.