I returned home the other night, tired. My husband asked me how my evening was. "Great." I told him. I had spent 90 minutes in a gym with 10 ping-pong tables and all kinds of players, all of whom were playing little balls over the net. By 9 p. m, I was tired but excited and satisfied. I had beaten two young men half my age and lost battles against other competitors. For an observer, the night was common, but for me, it was lucky experience that I hadn't expected.
I had taken up ping-pong during college, and in my 30s, I took more advanced lessens. However, a serious accident hurt my leg, which made me unable to take exercise anymore. Months later, I tried to play ping-pong, but my leg had pained for a week. Since then, I put the game out of my mind.
When I was 53, one day my bad leg was working a little bit better. Could I play ping-pong now—in my condition, at my age? After thinking for a while, I tried to play ping-pong again.
Ping-pong is a sport which requires endurance(耐力). players need quick foot work and upper body movements to return balls, requiring faster response time compared to tennis.
Playing ping-pong offers benefits to the human brain. A study investigated 164 women aged 60 and above. The study showed that playing ping-pong could improve people's cognitive(认知) function more, compared with dancing, walking or doing gymnastics. "The greatest thing about this sport is that it can be played by anyone," said Jimmy Butler, a four-time national USA Table Tennis Association winner.
Years passed and my endurance improved. I began to win the games again and again. People started to praise my shots. I felt wonderful, and I believe this sport is the fountain(源泉)of youth.
