Table tennis
Ping pong played as a brain workout, part aerobic and part fast decision-making
Two paddles, a light ball, a table. Rallies ask for hand-eye coordination, footwork, spin reading and shot planning all at once and at speed. Japanese rehabilitation researchers found the game activates as many as five separate brain areas simultaneously, and a preliminary study in people with Parkinson's reported symptom improvement after six months of weekly play. Clubs, community centers and garage tables all count. A decent table runs a few hundred dollars, a paddle very little. Other racquet sports carry much of the same benefit with hardly any brain injury risk.
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- Daniel AmenDoes it
Psychiatrist · Change Your Brain, Change Your Life
Lockdown meant a lot of ping pong with his teenage daughter, and he calls the game one of the world's best brain games. He pointed CNBC at a small study in which people with Parkinson's who played once a week for six months showed improvement in their symptoms.
Source: CNBC Make It: Ping pong, walks and mind exercises: Brain-boosting habits of a renowned brain doctor during self-quarantine
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