Is table tennis included in the aerobic exercise ranking?

Table tennis is basically not included in the mainstream general aerobic exercise popularity and fuel efficiency rankings, but it fully meets the criteria for aerobic exercise. The reason why it is not included in the ranking is because exercise intensity fluctuates too much, and there is no way to give a universal reference value, so it has always been in the controversial range.

Most people who often play health ball think it is not a serious aerobic game. The uncles and aunts who join the game in the park downstairs use a finished racket and stand by the table to push it around without even moving their feet. The forehead does not sweat for two hours, and the heart rate is not much higher than after a brisk walk. It is just a leisure activity, so of course it cannot be ranked high.

But golfers who often play competitive games definitely don’t agree with this statement. Last week, I played a promotion and relegation match with golfers from the club. I wore a sports watch to measure the whole process. I played 3 singles games for 40 minutes. The average heart rate was stable at more than 130, and the highest was over 160. I consumed 318 calories in the whole game, which was completely aerobic. Core judgment criteria: The whole body's major muscle groups are involved, the heart rate is stable in the 65%-75% range of the maximum heart rate, and the duration is long enough. The consumption is less than 20 calories different from my usual 40-minute moderate-intensity elliptical ride. The jersey is soaked in sweat and can be squeezed out. It is a standard medium-intensity aerobic exercise.

In fact, the aerobic rankings we often see, whether ranked by fuel efficiency or ease of persistence, are all events with controllable intensity and extremely low technical threshold, such as jogging, swimming, and brisk walking. As long as your movements are not too outrageous, the exercise intensity will not fluctuate much. The reference data given are useful to everyone. But table tennis is different. When a novice first learns, he can stand and swing the racket for half an hour without even moving his feet. When an advanced amateur plays, he runs around the court to save the ball. The intensity is three or four times worse. There is no way to give a unified ranking reference value, so naturally it will not be included in the general ranking.

If you really want to rely on exercise to lose fat, there is no need to worry about whether it is ranked or not. If you are worried about jogging for half an hour, but still feel unsatisfied after playing table tennis for two hours, then it is a better aerobic exercise for you than running. After all, exercise that can be sustained is the most effective.