Chapter 3: Muscles structures involved

    Many people think that table tennis isn’t a complex sport but really it’s a complete sport in every aspect. NASA studies said that table tennis is the most difficult sport to practice because of its complexity in the use of muscles, more than the 80% from feet to neck. These involve a strict type of diet in order to have a good physical condition; this includes a plan in which each kind of food is appropriate according the preparation for trainings or competitions. Finally, this meal plan doesn’t work if there is not a good and correct physical preparation that is focus principally in legs for power and rapid reaction and in arms for power and a lot of rotation to the ball.
     Many people think that table tennis is a simple sport or not even a sport due to the thinking that for this sport you only need the hand, but everything of this is incorrect, the muscular function is complete in all the body; that’s why physical preparation is fundamental to table tennis players in order to have a good condition to resist the trainings and principally obtain good results in competitions; this preparation should be focused in legs and arms. The works for legs should be focused in reaction and force; based in rapid movements from side to side, jumping, running sprints and lift weights.
     Muscle development in table tennis is fundamental to practice this activity, this start from the feet up to the head, using more than the 80% of the muscles. In the legs the most important muscles are: the quadriceps, the twin muscles, and the abductors; these muscles give power and resistance to the legs in order to move rapidly side to side to the table. In the superior part of the body, especially in the arms, the biceps, triceps, and the trapezium; finally in the abdomen the most important muscles are the intercostal muscles which are involved in the movement of rotation of the body.
     Table tennis needs a lot of requirements such as physical preparation, equipment, psychological preparation, etc. so as any other sport, anything is complete with a correct meal plan and this should be specific to each sport according to its necessities. In table tennis the meal plan for trainings and competitions must be focused on carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, cereals, legumes, etc. These polysaccharides have rapid and lot reserves of energy in the body and also have a quick digestion process.  The hydration is also fundamental for resistance and not feeling tired when playing a match, this process must be done before playing because the most notable symptom of dehydration is being thirsty, also a good form to recover the physical condition is eating a banana in the middle of the training or tournament, and one of the best but unknown form of recovering from exhaustion is the 7 UP but without the gas. The most common error in an athlete who doesn’t  know how to hydrate is to expected  the fatigue and exhaustion and then get hydrated without knowing that just being thirsty means to be already dehydrated. Finally, after the competition is recommendable to consume proteins and a little of fats in order to recover the muscular mass and all the minerals and vitamins of the body.
     Table tennis is a very complex sport because of the use of muscle structures, physical preparation and the meal plan. All of these components may vary according the sport, but in table tennis this components are more complex than many other sports. According to NASA data this sport was determined to be the most complete and with more federated around the world(en.wikipedia.org) . This makes that this sport need a more specific and specialized preparation in all kind of aspects, as the physical and mental part. Many studies said that some sports are easier than others because we suddenly make similar actions in our normal life, for example: kicking a rock in the street are principles of soccer, also throwing things like a ball or trash to the air or to a basket are principles of basketball, so in conclusion, we unconsciously have an idea of this sport and that’s why this are one of the most practiced sports in the world, because of its complexity. Table tennis differs from these sports because instead of only be focused in force, movements, etc. this sport is highly influenced by mental processes such as making strategies in order to win a point, and that’s why it requires a special preparation.

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