It works up a sweat: At 79, Susan Sarandon swears by this one surprising exercise for toned arms

It’s not the first exercise you’d think of for fitness or muscle tone. But playing table tennis, or ping pong, has a plethora of hidden health and fitness benefits – and the US actor Susan Sarandon is such a fan, she even co-founded a popular US chain of ping pong social clubs called ‘SPiN’.

Not only does table tennis tone arms, work up a sweat and improve overall fitness – it also boosts brain health, says Susan. Most importantly, it’s open to everyone. ‘Ping pong cuts across all body types and gender – everything, really – because little girls can beat big muscly guys,’ she says. ‘You don’t get hurt; it is not expensive; it is really good for your mind. It is one of the few sports that you can play until you die.’

New research published in the journal Nature backs this up: a team of researchers tracked a group of healthy adults aged 55-65, all beginners in the sport. Regular table tennis training for 12 weeks led to a significant improvement in physical fitness, improved reaction time, better hand-grip strength and reduced visceral fat. Not bad for a fun, low-cost hobby…

‘Table tennis offers moderate-intensity activity, which is good for your heart, along with lots of other benefits,’ says the British Heart Foundation. ‘Your arms, core and shoulders get a workout as you swipe for and direct the ball. In a fast-paced game, you’ll work your legs and ankles as you dash between the corners.’

Susan says she started playing ping pong because it was fun, but also because she wanted to encourage wider participation in the sport by making it more accessible. Over the years, she’s donated professional-grade ping pong tables to under-funded schools in New York City and regularly hosts high-profile, star-studded ping-pong tournaments and charity balls.

Inspired? Find a club near you by visiting tabletennisengland.co.uk.