Table tennis academy teaches more than the sport

2024-06-18

Today we take you to meet a former national team athlete who founded a table tennis academy. The academy not only teaches the sport, but also trains the brain and enhances life skills. FTV reporter Stephany Yang spoke to the founder to learn more.

Through a series of executive function tests, students are evaluated on their inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and working memory.

The tests are fun games and participants can receive their results within 20 minutes. This is not a psychology experiment. It’s part of a table tennis academy program in Taipei.

Hung Tsung-min
Founder
I created it because I run these kinds of studies for more than 20 years. For my study, it is so evident to show that sports training that incorporates cognitive function components into the training is very effective for all kinds of individuals especially for those who are kind of weak in their attention skills. For example, children who are attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. We have a lot of evidence to show that it is effective.

The table tennis program incorporates all three components assessed in the game. Participants will be able to learn skills, train their physical fitness, and improve their cognitive function. They will also take a test again to see their progress.

Wang I-tse
Coach
The inhibition function is a bit like when we are doing up-and-down rotation exercises because it requires controlling, waiting, and predicting. The working memory part is more like when we are running, we may need to hit a few forehands and backhands, and we need to know where to hit the ball. In the test, we have a few children whose original concentration may only be at 70% to 80%, but after the class, they improved to 100%. At this table tennis academy, we not only provide table tennis training, but we also have a comprehensive training model that ranges from brain training to life education.

The founder of this academy is Taiwanese sports professor Dr. Hung Tsung-min. He is a professor and researcher at National Taiwan Normal University. Before he started teaching, he was a national table tennis star. He was elected an international fellow of the U.S.’ National Academy of Kinesiology. The prestigious title is regarded as the Nobel Prize of the sports world. At his table tennis academy, he has implemented his long-term research results in sports cognitive neuroscience. Through customized exercise and professional training methods, he hopes to help improve the brain cognitive functions of all ages.

Hung Tsung-min
Founder
Nowadays we are facing the serious challenge of having a very low birth rate for the young children. So we need to provide some kind of training for these young kids to be able to develop their mental skills so they can be more productive for their future. For the elderly, because we are also entering a super-aging society so we need to find ways to try to maintain their cognitive function so that they can still be productive during their later lives.

Hung says racket sports have positive effects on executive functions and all aspects of the body and mind. Not only does it help improve cardiopulmonary function, coordination, and muscle strength, but it also improves executive function skills. The academy is comprised of several national players who serve as coaches. In addition to being able to play well, coaches also have to go through rigorous training to learn theory.

Hung Tsung-min
Founder
I have to find good coaches because these coaches have to not only be good in table tennis but also they have to be good at learning all the theories and all the knowledge behind the training for improving executive function. That is the most important and most difficult part. All the coaches have gone through training for three months.

Chuang Ying-i
CEO
Our courses include brainstorming courses, which are relatively rare in traditional table tennis academies. I am 68 years old. I come here at least three days a week. The school has greatly benefited my whole body and mind.

The academy hopes to not only improve their students’ table tennis game but also to enhance their executive functions so that they can lead healthy lives.

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前乒乓球國手創辦乒乓球學院設計完整系統化的運動課程

2024-06-18

今天我們帶大家認識一位創辦乒乓球學院的前乒乓球國手洪聰明，首創以桌球運動為載體，規劃設計一套完整系統化的運動健腦課程。一起來看看。

透過一系列執行功能訓練測試，評估學生的抑制控制、認知彈性和工作記憶。

透過有趣的遊戲，參與測試的民眾可以在20分鐘內收到結果。這個測試是台北這間乒乓球學院計畫的一部分。

[[創辦人洪聰明]]
"我打造這個測試，是因為我從事這類研究已經20 多年。我的研究很明顯地表明，將認知功能納入的運動訓練，對於每個人，特別是注意力不集中的人來說，都非常有效。例如，患有過動症的兒童，我們有大量數據證明它是有效的"

乒乓球訓練包含了學習技能、訓練體能並提高認知功能，最後再進行一次測試看看成效。

[[教練王翊澤]]
"抑制功能就有一點像是我們在做上下旋轉的判斷練習，因為需要做控制、等待及判斷。工作記憶的部分，就比較像是我們在跑位的時候，需要打幾個正手，要打幾個反手，打到那一個落點。我們在檢測裡面有幾個小朋友，從本來專注度可能只有70%到80%的準確率，上完課，到100%。所謂的乒乓學院，我們不只有桌球，我們從大腦訓練到生活教育，到整個全方面的訓練模式"

這所乒乓球學院的創辦人是洪聰敏教授，現為國立臺灣師範大學研究講座教授，年輕時是臺灣國家代表隊桌球國手，更是全世界體育運動學術界最高殿堂美國國家人體運動學院的終身院士。洪聰敏希望透過客製化的運動和專業的訓練方法，幫助改善各年齡層的大腦認知功能。

[[創辦人洪聰明]]
"現在，我們面臨著出生率持續下探的挑戰。因此，我們需要為這些年幼的孩子提供某種培訓，培養他們的心理技能，讓他們未來更有生產力。對於老年人來說，因為我們也即將進入超高齡社會，所以我們需要找到方法來維持他們的認知功能，確保他們在晚年仍然富有生產力"

洪聰明說，持拍運動對執行功能及身心各方面都有正面影響，不僅能有助於改善心肺功能、協調性和肌肉力量，而且還可以提高執行功能技能。該學院由多名國家隊球員組成並擔任教練，除了要擅長乒乓球，還要經過嚴格的訓練，學習理論。

[[創辦人洪聰明]]
"我必須找到好的教練，這些教練不僅擅長乒乓球，還要熟知學習訓練背後的所有理論和知識，以提高執行力。這是最重要也是最困難的部分。所有教練都經過三個月的訓練"

[[董事長莊英逸]]
"我們的課程有加入腦力激盪的課程，這在一般的乒乓學院是比較少的，我已經68歲，我每一個禮拜最少會來三天，對我來講，整個的身心覺得帶給我很大的幫助"

學院希望不僅能提升學生的乒乓球水平，同時增強他們的執行能力，過著健康的生活。

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