SAN ANTONIO — At the San Antonio Table Tennis Club, you can socialize while you break a sweat.
Rich Larrumbide has been playing at the SATTC for two years.
“I like to come by and get some exercise in after work,” Larrumbide said. “I like the social aspect of it as well. It’s really a like a family environment.”
He trains with Coach Vlad Farcas, the president of the SATTC, five days a week. Each training session is about three hours.
“You don’t feel like you’re working out because you’re having so much fun playing,” Larrumbide said.
It doesn’t take long to get the hang of it either.
“You can get the basics down in like 30 minutes, that’s the forehand drive and the backhand drive,” Farcas said.
According to the SATTC, you can burn up to 350 calories in a single hour of play.
“I don’t see anybody who doesn’t sweat here,” Farcas said. “They will play for like two hours and take a break. They’ll be so tired, then they’ll go right back at it!”
Farcas said people off all ages and abilities play at the SATTC.
“People come in to train to be Olympic and Paralympic table tennis players,” Farcas said. “Most of the time, they come to have fun while exercising.”
The club uses an open-play system, which doesn’t require you to bring a partner in order to play. Farcas said they can match you with someone close to your skillset.
The SATTC also hosts tournaments. San Antonio’s largest beginner’s ping pong tournament will happen at their facility on November 5, 2021.
The San Antonio Table Tennis Club is open seven days a week. If you want to play for the day, it costs $10. A monthly membership is $50.
To learn more, visit the SATTC website.
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