Zugball

Zugball is a game of German origin, popular in the late 1970s - early 80s. Nowadays, it is rarely played, and mostly unknown. Newer sets are generally too short for enjoyable gameplay, their handles too soft to withstand the stresses of the game, and the strings too flimsy, leading to short lifetime and unenjoyable games.

A set consists of a pair of strong polymer strings, approximately three meters (~9,8 ft) in length, with handles at both ends. The strings go through an oval-shaped plastic ball, akin to a football.

The players stand facing each other, holding the handles, and keeping the strings taut. One of the players, who has the ball next to his handles, rapidly flings his arms apart, then back together, launching the ball towards the opponent, who then must do the same, or risk the ball impacting his handles, which, for many people, is very painful, depending on the strength of the serve, and the size of the recipient's hands. Each impact awards the launcher one point.

The game is not without dangers: with a stronger serve, the ball may reach speeds in excess of 180 km/h, and after a longer exchange (approximately a minute of continued serves), friction may heat the strings and the metal rings on each end of the ball in excess of 200°C(392°F). It is also physically taxing, as in addition to good reflexes, it requires strong arms, and strong chest muscles. Thus it is great exercise for these muscles, even after a minute of intensive playing.