WORKING OUT and BOWLING

[MICHAEL]

I am of the opinion that working out, and doing a bowling oriented style of weight training, along with the all so important stretching routine could increase ones average by a substantial amount! How many of you good bowlers 200 plus,,, do some form of exercise!! ?? At a gym,, or at home??

[e-tank]

i was just gonna make a thread to ask if me being a gym rat could have any benefit to bowling haha. Ive been lifting for 9 years through football and now power lifting and the only benefit ive seen is the ability to hurl heavy balls at high velocity with no back swing.

[RoccoRock]

Well I don't average over 200, but when I lost 50 pounds, my average went up by 30 pins. I've gained 30 back, and my average is down 10 pins. I have to hit the gym, and do some running, and hope to get my scores back up.

[75lockwood]

Don't average over 200 (yet) i could definitely do with some weight loss, more bowling it is!

[billf]

I haven't worked out seriously in years. Having a labor intensive job helps. The real advantage seems to come tournament time when endurance becomes an issue. That and as we age the ability to minimize the downfall that physically happens to all humans.
Moving this time around my daughter made the comment that I'm not as strong as I use to be (duh, I'm 45) but I can still outwork and outlast most people half my age. I might not bench press 480 or squat 960 anymore but I'm still as strong as I need to be...mind over matter baby!

[MICHAEL]

Bill when I was in my prime, I bench pressed 481, and could full squat 961,,,,, that was even in my 40's! I lost a lot of my strenght, and weight when I contracted RA/LUPUS,,,, not to mention the two falls I had as an Iron Worker! I now keep my bench down around 300... max,,, and squat 400. Age, and wear an tear do take a toll!!! But I am bowing much better now, and feel 100 percent better then two years ago! The Doctors call me an enagma, Puzzle! I should be in a lot of pain, and falling apart! Diet, Working out, supplements, healthy clean water, and a good woman!! I was told 5 years ago, if I did not take their heavy duty
Medications, and prescriptions, I would be in a wheel chair within two years!!! Guess what American Medical Profession!! It’s going on 6 years, and I don’t even have to take a aspirin!!! All naturel!!
I know for a fact that working out is what has given me the ability to bowl the great games I have this last year!! I also do cardio on a recumbent bike for 40 minutes 4 times a week!
It use to hurt my knees so bad 3 years ago that I many times thought I would have to quit before finishing our 3 games! Now with the weight training, and cardio, I can easily bowl 10 12 even 20 games with no discomfort!!

[Flyer41]

I think exercise definitely helps.

In high school, my senior year (2009) I averaged 220 in our conference and that was my last serious bowling endeavor. I never really worked out then at all; I was 6'4" #170 at graduation. I went to to play baseball at college and with our workout routines I've gotten to 6'6" and #210 and whenever I come back home to bowl over break, I still sit right around 220 with my average (on a THS though, not a travel league like HS). Since I don't practice nearly as much, I believe my weight training and other workouts have put me in better control of my body overall. I might not be as in bowling form as I used to be, but just knowing my body better allows me to execute at the same level, so when I get back in bowling form with this new-found coordination people better watch out!

[J Anderson]

I'm almost inspired to clean off our weight bench and start working out again, I had a YMCA membership when I was teaching, but let it lapse when I switched to doing construction work since I wasn't making as much use of it. Several years later, my wife and I bought the weight bench from friends who were moving to Chicago. We bought it as much to give them a little cash and not have to move something heavy and bulky, as to have a home gym. Typical of home fitness equipment, it gets used by one or both of us for a few months and then forgotten about for years.

We did join a fitness center about 12 years ago. I had participated in a heart/yoga study and was given a 3 month membership in return. My wife bought a trial membership and we did attend one of their yoga classes regularly. We weren't nearly as good about using the gym facilities and didn't renew. After that we took several yoga classes though the local adult ed program.

[MICHAEL]

James, I have been working out at a very nice facility close to my place YMCA! There are several in the Kansas city Missouri area!

They have Yoga classes also! They have a great Steam/Sana/whirlpool, pool! Always clean and in good condition! I am convinced at 64, I have the body of a,,,, say Bill!! (guy in his 40’s! lol

James, I eat as much as possible good organic food, I have my own water treatment system to purify my drinking/cooking/and Ice cubes!! WATER is purified by in what I think is the best system out there! It’s the Kinetico system. Got mine installed through Home depot! Water is sooooooo important to the human body, and good water without chlorine, fluoride, ect,,ect,, is just not out there! I don’t trust bottled water at all!! Costco is carring a lot of Organic stuff that has huge benefits to your health!!
Watch what you eat, drink lots of purified water, supplements, and WORKING OUT! Keys to feeling well, and bowing at your best!!

[MisterSinister]

I think it helps me a lot. Not ony pyshicly, but mentally. If I'm out of shape, and feeling like poo, I'm in a bad state of mind. Bad state of mind can lead to bad bowling. Of course you don't have to be in good shape to be a good bowler, but it can't hurt.

[ArtVandelay]

Theres no question it helps! It helps everything. It helps balance, strength, accuracy... Why dont you see any (or many) 300 pound guys in the PBA? Honestly, my average is only 10-20 pins higher (max) than when I was 60 pounds heavier, but i am MUCH more consistent.

[Zothen]

To much muscle will actually be a hinderance! Our sport league had a semi pro body builder and he told everyone his muscle mass was a hinderance as he was unable to get a proper backswing due to his huge muscles as well as having to control how he threw the ball because his 16lbs felt like 10lbs.

Zothen

[billf]

That's why true bodybuilders and power lifters work on flexibility. I'm 6', use to weigh 268 lbs at 6% bodyfat and was more flexible than anybody I knew. Sounds like that guy had some muscles but no real muscle/body control. Maybe the sites personal trainer and power lifter, E-Tank can give his opinion?

[swingset]

The last time I bowled, 15 years ago I wasn't in very good shape. I was a decent bowler but I did have problems with my sciatic nerve bothering me after several games and I did have wrist issues.

When I came back to bowling a few years ago I was already doing P90X and continue to do it and its variants. I'm in pretty good shape and it's made my bowling much better in terms of comfort and resistance to injury. And, that's true of everything else I do too.

I recommend anyone who bowls getting in better shape. You can bowl and be a fat slob, but you can bowl a hell of a lot easier and enjoy it more when you're in shape and feel good....and that extends to the rest of your life too.

About the only downside is that nearly nothing to eat in a bowling alley is good for you - so I have to really avoid the snack bar.

[GeoLes]

I don't bowl 200 yet, (but I play one on TV) :)

I am plagued with a horrific tight lower torso. Natural motions have helped immensely. Yoga, hip,hamstring and quad stretches are good. Also, there are particular exercises that sumulated ball delivery. For example: Stand on one leg with knee of the free leg bent and hip high. As you reach down to touch the floor, bring the free leg around back into bowling position and return to starting position, all without placing that foot on the floor. Repeat several times and switch legs.

I also practice relase with a basketball agailnst wall. Just hold ball with palm flat, swing forward turning the palm sidways as if shaking hands. Repeat with flat and backup wrist motion.

[e-tank]

That's why true bodybuilders and power lifters work on flexibility. I'm 6', use to weigh 268 lbs at 6% bodyfat and was more flexible than anybody I knew. Sounds like that guy had some muscles but no real muscle/body control. Maybe the sites personal trainer and power lifter, E-Tank can give his opinion?

its true haha. I am actually pretty flexible. And muscling the ball ruins my accuracy so i just let things flow. Pretty much any novice or recreational bowler tries to muscle it if they can no?

[billf]

its true haha. I am actually pretty flexible. And muscling the ball ruins my accuracy so i just let things flow. Pretty much any novice or recreational bowler tries to muscle it if they can no?

Even some intermediate bowlers try to muscle it. The funny part is, the smaller guys are usually the most guilty of it. They're use to having to put every muscle into everything.
When I first got to basic training a drill sargeant asked me if I worked out. I said, "Never, I just stretch a lot." He had a strange look on his face then I started laughing. Seriously, I had a 64" chest with a 31" waist. You don't get that without working out unless you're Bo Jackson.