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MH1313
04-13-2009, 01:54 PM
Hey all, I read in magazines all the time that you are reccomended to do a fitness/strength training regimen to help keep your scores up.

Do any of you actually do this? I workout quite a bit, but not for bowling. I have noticed a difference when I do workout, I find I'm more consistent, and I can bowl more games in a row...

anyone else do something? If there is interest I'm definitely willing to post my overall workout.

Good luck!

MH

Jord_84
04-13-2009, 02:12 PM
I do a combination of endurance training, weights, and yoga. Not necessarily for bowling, but every aspect of my routine has helped me.
The yoga keeps my legs limber and the weights keep my arms strong.

MH1313
04-13-2009, 02:41 PM
Yoga looks wicked hard...not gonna lie...it actually scares me, but then again I've never been the most flexible cat on the street!

Jord_84
04-13-2009, 09:41 PM
nah, you start out with beginner poses and work your way up to the more advanced stuff...it's not like you'd throw your leg behind your head the first time you try it! lol

Graaille
04-13-2009, 11:03 PM
nah, you start out with beginner poses and work your way up to the more advanced stuff...it's not like you'd throw your leg behind your head the first time you try it! lol

Else it'll be the last time you try it.....:D

I picked up Weight Training for Bowling off of Amazon a couple of months ago, and have been doing their exercise regimen. I will say that my hand control is better, and I do last longer at the lanes before fatiguing. My only gripe is that it appears that the meat of the book is generic, and what makes it Weight Training for Bowling vs. Weight traning for baseball/football/golf/sheepherding/whatever - is three pages at the beginning that says which exercises in what order would work best for bowling fitness.

MH1313
04-13-2009, 11:28 PM
I'm no expert, but I don't know that the exercises for bowling are much different from the other sports. Well short of the explosive movements for football or sheepherding as you put it ;)

i dunno...just my $.02 worth

Coach 3G
04-26-2009, 12:22 AM
Else it'll be the last time you try it.....:D

I picked up Weight Training for Bowling off of Amazon a couple of months ago, and have been doing their exercise regimen. I will say that my hand control is better, and I do last longer at the lanes before fatiguing. My only gripe is that it appears that the meat of the book is generic, and what makes it Weight Training for Bowling vs. Weight training for baseball/football/golf/sheepherding/whatever - is three pages at the beginning that says which exercises in what order would work best for bowling fitness.

When I was in collegiate bowling I realized how important training is and I can honestly say that the cookie cutter program in Weight Training for bowling is pretty weak. Not only is it very generic, it looks like a bodybuilding routine from the steroid era. There is a lot of isolation movements rather than compound movements. Is it better than doing nothing? absolutely, but there are definitely better options.

Bowling requires movement that involves your whole body working as a unit and it's so important to structure your training this way. Train like an athlete with a mixture of strength training (with compound movements), energy systems training (interval style training), and cardiovascular training (steady state). I also strongly believe you should start any training with a dynamic warm up.

In terms of programs, New Rules of Lifting is a good start for guys, and New Rules of lifting for Women is a good start for...drum roll please...women. If you are a little more advanced I'm completely biased in recommending Eric Cressey's Maximum Strength book. It is worth the cost of the book alone just to get the information he gives out in the warm-up section. He also has a Mobility DVD that I'd recommend.

And by now if you haven't figured out I whole heartily believe that training is so important to bowling. If you treat it more like a sport, you can compete at a much higher level. I wish I had realized how important this was to the game sooner. I've not only improved my footwork, timing, ball speed, revolutions, but also my ability to get through a 7 hour tournament without bonking from being tired.

Anyone that wants to bowl at the high level needs to train in some way shape or form, period. Here is Parker Bohn's approach...
CLICK HERE (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCK/is_5_19/ai_80222776/)

Maine Man
04-26-2009, 01:26 AM
I do free weights every other day(for muscle tone mostly) and I walk/jog 2 miles every day for cardio. I also do 150 crunches a day to keep that tummy away, lol. It may not sound like too much, but I figure it's better than nothing and I can work this routine into my daily life without any problems at all. I always do stretching exercises before bowling to help limber up. Good luck.

Az_Bowler
04-26-2009, 04:35 PM
If you want to get bowling strong, you need to bowl 6-12 games a day this upcoming summer. A summer of hell. You'll be bowling strong like the pros when you can bowl 12 games and not have rag arm afterwards. This however will required a lot of effort towards developing an erogonomic shot. If you want to be bodyweight strong, do push ups, bw squats, pull ups, rows, wall sits. I think this is a must because why use any weights at all when you're swinging 15-16 pounds for 6-12 games a day. Use bodyweight exercises to even your body, pull ups for the back and forearms, push ups for the chest and squats for the legs. Good luck and good scores.