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Bowling Physiology

Bowling FitnessFitness Training for Bowling

Bowling requires specific physical attributes, and the training must be specific to the demands of the sport. These are the main physical components of fitness for bowlers.

  • Strength — body strength is required for carrying the ball (and the heavier the ball you can use is often better for performance), and strength is required to hold body positions to correctly execute the skill of bowling. Resistance exercises can help develop your strength. You should focus on upper and lower body strength, as well as core body strength.

  • Power — upper body power is important in the bowling delivery. Improvements in strength gained through resistance exercises, in combination with power exercises such as medicine ball throwing can develop your power.

  • Endurance — A level of endurance fitness is necessary for you to reduce fatigue during games, and if you are in tournament play you will need to keep fresh and recover well after several days of bowling. You can improve your endurance with regular exercises of moderate intensity over 20-60 minutes, such as cycling and jogging.

  • Flexibility — Being flexible enables you to perform the actions of bowling fully, and those who are more flexible will have a much lower risk of muscle strains and sprains. You should perform regular stretching exercises as part of your warm up and at other times to improve you flexibility.

 

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