Advanced-Level Conditioning Tips
Written By: bowlingball.com | Written On: Sunday, November 1, 2009 | Updated On: Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Here are 20 conditioning tips to help you get into shape for bowling, focusing on building strength, flexibility, endurance, and balance:
1. Wrist Strengthening: Use wrist curls and extensions to build forearm and wrist strength for better ball control.
2. Core Exercises: Strengthen your core with planks, sit-ups, and leg raises to improve balance and stability during your approach and release.
3. Leg Strength: Squats, lunges, and leg presses will help increase lower body strength for stability and power during your delivery.
4. Cardio Workouts: Incorporate cardio exercises like running, cycling, or swimming to build endurance for long bowling sessions.
5. Yoga or Stretching: Regular stretching or yoga sessions improve flexibility, allowing for a smoother approach and follow-through.
6. Grip Strength: Use grip strengtheners or squeeze a stress ball to improve your grip on the ball, which can enhance control and reduce strain.
7. Balance Training: Incorporate exercises like single-leg stands or balance boards to improve your balance throughout your approach and delivery.
8. Back Strengthening: Exercises like deadlifts or back extensions will help maintain a strong, injury-free lower back, crucial for sustaining good posture in bowling.
9. Shoulder Rotator Cuff Exercises: Use resistance bands for external and internal shoulder rotations to keep your shoulders strong and injury-free.
10. Hip Flexor Stretches: Stretching your hip flexors helps with the smooth transition between steps in your approach and a full follow-through.
11. Step-Up Drills: Practice stepping exercises to build power in your legs and improve your approach mechanics.
12. Push-Ups: Strengthen your chest, shoulders, and triceps to maintain proper posture and follow-through.
13. Resistance Band Training: Use resistance bands to work on arm and shoulder strength, which can help you maintain a smooth release.
14. Forearm Strengthening: Forearm curls, wrist rollers, and reverse curls can help boost endurance and control during games.
15. Squat Jumps: Add power to your approach by doing squat jumps to build explosive strength in your legs.
16. Bowling-Specific Drills: Practice one-step or no-step drills with your ball to focus on arm swing mechanics and release without putting too much stress on your body.
17. Footwork Drills: Shadow bowling without the ball helps improve coordination and foot placement for a more consistent approach.
18. Foam Rolling: Regularly use a foam roller to relieve muscle tightness, improve circulation, and help prevent injuries.
19. Breathing Techniques: Practice deep breathing to improve focus and reduce stress before your throw.
20. Dynamic Warm-Ups: Before any bowling session, perform dynamic warm-up exercises such as leg swings, arm circles, and lunges to prepare your muscles for the game.
These tips target the muscles and skills required in bowling and help improve overall fitness, endurance, and injury prevention.
Also, success at this level requires hard work, dedication and determination on and off the lanes. That means doing more than just putting in your practice time on the lanes; it means making a commitment to molding your body into a well-oiled bowling machine. In order to accomplish this, you're going to have to begin dedicating some time to increasing your strength, endurance and flexibility. That means hitting the gym.
Since everybody has different strengths and deficiencies when it comes to physical fitness, I would recommend consulting a certified personal trainer as you begin your strength and conditioning program. These trained professionals will be able to help you evaluate your current level of strength and fitness in order to pinpoint the areas you need to target for improvement. From there, the two of you can create a workout program that will allow you to get your body into competitive shape. Your workout program should include the following elements:
Stretching - Flexibility is a crucial and oft-overlooked component of successful bowling. It also reduces muscle soreness and the risk of injuries.
Strength training - Pay particular attention to increasing strength in your legs, core, shoulders and wrists/forearms. These areas are crucial to your bowling success.
Cardiovascular training - Many people view cardio as their least-favorite element of working out, but that doesn't have to be the case. Remember, cardio doesn't just mean running on a treadmill or jogging through the neighborhood. There are many fun options to choose from, such as biking, swimming, kickboxing, etc. Find the activity that works best for you.
Once you have a routine in place, stick to it just as you stick to your on-lane practice regimen. Remember, if you cut corners, you will only be cheating yourself!
By Nick Bohanan
USBC Exercise and Strength Conditioning Specialist