Coaching Tip: Warmups before bowling in league

Bowling truly is a sport, regardless of whether or not it’s an Olympic event.  It takes coordination, effort, energy, strength and agility to consistently roll a ball (upwards of 16 pounds) 60 feet (foul line to center of the headpin) to a specific spot / entry angle / etc.

 

Bowling can take a physical toll on the body, even if the delivery is considered “textbook” or ideal.  Many times, balance or timing can be off and the body tends to over-compensate in some way.  Over time, bowlers can experience pain and injuries.  So, if we can agree that bowling is somewhat physical in nature, shouldn’t we treat it as a physical sport and utilize a physical warm-up routine like other sports?

 

You don’t see professional teams just show up and play; they have a pre-game routine involving exercises and practice reps.  They are getting their body prepared for the physical stresses of the sport they play in order to avoid potential injuries.  Yet in youth league bowling, too often we see “warm-ups” consisting of… um… throwing the ball down the lane before time runs out.  Really?

 

Before throwing a ball in “league warm-ups”, take a few minutes to perform dynamic stretching exercises — jumping jacks, squats, lunges, torso twists, arm swings and shoulder circles.  These are active moves designed to get your heart pumping and warm up the muscles in preparation for competition.  Make sure you have enough room around you so you don’t smack someone in the face or trip over a pair of shoes / sandals.

 

Notice how the exercises I mentioned are not static exercises that you hold a position for about 10 seconds?  Those types of exercises are best used as a cool-down AFTER bowling.  Yes, you should be doing static stretching (legs, lower back, arms, etc.) after packing up your bowling equipment but before leaving the alley.

 

In adding a simple warm-up and cool-down routing, you might get a few strange looks from those around you.  That’s okay.  Remember it’s your body, and that you want to avoid injuries and pain.  Also, these exercises are performed by the tour pros and Team USA Bowling before each event.  Let’s be pros!

 

Contact a certified Coach for specific recommendations on exercises to perform based on any physical limitations you may have.  If they give you “that look” or say exercises are not needed, you might want to reach out to another coach.