How To Practice Bowling Away from the Lanes

    When you're on a vacation for a few weeks, or perhaps if you don't join a league during the summer months, here are a few tips to help you keep up that Muscle Memory you've been developing and to keep you in shape when you aren't able to get to the bowling center.

    Walking, Biking, or Jogging are great ways to get in some good exercise to help keep up your stamina. I also find it helpful to do lots of STRETCHING. It's one of the best exercises you can do to relieve tension from the body. I like to do them at least 10 minutes a day or for however long I have time in the morning and evening. It should feel good while you are doing these stretches, do NOT force anything, just nice and easy. These should also be done before any other exercises you may be doing to warm up the body to help avoid any injuries.

    Isometric exercises make muscles contract so they can get a good workout without bending your joints. Try some of these I'm listing below so your ball doesn't feel like it weighs a ton when you do get back to the lanes:

** Stand with the back of your feet and body up against a wall with your arms down at your sides.Then place your palms against the wall and press hard holding for about ten seconds. You can work up to more seconds over time. This is a great workout for the back part of the upper arms, the Triceps.

** Hook your left and right finger tips together and then try pulling them apart. Start out with a gentle pull and then try to pull slightly harder each time you do this exercise. Hold the pull for about ten seconds or more.This is great for strengthening the fingers, especially if you are planning on going from a Conventional Finger Grip to a Finger Tip Grip.

** Stand in a doorway with your feet spread apart. Raise your arms up to shoulder height and  try pushing your hands against both sides of the door frame. This will help strengthen the arms, back, and shoulders.

​** If you have a one ball bowling bag, keep the ball in it and take it in your hand and just swing it back and forth while you're assuming the Delivery Position. If you have a two or three ball carrier, then just put one of the bowling balls or a few heavy items in one of those reusable grocery bags equaling the weight of your ball and tie the handles tightly together. Try following through with your arm looking at an imaginary target. You can aim for a spot on your couch and let it go if you want. Repeat this swinging back and forth motion several times.

** Most people have some of that blue painters tape (it doesn't leave any stick residue when you pull it up) or some masking tape in their garage. You can pack the roll in your suitcase if you're going away.  Set up a lane and a foul line with the tape on a rug to form the letter "T". See photo below, compliments from a photo in Dawson Taylor's book "Bowling Strikes".    

** Using a pen or marker, mark where you want your 1st step, 2nd step, 3rd step, and 4th step to be on the long piece of tape. Now set yourself up and go through the motions as if you were walking along the approach on a real lane and stopping to look down making sure your footwork is correct.The lady in the picture is using an ironing board iron to have a little weight in her hand. Most hotels have an iron.

    You may have other exercises you like to do, but please do your best to do some of these during your time away from the bowling center. If you don't do something, it may take a few weeks for you to get back into the rhythm again which could cost you a few pins in average by the end of the season.


Join me back here again next time when I'll be discussing "How to Increase Your Rev Rate"?

​Good Luck and High Scoring!!