Is Bowling Exercise?

I pick bowling because it has little physical movement and is social and often involves eating and drinking. Is it exercise? Yes, you must lift the ball (typically 10-16 lbs.) about 20 times per game. So, your throwing (rolling?) arm gets some exercise. It also involves moving through a fairly wide range of motion, including twisting your torso, so it helps keep your back limber. But, is it an exercise that will be helpful in losing weight? No.

The activity that goes on is not sustained. If you sit between frames, you stand up, walk perhaps 10 feet, pick up your ball, throw the ball, and provided you did not strike, wait for the ball to return, then throw it again, then sit down. Is it better than sitting on the couch? Yes.

Now, if you've had a couple of beers while you've been bowling, what benefit have you gotten? You've likely consumed more calories than you've burned, so on the weight loss front, it's been a negative, though a small one, and if you've eaten fatty snacks with the beer, then perhaps a bigger negative.

It's not my desire to condemn bowling. Every time I do it, I have a lot of fun, just don't consider it exercise (or at least not more than minimal exercise). It's a great recreational activity. Golf, when played from a cart is similar, but if golf is played using a pull cart or carrying your own bag, then it rates pretty highly.

When you look for an exercise for weight loss, you must find one that makes you breathe deeply while you're doing it. This usually means vigorous walking (or running if your body can take the pounding), swimming, bicycling, or one of the machines that mimics these or other continuous activities.

So, walk to the bowling alley. Then you can count going bowling as your exercise. As with dieting, if exercise is a burden, you won't do it. Have fun and you'll succeed; make it a chore and you'll fail.