Pre Bowling Warm Up Routine
Warming up the muscles and joints of the body is important before any exercise and bowling is no different. While bowling is a gentle exercise, it is possible for the muscles and joints to be strained, for example, if you should stick on the approach. More importantly, repeated strain is put on various areas of the body - the arms, wrists and knees in particular. Without proper preparation it is possible for microtrauma to build up over time and cause serious injury. To help prevent this, the following exercises stretch and warm up the main areas that will be stressed when bowling and these exercises should be done before each bowling session - including practices
Hold each of the stretches for a count of 8 to get the maximum effect!
Shake the body to relax the muscles after each exercise.
- Neck Stretch - Tuck your chin down until it touches your chest and you can feel tension at the back of your neck.
- Shoulder Stretch - Feet apart, extend your hands downwards behind your back. Lay one hand in the other, with one thumb across the other, fingers pointing downward. Without letting your stomach stick out, pull down strongly with your hand so you can feel tension in your shoulders. Change hands and repeat.
- Side Stretch - Extend your right arm up over your head and put your right hand on your left shoulder blade (or as close as possible). Put your left hand on your right elbow and pull it across, leaning to the left as you do so, until you feel tension in your side. Change hands and repeat.
- Knee/Thigh Stretch - Place your left leg back and your right leg forward, hands on the thigh near the hip, NEVER near the kneecap! Shift your weight forward remaining as upright as possible and keeping both feet flat on the floor. Change and repeat.
- Forearm Extenders - Extend your right arm with the palm facing down. Drop the fingers and palm at the wrist. Grasp fingers with the other hand and pull towards the body. Change and repeat.
- Forearm Flexers - Extend your right arm with the palm facing away from the body and with the hand bent upwards from the wrist. Grasp your fingers with the other hand and pull towards the body. Change and repeat.
- Deep Breathing/Relaxation - take a deep breath and hold for a count of 6 (not 8 - we don't want you to faint for lack of air!). Repeat twice (total of 3 deep breaths).