Most people have at least tried bowling once or twice in their lives. At the very least, most people know and understand what bowling is. However, most people don’t know that bowling is a sport with one of the longest and richest histories. In fact, bowling can be dated back to 4,000 years ago. The Greeks and Romans left behind many signs and remnants of bowling. That being said, when most people think of bowling they don’t tend to think of it as an active sport like basketball or football. Sure, bowling doesn’t require you to run and down a field, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t help you get fit and healthier either. Just check out these amazing health benefits that you can receive from playing one of the oldest sports known to man.
Toning And Strengthening Those Muscles
You might not be doing a lot of running or jogging when you are bowling, but you certainly can’t say that you won’t be doing a lot of walking. Not only does bowling require a lot of walking, but it requires you to walk with the weight of a bowling ball in your hand. And, bowling ball can weigh as much as a traditional dumbbell. And, this is not to even mention the fact that you are stretching and swinging your arm every time you step up to the line. This type of repetitive movement is not only good for a light cardio workout, but it can help tone and strengthen your tendons, ligaments, muscles, and other arm joints.
Promoting Weight Loss
Most people would never associate bowling with weight loss. In fact, it seems like most bowlers are either overweight or lazy. Well, this isn’t entirely the case at all. Bowling is a great activity that can help you slim down when combined with the right diet. There is no denying that the sport confines you to a small area, but the constant moving and getting up out of your seat helps speed up the metabolism while burning excess fat in the process. The more effort and movement that you put into the game, the more you will get out of it. It would be entirely possible for someone to burn as much as 300 calories per game. Combine this with a healthy diet and you can get fit by bowling!
Reduce The Risk Of Diseases
Unfortunately, there are times when one can’t prevent the onset of some diseases. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t do your part to lower the risks of these diseases. And, that is exactly what bowling can help you do. Living a sedentary lifestyle is one of the leading factors of heart diseases, strokes, diabetes, and heart attacks. Bowling once or twice a week can greatly help reduce these risks by increasing your bone density, lowering cholesterol levels, lowering blood pressure, and helping the body more effectively use oxygen.
Enhanced Hand-Eye Coordination
If you have ever tried your hand at bowling, you probably already know that it is a sport that requires some skill. You can’t just jump right into the alley and expect to be a pro. Sure, there are some natural out there that will possess uncanny abilities, but most people are going to have to work to enhance and improve their games. Working to get better at bowling will stimulate you mentally while enhancing your hand-eye coordination to a level you have never achieved before. Improved hand-eye coordination can be used to make other exercises more effective.
Great For All Ages
One thing to note about bowling is that the activity isn’t too taxing on the body. You will be required to exert yourself a little, but it isn’t going to be nearly as strenuous as other activities. This makes bowling a good activity for people of all ages. Even if you’re a senior citizen, there is a good chance that you’ll be able to enjoy the game. In return, you’ll be able to boost your health.
Builds Confidence
Your physical health is very important. Your mental health is equally important. You should be active about building your self-confidence and self-esteem. This is where bowling will prove to be immensely beneficial. Bowling will give you the ability to work out and exercise a little bit. That will make you feel much better about yourself. At the same time, you’re going to get better and better. You’ll realize this and it’ll show you that you can do anything you put your mind to.
Suffice to say, building your confidence by bowling is a very good idea.
Image credit: Bowling via lassedesignen/Shutterstock