Is bowling a physical activity?
Bowling just three games burns the same amount of calories as walking a mile! Although
Bowling is an anaerobic type of physical exercise, similar to walking with free weights. Bowling helps in burning calories and works muscle groups not usually exercised. Below is a general estimate of how many calories you can burn bowling for 30 minutes.
Yes, bowling is a sport!
You'll find out why bowling is so much more than just a leisure activity. From the top league bowlers to the best professional bowlers in the game, the physical and mental demands of ten-pin bowling and all sport bowling events go far beyond stereotype.
Not only can bowling help improve family bonding, but it's also a wonderful way to teach teamwork and sportsmanship at any age. Bowling is good for your health. Bowling helps improve flexibility, arm and core strength, and hand-eye coordination. Plus it can be enjoyed by any age group or fitness level.
Exercise, including bowling, lowers your risk of stroke, heart attacks, diabetes, increases bone density, improves circulation, lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and helps your body utilize oxygen better. Try to bowl once or more each week for optimum benefits.
Read a brief summary of this topic
bowling, also called tenpins, game in which a heavy ball is rolled down a long, narrow lane toward a group of objects known as pins, the aim being to knock down more pins than an opponent.
"The metabolic rate for bowling is 3.5, which is similar to what you burn up golfing." Because bowling is an anaerobic activity where you don't get sweaty and winded, it may not look, or even feel, like you're exercising.
With its lack of physical exertion and discipline, bowling is more of a recreational activity than a sport. When we hear the word “sport,” we often associate it with the traditionally popular physical activities such as basketball or soccer.
Bowling is a sporting activity in which players attempt to score points by rolling a ball to knock down target objects. Bowling has been popular for hundreds of years, with different variations taking hold in Europe and North America.
Everyone Can Play
Bowling is also all-inclusive, so no one feels left out. Whereas most sports require participants to be in good physical shape and play with people around the same age, bowling allows a mixed group of all sizes, ages, and skill levels.
Why is bowling considered a sport?
The definition of a sport, per the Oxford dictionary, is “An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” In addition to bowling meeting the criteria set by the definition of what a sport is, bowling is also hosted around the globe ...
Bowling is often done in a group, which provides social interaction and helps improve mental well-being. It helps stimulate endorphins and gets your blood flowing. These are two important factors in helping to reduce stress.

In America, it's recognized as the number one sport for family participation, and it's also a favorite of individuals with both physical and developmental disabilities. Since bowling has no age, gender or physical limitations, it's a lifetime sport - one that anyone can enjoy during the course of their entire lives.
Training yourself for the athletic requirements. It's fairly well understood that bowling isn't a physically demanding sport when compared to, say, football. That blanket statement is a little misleading. In reality, the demands placed on our bodies are lower overall, but they are quite different as well.
Just some of the important physiological and physical attributes of a successful bowler are exceptional hand/eye coordination and balance, good flexibility (upper and lower body), good strength (upper and lower body), good aerobic fitness and low body fat.
Some examples of physical activity are:
Going for a walk, bike, or run (join our indoor walking program). Doing household chores. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Playing at the park.
Games not Sports
Games such as chess, poker (and other card games), billiards/pool game types games (carom billiards, cribbage (pool), cushion caroms, cutthroat etc) may not be considered a sport by everyone. A game like marbles has the physical skill to be a sport, but lacks regular competition.
Oxford Dictionary defines sport as "an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or a team competes against another or others for entertainment". By the latter definition, hunting does not qualify as a sport because it does not involve competition.
Is Bowling Hard? Bowling is not a very hard game, it is very easy to learn the basics of bowling but mastering consistency in bowling is pretty hard and may take years of practice. You can easily become a good weekend bowler but bowling at a professional level will require a ton of practice.
bowls (n.) game played with balls, mid-15c. (implied in bowlyn), from gerund of bowl "wooden ball" (early 15c.), from Old French bole (13c., Modern French boule) "ball," ultimately from Latin. 2)).
Where is bowling most popular?
- California - 1,246.
- Texas - 736.
- New York - 662.
- Illinois - 591.
- Ohio - 562.
1 | Bowling
Why bowlers are athletes: Bowling takes a lot of mental discipline, coordination, muscle memory, and physical skill and precision — all of which are hallmarks of athleticism. And it's featured on Wii Sports, which is oriented around athletics, so that's got to be worth something.
Cardiovascular Endurance
Bowling just three games burns the same amount of calories as walking a mile! Although aerobic endurance plays only a minor role in bowling performance, it plays a major role in your health.
The definition of a sport, per the Oxford dictionary, is “An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” In addition to bowling meeting the criteria set by the definition of what a sport is, bowling is also hosted around the globe ...
Bowling involves all the major muscle groups including the lower back, quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus (buttocks), deltoid and the rotator cuff complex. Of particular interest are the muscles of the upper extremity that affect grip and finger strength (biceps, forearm, wrist, fingers and thumb).