Bowling isn't glamorous, but it's a fun workout

Bowling. That's right, I went bowling two days ago, and today I've got sore muscles. So even if bowling isn't a popular activity for fitness enthusiasts, I still included it on my fitness log. According to a calorie-calculating website, my 90 minutes of bowling burned 353 calories. This is more calories per hour than a lleisurely walk. Plus, there is the aforementioned delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This is most evident in me today in the following muscles: (1) flexor digitorum superficialis of the forearm, (2) hamstring of the back of the thigh, and (3) longissimus thoracis of the middle back. The soreness in my forearm is understandable, given the weight of the bowling ball and the release action of the hand. The soreness in my hamstring is also understandable, since I am only sore on the right side (I hold the ball on my right side), and my leg was probably used to to support my weight upon release of the ball. A sore back is a tad more surprising, particularly since I am more sore on the left side than on my right. But again, I probably had to balance my torso during the ball release, and a left-side contraction of the back could counteract the right-side contraction of the thigh to keep me from plain falling over. Incidentally, the 10-year old boy bowling in the lane to my left fell down several times during my 90-minute set of games. I asked his mom if he was doing that on purpose, and she said she didn't know. I bet he wasn't.

I like bowling, so I will probably report on it here again. I'm not good at it, though. My friend and I played five games. My scores: 85, 115, 105, 103, and 71. I put considerable speed on the ball and I have good aim. Still, I only got three strikes in five games. Three strikes and now I'm out! *grin*