It is generally thought that sports are good for exercising. Some sports might do better for some specific muscles while others require the entirety of your body to be fully trained in order to participate, let alone compete on a professional level.

What about curling? To an untrained eye, the sport looks easy and like it does not even require any effort. Well, that is before they find out that the stone weighs 44 pounds or 19.1 kilograms. That alone is more than many people ever lift in their lives, sometimes even while working out in the gym.

Curling can be a great way of exercising and here is how.

Legs and Stabilizers

Everybody knows that balancing and walking on ice is very difficult in regular shoes. One wrong step, your balance being off by a little and you will end up falling. Your legs play a vital role in how you will walk or even run on ice. Granted, when curling, people wear specific curling shoes. They allow the curlers to move on ice without as much danger. It is still dangerous and requires a lot of concentration. You do not want to fall and have the heavy stone slide into your body.

While your legs do work, your balance is also brought into play. This is where the stabilizers come into play. These muscles keep your joints fixed and in position so that the primary muscles can do their work. Whenever you practice balance exercises, the stabilizers are doing work.

The Core – Curling is a Great Core Exercise

Throwing or sliding a curling stone takes effort. The approach resembles something you would see in ballet. The throw, however, requires a lot of core activity. Try a couple of repeated throws and see how your body feels. Most people end up curled in bed days after their first curling match, particularly beginners who are not athletic. 

You might want to do some core exercises prior to committing to a curling match, particularly if you are not athletic. It could save you from the inevitable soreness. Have in mind that even for professionals, curling is a good way to exercise the core muscles.

The Arms – Or Rather, One Arm

Your throwing arm plays a vital role in throwing the stone. It has to carry it, throw it and more often than not, add spin to it. This will affect the arm in its entirety, as well as the back muscles and the deltoids relative to the arm. 

Take care that you warm up properly before a match. You should also consider stretching after a match. You want to keep your arms strong and flexible. Dynamic motions with a heavy stone is a recipe for injuries if you are not warmed up, flexible and strong.

Curling is a great sport if you want to exercise, even though it might not seem like it at first glance. Give it a try and see for yourself, though, it would be best if you were prepared.