"Nothing moves until the sale is made," is an old marketing axiom that has stood the test of time. Indeed, whether you are the CEO of a corporate conglomerate, or the proprietor of Casey's Hot Dog Stand, this truism cannot be refuted.

So it is in the bowling business. Without sufficient sales, bowling shrivels, and the old bowling-center site gives way to the new and alluring Elm Tree Shopping Plaza or some such.

Over the last 40 years, bowling has attempted to sell its game in a two-fold manner: as a recreation or as a sport. As regular readers of this column know, I give a grade of A+ to the industry's recreational marketing efforts, while, regrettably, bestowing a failing grade upon efforts made in marketing the game as a viable sport. But this column does not intend to grind that axe. On the contrary, it suggests a new and exciting marketing stratagem: bowling for health.

I know that some of you will feel that bowling's benefits to health have been mentioned many times. And you are right; they have. Yet, have we really sold people on the idea? I think not. One need only to review current physical education charts to note that bowling as an exercise is still equated to nothing more than "passive walking." But recent research now shows bowling to have a whole new health dimension.

Bowling Isn't Aerobics, But It Is Healthful
This is not to suggest that bowling merits high marks as an aerobic activity. However, its tremendous health benefits lie in another area... weight exercise. New discoveries suggest that people over 60 should devote about half of their exercise time to weightlifting, this on the advice of a doctor who specializes in aging and exercise. Dr. Kenneth Cooper, an internist who heads The Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas, recommends that 45 percent of exercise time should be devoted to strength training, while the remaining 55 percent should be spent on aerobic activity.

Even more significant, Dr. Cooper states in his book, Faith-Based Fitness, that upper-body tone can be essential to survival, and also basic to performing everyday activities. "Significant muscle loss begins in most people as early as 30," writes the doctor, "and that loss continues with age. Accordingly, exercise programs should have three parts; namely, endurance exercise, strength training and flexibility workouts." (The latter two parts are right down bowling's "alley.")

Furthermore, Dr. Cooper points out that working the upper body is just as important as working the lower part of the body, perhaps even more important. "You can be a great walker or runner, and that will give you good muscle tone in your lower extremities," he says, "but your upper body strength will be lacking."

How does this relate to bowling? Well, consider that the average league bowler, over the course of three games, swings a bowling ball back and forth 55 times while "prancing" to the foul line the same number of times; in the process, doing wonders for the arms, shoulders and chest muscles, not to mention the flexibility workout.

The Threat of Osteoporosis
But there's more. The biggest threat to your bones is osteoporosis, which is a decrease in bone density that can lead to fractures and disability. The stereotype of an osteoporosis victim is an old, bent-over, elderly woman, and it is certainly true that women are more prone to this disease than men. However, men also get osteoporosis. In fact, one-third of all hip fractures occur in men.

Your bone density determines how much of it was developed during growth, how well it was maintained during your middle years, and what is lost via aging. Incidentally, bone density is at its peak around the age of 30.

What can you do to build or maintain bone density? Well, calcium intake is a big factor. According to some specialists in the field, your daily diet should include 1,000 milligrams of calcium if you are between the ages of 19 and 50, and 1,200 milligrams after the age of 51.

Yet, there is still another way to maintain bone density, and that's where bowling comes into play. By adding a form of weight-training (bowling), you can actually increase bone density. It is a fact that bones respond to resistance training (force). In a recent study, it was found that senior citizens who bowled 10 games or more for eight months were able to increase their bone density by as much as 4 to 5 percent.

So let's start selling the health aspect. What better way than to place a poster of the great Joe Norris in every bowling center, emblazed with the slogan, "Bowl For Health!" Indeed, look what it's done for that 90-year-old legend.