Should Archers Shoot with the Other Hand | Performance Benefits to Shooting With the Opposite Hand

[@popcorngenerator1925]

Physio here. I haven’t heard specifically of a lack of practicing a skill on one side limiting development on the other. As far as I know you don’t see pitchers practicing with their other side (though that’s not really my area). However, here’s a few bits of info that you might find interesting. 1. Performing strength exercises on one side when the other is immobilised (for instance in a cast due to a fracture), has been shown to maintain or at least limit the loss of muscle on the immobilised side. I know there have been studies looking at both knee extensors and biceps where they’ve immobilised one side- Intervention group performed the appropriate exercises on the free side, the controls didn’t. Intervention groups experienced less muscle wasting then controls. 2. There are also studies where they didn’t immobilise one limb, but still only trained one side. The untrained side actually gained strength too, but significantly less than the trained side. 3. This has similarly used in early recovery from stroke or brain injury, where use of the unaffected side has helped with strength and neuroplasticity of the affected limb. So there is crossover from one sided activities, though from what I’ve seen tends to be in the direction of the more used/dominant side helping out the lesser used side, not so much the other way. But then again, the connection is clearly there so who knows. Either way, certainly can’t hurt to use the other side from time to time!

[@kevinbrown5321]

I'm 68 and can tell you from personal experience that health problems arise when you stop exercising. I was a ranger, a hill walking guide and I was fit and strong 2019 I was diagnosed with arterial sclerosis which made it difficult to walk any distance. Within months my core strength disappeared and I was reliant on mobility aids in the bathroom. Pleased to report I've reversed the condition through diet and now do yoga, strength training, push ups, pull ups and hikes and I'm probably as fit as I ever was. Use it or lose it.

[@matthewthenerd792]

good for you dude

[@InFerrumVeritas]

So my previous sport was fencing. That sport is highly asymmetric, including developing multiple major muscle groups asymmetrically. So this is a major concern in fencing, because on the extreme end it can cause a scoliosis like-effect. This can happen even with relatively recreational athletes (whereas these concerns are really only applicable to high level, high intensity archers). The solution there, which would also apply to archery, is balanced weight training and other opposite side dexterity exercises. Doing your primary sport opposite handed is generally not effective because proficient athletes won't accept a lack of proficiency. But another activity (playing a musical instrument, handball) that requires that dexterity is just as effective.

[@marekq6756]

Some time ago I had to switch sides and use my left hand to operate computer mouse. I took two weeks to get used to it. When I started to learn archery 2 years ago I have already bought two risers - left and right. Now I shoot right-handed for 2-3 weeks and then left-handed for 2-3 weeks. The results are similar from both sides. The great thing is when "one side" learns something the "other one" already has it learned. The drawback is that I have to close left or right eye during shooting.

[@donturcott1061]

What a wonderfully thoughtful piece of exploration, even though no definitive answer was arrived at, it highlights a need. Hopefully someone was watching that may try to answer this question .

[@tricksypixie]

RSI (repetitive stress injuries) and other factors early on induced me to share many tasks and fine motor skills with my non-dominant hand… power isn't quite the same, but power isn't everything - and the effort to also balance my non-dominant foot and eye has made it surprisingly easy to swap sides …i encourage this from a young age

[@mikem9110]

Growing up I was always trying to throw objects with both hands just for shits and giggles be it footballs, baseballs or snowballs. When I got my first job as a young man in a back breaking shithole factory I was taught by an old fella to switch sides often when slugging steel to save your body. Lots of guys never did and they were broken. It's tough and dangerous sometimes but worth it in the long run.

[@dava1216]

former baseball player (turned archer now). I was a high level baseball player back in the day and yes they had us training our non dominant side (catching, batting, and throwing) while it was not hard core training on it and by no means made us ambidextrous at that time it did felt that training both side help improve the dominant side by loads. To me it felt that by actively engaging my non dominat side made me think more of proper movements and the muscles engaged so that it didnt feel as awkward, when doing things on the dominant side it felt that my brain was auto adjusting the small mistakes or not engaging particular muscles that shouldn't be used for a movement and felt stronger and performed better.

[@rickmansberger4136]

When we were kids we had on bow, a right handed model. I am left handed, my Dad said learn to shoot it, I am not buying another bow. So I grew up shooting right handed and it has given my a excellent strong bow arm which I believe is a great advantage.

[@coachm3318]

Hi jake, I'm a Strength and Conditioning coach, sport science to be specific.. I've been a S&C coach for a just over a decade, making specific program for specific sports. I also train some olympian and high level athletes here in the Philippines. And I just started archery this month and been watching your videos.. What you said is right. Doing proper S&C will help it balance out, it will all boils down to how the program is being made, as for me its ( Periodization ). Focus more on compound exercises, like deadlift, backsquats, push ups, planking, barbell rows, pull ups, chin ups, or any exercises that will activate your posterior chain, less machine equipements, more on free weights.. next focus more on mobility rather than stretching... change warm up to whole body mobility rather than just stretch the shoulders etc. Strength training will be atleast 2x a week maximum 3x a week.. Don't focus on muscle exercises (like a body builder program, ex{ leg day, chest or back day etc.}) but focus on Movement exercises.. like doing any pushing exercises and pulling exercises etc.

[@grayman7208]

the advantage of doing things with your weak side is that it forces you to focus on the basics ... which can only help.

[@lordcarnorjax8599]

My wife is a massage therapist. When I get a massage from her she can certainly tell that I'm asymmetric in my muscle definition from archery and is always on me about doing some general weights to counter act it.

[@gregorychrist9951]

This is interesting. Since I played racquet sports a lot, I was familiar with uneven development and need to train the other side to prevent injuries. So when I started archery later in life, since I was pulling the string back on the right side, I always pull the arrows out of the target with the left. Not totally even, but it evens out the workout a bit.

[@mk1alexander]

To help with range of motion in your right elbow... Graston to your right bicep will help remove fascial adhesions that most certainly have developed over time. My wife is a chiropractor and does this amongst other things such as tempering, compression wrapping, muscle flossing and nerve flossing 🤙🏼

[@kurtmeister8308]

Great topic! I've been asking this question for a while. As a 60 yr old that like to lift a lot, I try to put plenty of strength into my routine. That said, i like to shoot heavy recurves and i do have a lot of asymmetric items pop up. I appreciate you taking on the topic

[@Voxguitarsrock]

I learned 2 shoot right handed as that's what my father owned. I'm left handed though. So I switched 2 left handed as soon as I could afford a left handed bow. I still shoot right handed once in a while as my son shoots right. Good video. Thanks

[@tobiasraab238]

Hi Jake, have You ever considered using "thumb-release" to shoot a right hand bow left handed? I came to archery two years ago, so I'm still a beginner. But what I got to know about the thumb-release techniques (tried it only once, and found it quite ... say "different") makes me guess, that it should work at least theoretically. What do You think about it? Best regards, Toby

[@JakeKaminskiArchery]

For sure. I’ve also seen people shoot with their draw hand upside down where they hook from the opposite side of the string and then use the opposite handed bow they normally would.

[@the_drunk_strawberry]

I am curious how proprioception guy would explain medieval war bow shooters shooting bows way heavier than we shoot these days when the brain stops development after sensing an imbalance.

[@blindarcher4962]

Jake, take a look into motor learning/development and the body/mind's ability to mirror movements left/right... I.e. things like [for a RH writer] writing your name backwards on the board with your left hand while simultaneously writing it forwards with your right.

[@philipsturtivant9385]

I met a young lady, once. at a party about 40 years ago. Angie Ter Haan was (I think) her name, who astounded me -and everybody else - because she was so extremely ambidextrous. To the extent that, with a pen in each hand, and given a word, phrase or sentence she could write it (with one hand) from left-to-right/beginning to end just like you and me. Meanwhile, her other hand would be simultaneously writing the same words, from right-to-left, end-to-beginning, and the handwriting was (as far as the naked eye could tell) identical. Not sure what that proves in this context, other than that the brain is capable of doing a shedload more than just keeping your baseball cap up and your ears apart.

[@evilryu29]

I shoot recurve r.h and compound l.h it nice to give your r.h a break plus I'm left eye dominant

[@evilryu29]

I like this intro

[@Matto_Harvo]

Smart thoughts

[@garyhiggins6718]

There is an issue with the development of the right shoulder if you grow up shooting a VERY heavy bow right handed but that's about it, and I have never yet met an old archer with arthritis! Neuropathy yes, me! But never arthritis!

[@brianwing9932]

As a masters biathlete we are encouraged to strengthen and work the bodies “weak” side eg: right vs left side offset. My question; I’m cross dominant, right handed but left eye dominant. Should as a NEW archer should I shoot left handed ?

[@jarchdm]

I have been experimenting a lot lately and when I tried shooting left handed I found the sight picture suddenly much improved over right handed shooting. So now I'm mainly a left handed shooter.

[@philipsturtivant9385]

I was born a leftie (1955), but right-eye dominant. Fortunately (I guess) at some point in my pre-teen years I gave up reversing table settings (switching knife from right to left, fork from left to right . . . ) and became right-side dominant. Except for handwriting. In my army career I saw a number of guys who were like my child self - left hand dominant/ right eye dominant. Really difficult to teach them to be competent (let alone good) shooters. So - well done you 😀

[@jarchdm]

@@philipsturtivant9385 well I've always been right handed. I thought I was right eye dominant but seems I'm leaning more to left eye. I can shoot on both right and left but the sight picture falls into place much more naturally with my left eye. When I do the eye dominance test I can switch back and forth witch eye I want to be dominant. But as I said the left side is more natural.

[@philipsturtivant9385]

@@jarchdm I guess it's a spectrum. I've several times had army recruits in training who were seriously right handed, but seriously left eye dominant, whose instinct on a rifle range for the very first time was to put the butt in their right shoulder, and then instinctively try and crane their head to get their left eye behind the rear sight. It's not pretty, trust me on this !

[@jarchdm]

@@philipsturtivant9385 I bet 😁

[@reinori8322]

I'll be 60 on Monday, so no growth plate issues >.> However, I am committed to moving up in bow weight this year. I loved video on the Tabata drill, and I do it every evening, for me it takes very little extra time/motivation to do both sides. I use a 5 foot length of 1" PVC pipe strung with paracord. I find I can work harder with out hurting myself by working both sides. I feel I gain something in core strength this way.

[@philipsturtivant9385]

What kind of draw weight does your PVC pipe/paracord combo give you? Really interested in that.

[@reinori8322]

@@philipsturtivant9385 Hi Philip \(*.~)/ I use a schedule 80 length of PVC electrical conduit. I filed notches every 2 inches, so if I feel like a superhero I can go from about 38 @ 60 to about 55 lbs @ 54 inches. However, I have a short draw length YRMV. The paracord is easier on the fingers. My goal is to be Jake @ 45 pounds. (I'll warn ya the Tabata timer is semi-brutal.)

[@stevehuff2241]

Interesting, Im right handed and shot right until i had finger nerve problems to the point of giving up, some one said why not shoot left which i did and now shoot both ways although not on yr level i shoot around 560 /720s right, but around 600 left! My eyesight is virtually the same in both eyes i have to close one eye.

[@ThePIRRONGO]

Great topic, Jake! Groundbreaking for me absolutely! It is more complex than it appears. I'will encourage you to be in touch with the Feldenkrais Method that has so much to say about this issue. Best regards from Uruguay

[@smokkoms11]

Will we see Hoyt xd review soon?

[@AmarHestzuan]

hi jake, selfbow here. im trying to set up my arrows for target shooting... i came across with FOC problems with too much drag vs too much weight which cause my arrow to loose energy and fall head flat... whats your opinion for best FOC so that the arrow will glide?

[@claudioolate2516]

I once let down twice trying to shoot the same arrow in a tournament. Then i realized i had accidentally moved my clicker out of position😂

[@WildlifeKit]

I'm naturally left handed. I do most things left handed including racket sports. But i shoot archery right handed, a rifle right handed and a handgun left handed. So how does that work? Do i still need to balance the left right hemisphere of my brain?

[@gmontlake]

Hi. You should check out eye dominance, which is what should determine if you shoot right or left handed in aiming sports. As far as I know, no Olympic shooting medal in any discipline has been won shooting cross-eye dominant.

[@anthonyhuggins6276]

I'm left handed but archery is the only sport I shoot right handed so I might be balance

[@peterxyz3541]

I do pulls with my left hands from time to time.

[@stevep25]

Is that what the kids are calling it these days?

[@typhoon2827]

@@stevep25 👏🏻😂

[@typhoon2827]

Sinister.