Practical Penmanship: Ambidexterity

[@DieyenDualPen]

6 Steps to Becoming Ambidextrous: www.lettering-daily.com/6-steps-to-become-ambidextrous Keep the long term in mind if you're embracing the practice.

[@danmagoo]

Interesting video, thanks! I am naturally left-handed. One year in high school, I hand-wrote a paper about left-handedness, in mirror-writing, just as a novelty or prank. (The teacher later described how he held the paper up to a mirror, in a train-station men's room, in order to grade it.) Soon I began taking all my class notes in mirror writing, but gave it up because it got so easy that it scared me, thinking it might mess up my head. Anyway, around that same time, I also found that I could write forward with my left hand, while writing the same thing in reverse with my right hand -- or vice versa. The brain is a wondrous thing.

[@DieyenDualPen]

10+ years of writing mirror image here. No need to worry. I keep all my journals in mirror writing. 😊

[@marymaheco]

My thoughts become quiet when I mirror write. I like it. I will practice more. Thank you 🤗

[@DieyenDualPen]

That is very interesting! I'm glad you're finding the practice enjoyable!

[@noracardona2527]

Another excellent video. I think I'll be showing this drill to all my students and have them all try it, maybe daily, right before they write on their penmanship page.

[@DieyenDualPen]

Please let me know how it goes!

[@timoteizanoschi]

That 'd' in 'backwards' was mind blowing for some minutes, I just can't get that it's a 'd' not a 'b'... thanks for the thoughts on ambidexterity, I've been thinking about this kind of stuff, juggling or doing pen spinning tricks in both hands (juggling 2 balls in one hand, clockwise or anti-clockwise); even tried some time ago to write with my non dominant hand, now I'll start again. It's a blessing having someone sharing his experience gained in years.

[@DieyenDualPen]

Thanks for the kind words. It took me longer to read my mirror writing then it did to learn how to write it. All those exercises are great, but I would put writing at the top of ambidextrous coordination just because of how complicated the movement can be and because when you're writing your thought your tied to cognitive brain centers in a way no other exercise does. But juggling is a lot of fun! Glad I've inspired to start writing with both hands again :)

[@timoteizanoschi]

That's perfect because I want to improve my cursive. I guess learning to read in mirror it's harder than writing because we read way more than we wrote, if we say writing it's a "habit" then reading must be a "vice"

[@DieyenDualPen]

Yeah the letter recognition is more challenging than the movement I guess :)

[@jenniferherzog5544]

Im so happy I discovered your channel! In the 1969 my teacher Mrs. Elsa Crumpton made cursive penmanship satisfying and fun- allowing me to cultuvate a deep sense of inner pride in learning. So many years later, my writing feels tense and has lost that sense of rhythm and flow. Ive been meaning to spend time to rediscover the joy of penmanship....and here you are!! I also used to entertain myself writing backwards, so now i have a reason😅🙏🏽

[@moniquesalazar1708]

Haven't started it but read great reviews for "The Lost Art of Handwriting" which apparently helps you practice and love it right away, as well as find your unique style. I'm sure there are videos reviewing it too

[@WholeBrainPower]

Diego, You did a great work on this video. Coach Lavery

[@DieyenDualPen]

Thank you Coach!

[@DeltaRaizen]

i just got carpal tunnel and that technique of yours helps me a lot in school. I woke up 3 am to practice my writing using my non dominant hand. It really works even though my handwriting is horrible still gonna practice more

[@DieyenDualPen]

I'm so happy your experiencing success using the techniques shared here! Be patient the process is demanding on time, but you will get in return everything invested and more. Thank you sharing, let me know if you have any questions 🙏

[@DeltaRaizen]

Now i'm writing the way my right hand does and it turns out that i have the same handwrting on both hands😂😂

[@DeltaRaizen]

My progress is soo fast😂😂 However i'll go on with my physical therapy later🙁

[@DieyenDualPen]

Practice makes for progress :)

[@DieyenDualPen]

@@DeltaRaizen carpal tunnel can be painful, I hope you recover soon

[@alright272]

Great Video! Here's my story: In Late 2015, 5th grade me came up with the idea that I should learn how to write with my left hand. I decided to start practicing. By a few months, I could write with my left hand, but it never really felt natural. I wrote with both hands up until late 2016 to early 2017, when I stopped. However, in late 2017, i started back up again. Then in 2018, one day, I find myself using my left hand without thinking about it, and it actually feels somewhat natural. Ever since late 2018, I have written with both of my hands (in fact, I actually write more with my left hand now probably from habit when I was training it). Now, it's early 2023 and I'm a senior about to graduate high school, and I feel I can pretty much write with both hands. I can also do other things with both hands, like brushing my teeth, using my phone, amongst many other things). I think my right hand writing may be slightly better but both my hands suck. Anyways, for some reason, I think I hold my pencil slightly differently in my left and right hand. I mean both my hands feel natural to use now, Interestingly, the only time I struggle with smudging with my left hand is when I write on white boards but obviously I can just switch to my right. But all I can tell anyone is keep at it and you'll get there eventually and don't lose hope, because with practice and determination, you can get there. And trust me, the end result is Soooooooo worth it!!!!!!!. Also, I probably have mastered it because I started when I was pretty young (I started when I was 11, started again when I was 13 to 14, my left hand started feeling natural at about 14-15 or so), so maybe I had more neural plasticity.

[@DieyenDualPen]

Awesome story! It's true, anyone can learn with some determination. Thank you for sharing!

[@Vegeta_215]

I'm glad I found your link on reddit. This has helped tremendously! I'm naturally lefty, but I was forced to use my right. It feels so natural now. Thank you.

[@DieyenDualPen]

I'm so very happy you've found this helpful. If you're interested in furthering your ambidextrous practice you should check out my book, Creative Brain Training. Ambidextrous training has a lot of potential. :)

[@NahinAnnan]

Same story! Well I'm mind blown!

[@mattm9042]

This is amazing stuff, so glad I subscribed. I’m so right dominant, I don’t even know how I’d begin, but I’ll start tomorrow. (That’s a Lamy 2000! Just ordered mine. Really excited to have it delivered)

[@DieyenDualPen]

Best of luck! I hope my videos help along the way. It's certainly something that takes time, so be patient. (The Lamy 2k is amazing, you'll love it)

[@sunitabhuriya17]

I wish i had found your videos earlier🥺 you explain everything beautifully🍁🤞🏻

[@ameralwafi6377]

this is very amazing. please, do all you can to master it and expand.

[@DieyenDualPen]

Thank you for the encouragement!

[@STARBOY-ev7xm]

Two months ago I started writing on my non-dominand hand but I don't know about mirror techniques so I just started to write a diary everyday and now I can write easily in my non-dominand hand and I can draw too 🙌 So is that the same thing you did

[@DieyenDualPen]

Similar! I've been writing with my left hand for 9 years now. It continues to improve in ability :)

[@lineyc5851]

This is almost like mindful penmanship - being aware of pen position etc - very interesting

[@DieyenDualPen]

Liney C that's absolutely spot on. I consider penmanship to be a meditation.

[@jimhoulistonful]

Awesome video, Diego!

[@DieyenDualPen]

Thanks Jim!

[@ianl.7545]

How would you apply this to classwork, note taking, and studying? Would you suggest taking notes in class with my left hand? Or rewriting them with my left hand, or is the process of learning to write ambidextrously enough to boost my retention?

[@DieyenDualPen]

Hi, the way I used ambidexterity in school was I would review and rewrite notes in mirror image with my left hand. So, in the classroom I would still use my dominate hand to take notes quickly. On my off time though, I would journal very regularly with my left hand, often times reviewing information I was learning. I studied art history in college so I would spend a lot of time review concepts for my papers or recalling presentations from memory and writing them out with my left hand. I found that this resulted in some creative ways of associating information, making it easier to recall. I think it is also worth noting that switching from print to cursive also seemed helped my attention span.

[@bmxt939]

I recently started left hand journaling, both normal way (90 degrees) and mirrored. Just in two months I had more insights about myself, my soft sensitive side especially, than in many months, if not years before. Itya game changer. But some doofuses online say, that this would lead to schizophrenia. I guess I'll find out in some time.

[@DieyenDualPen]

My hypothesis is that you've open up the attention span of the right brain hemisphere. It's perspective is wider, contextual, vigilant, and alert. It can provide different insights than the left. Those ideas come from flawed studies.

[@chukaokafor2554]

Hi, I am new in your space. Please any more assistance would be appreciated. Thanks

[@photog20001]

This concept makes me wonder if that is what Leonardo DiVinci was doing when he was writing in mirror image. I am a lefty and as I age, my handwriting has deteriorated so have been practicing again. I will try this and see if that helps the situation. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge in this area.

[@DieyenDualPen]

Whether or not he was aware of how ambidextrous writing was effecting him is too difficult to determine, however, ambidexterity was more common during that age than is commonly known. Michaelangelo was reported to have switched hands as he painted the ceiling of the Sistine chapel. These artists of the renaissance were being trained from extremely young ages and I have a suspicion that ambidextrous practice, either through independent exploration, or formal training was common place among many of these famous artists. Best of luck in your practice.

[@marinechapssemperfiout9939]

Outstanding!

[@DieyenDualPen]

Thanks!

[@petermurphy3756]

Interesting stuff!! Cheers

[@DieyenDualPen]

Thank you!

[@bmxt939]

What I've noticed is, that letting one hand "teach" other is much easier when writing with both hands (left is mirrored obviously) simultaneously.

[@DieyenDualPen]

Simultaneously writing is easier because of mirror neuron phenomenon. Left just follows the right. Independent writing left handed in mirror is the goal. If you switch hands every line, observe closely how to improve each hand, apply those observations and regularly check old habits for better ones you'll feel bigger leaps in learning.

[@bmxt939]

@@DieyenDualPen Just noticed this exact thing today and remembered your words. Yesterday I practiced right hand curves from special training notebook (you trace a couple of fancy letters mixed with elegant abstract curves and then write them on your own). And without any additional training my today's left hand journaling became so much smoother. It's like my brain just knows how to apply skills of right hand to left hand performance. Quite cool actually!

[@DieyenDualPen]

You can look up intermanual transfer of skill learning for more on the phenomena

[@elizapabilane]

By the way, you're the only guy I know that has a Beautiful penmanship. I'm an ambidextrous too.

[@DieyenDualPen]

There are several "male" penman on youtube and even more off of youtube who are much better than I am! But thank you. Can you also write in mirror images?

[@elizapabilane]

@@DieyenDualPen oh yeah of course but not all the times I am doing it

[@block_head_steve240]

do your feet and legs also reap the benefits of being ambidextrous?

[@DieyenDualPen]

I actually hobble on one foot. Bad jokes aside, yes, I try to equally dominant in all ways.

[@AnnaGlaid]

Your content is very interesting and useful. Сontinue to act in the same vein.

[@DieyenDualPen]

Thank you so much. That is very encouraging

[@croconaw__]

How do practice writing mirrored if I'm letf-handed?

[@DieyenDualPen]

If you're left handed you can practice mirror image writing exactly as described here and it would actually be easier for you since that's your natural hand. If you would like to gain the benefits of ambidexterity you would need to write mirror image with the right hand.

[@Old52Guy]

This is great! I am ambidextrous and stopped doing it after being told it was demonic (I was a young boy and in a Catholic school). It's great that ambidexterity is coming out of the closet, so to speak.

[@DieyenDualPen]

That's horrible! I hope you pick it back up. There's nothing demonic about the practice of ambidexterity.

[@ericschaefer3278]

I'm naturally left handed

[@cat_goose9592]

I’m naturally ambidextrous why am I here

[@letsgo4834]

Does anyone mind that I’m here because he’s gorgeous? (And lovely to listen 👂 to)

[@sneakerfreak2002]

Absolutely gorgeous