The Quest for Ambidexterity

Step 3 Active Training

Some activities may not be eligible, for one reason or another, for passive training. For example, writing may not, at first, be legible when you use your non-dominant hand. For things like work or school, turning in a report that looks like it was scrawled out by a kindergartener is not an option. In these cases, active training is necessary. Every day, take the time to transcribe a moderately sized block of text with your non-dominant hand. The lyrics of a song by your favorite band, or part of a script from a play or movie, or a passage from a book. This should keep things interesting and maybe give you a better understanding of the text in question. If you like, you can buy an inexpensive handwriting primer at virtually any bookstore or department store.
Another technique to try is training with larger objects, perhaps training your non-dominant hand with sports such as tennis, racquetball, ping-pong, bowling, fencing, riflery, playing a musical instrument or, if you have one, a Nintendo Wii. Sadly, certain articles of sporting equipment, such as fencing foils and golf clubs, are not as ambidextrous as you aspire to be, and you'll have to get different handles, at least.

Comments

[misterpointy]

wow, i'm naturally ambidexterous, and i take it for granted cause i don't realize that other people can't use both hands the way i can. I am right eye dominant though, but i'm not sure if you can train you other eye, or if it's something you're born with.

[Mother Natures Son]

You can. I'm left-eye dominant, but I've trained myself to be...ambiocular? I've managed to learn to shoot with my right eye.

[rogueleadr]

When I worked as Archery Director at the Boy Scout Camp Cherry Valley on Catalina Island, I trained to become "ambiocular" as well. I am normally left eyed, but sometimes I shoot better right eyed. I have yet to introduce this to guns though...

[dustybacon]

I'm a fire performer and my performance tool of choice is a short staff in each hand. We call this "double staff". By creating intricate spinning patterns and throws (think juggling) both hands become trained along with the mind :D

[janelane]

have you tried playing guitar hero or similar games on the left handed mode?

[Mother Natures Son]

No. It would probably work, though.

[usanoisecorp]

I've been trying to learn to play guitar left handed for a while its so hard because normally the left hand frets the notes and the right hand plucks/strums them, well left handed guitar its the opposite i have to train BOTH hands so right hand is fretting and left is plucking/strumming, i can almost so the right hand part of it but once the left hand try's to do any thing i mess up what i was doing on the right hand, any suggestions, i have really strong, fast and flexible fingers on both hands?

[osxtiger]

www.ultimate-guitar.com The forums might be able to help

[PCvsMac]

Would you happen to have r-handed guitar? If so, just flip the guitar round so that the NECK is facing to the right. >>>

[strixowl]

Sorry to be pedantic but a left- handed guitar is built differently to a right-handed guitar. You can't just flip it as the strings would be the wrong way up, and you can't just re-string it as this put extra pressure on the neck, which in turn put pressure on the string which makes it go out of tune quicker. the biggest problem is because of stress on the instrument you will start to see cracks in it.

and they never seem to sound the same for some strange reason, probably because of resonance

Sorry

[usanoisecorp]

ya as well as reversing the strings to be like a left handed guitar

[Mother Natures Son]

Being that I can barely play guitar with either hand, I'm afraid I won't be of much help, but you should probably try strumming instead of plucking at first. Past that I'm at a bit of a loss.

[eecharlie]

I found frisbee to be a great one here, without too much practice required before it can be shifted smoothly into the 'passive training' category - and if you play ultimate frisbee competitively, it's great to be able throw with both hands. Re-learning any sporting motion with your off hand will give you a fresh perspective to help you to re-think and refine your technique with your dominant hand.

[Mother Natures Son]

I have a friend who does virtually everything right-handed except frisbee. He learned to throw a disc long before he established concrete hand dominance. I might try my left next time I play frisbee golf. The way I see it, my score can only improve.

[Super Cameraman]

Yeah holding a right handed foil in the left hand is not very comfortable... It can be done though.