Son is right hand/left eye...which hand?

[BlackDog]

Seen Guru's post with Cade and thought I remembered something about him switching him to shoot left hand. My son (just turned 5) has been shooting the little mad dog pup for about 6 months now off and on (right handed). Figured out a couple months ago he is left eye dominant. He is definitely right handed though.

   Have read what the olympic coaches teach, other threads, etc. Anyone else switch their kids, if so how did it go? Maybe I should order a lefty and let him figure it out???

[BlackDog]

Jeeez! Didn't even think this might should have been posted in the shooters forum. Sorry, please move if so.

[Skipmaster1]

I would switch to left hand. It is really the best way to go for anybody and should be pretty easy at such a young age. I would vote for showing him how to shoot lefty and let him figure it out. It will be much easier now than later in life

[Bowwild]

I shot from 1966-1995 right handed but left-eye dominant. Had to shoot with left eye closed. Began shooting left-handed with both eyes open in 1996. In archery both hands have important job, which one holds the bow isn't as important as the string hand being on the dominant eye side of the face. I wish I had known this when I started.

Only about 50% of people who are left-eye dominant shoot with their dominant eye. More should. But, many people do just fine shooting "wrong-eyed", they just have to close, wink,or otherwise "fuzz up" the left eye to make the right eye carry the load.

The thing to watch for, if someone (especially youth) is shooting right-handed but left-eye dominant is they don't lean the head over the string to line up the left-eye. This can lead to form issues and even muscle injury.

[YORNOC]

My son is 7 now, and is the same. Right handed, left eye dom. Switched him to lefty recurve last year. Best thing we've done, he shoots great now.

[bluemoonrising]

Same here--I shoot my bows with both eyes open, "instinctively." It works for me. When I shoot my guns, I shoot left handed. Peace!

[Stone Knife]

I'm left handed and right eye dominate, I switched to shooting right handed when I was a kid. It's better to start young.

[macksdad]

My daughter is left eyed right handed and she won't shoot left handed, I guess she just doesnt feel comfortable doing so, so I cover her left eye with a patch. I've seen alot of kids / adults this way I believe you are better to follow the dominant eye and the younger they are when you get them shooting with the dominant eye the easier the switch.

[Eugene Slagle]

I started Erin when she was 3.5 years old as a right handed shooter but when she started school & was writing lefty & rechecked her eye dominance.
I made the switch from that day forward.

As long as she concentrates on what she is doing she is a much better & happier archer now.