Are You BOTH Handed?

[huskyarcher]

What i mean is can you shoot both left and right handed? I am a righty, but i am intrigued with the option of shooting both ways, just seems cool i guess. With the long shooting sessions of summer around the corner, i was thinking if giving it a try? Will it tank my right handed shooting, or is it worth it? No real reason why, other than another challenge to conquer. What do you think?

[ron w]

I bought a dual shelf bow just for that reason. Takes a bit to get started on the wrong side but it will come around.

[David Mitchell]

I'm not but I have a buddy who regularly shoots both ways.  On a Florida hog hunt this year he took pigs both ways--had both left and right handed longbows and recurves.  Beats all I ever saw.

[McDave]

I've done this for years as a way to keep my body in balance.  I'm not very good shooting left-handed, but I like the feeling of doing it.  I've taught myself things shooting left-handed that have helped my right-handed shooting.  For example, since my left side isn't as strong as my right side, I found that I was getting the shakes before holding as long as I wanted to, but if I closed up my stance, I was stronger. I applied the same reasoning to my right side, and my groups tightened up.

[monterey]

I can barely shoot right handed, not going to try leftie too!  But, you should go ahead and do it seems like it would be an interesting adventure.

The actual term for it is ambidextrous.

[mike g]

My last hill bow I had Craig make me has no shelf's on it, So I can shoot both ways....
    You will build up your strength on the left side, Making your right handed bow seam lighter.
    And if ya shoot 3D, Sometimes the target will be easier to shoot the left handed side....

[Bud B.]

I like shooting RH (I'm lefty). It makes me concentrate on form more. LH I have bad habits from childhood that haunt me. RH I just seem to be new at it and focus more. LH the habits take over more often. I have seriously contemplated shooting RH for a while just to see if going back LH makes me refocus as I should be doing.

And going RH opens up a whole new world of bow purchases for this bow-a-holic      

[kat]

Bud makes some good points.

 Although I can no longer shoot right handed; switching has helped with a few things. It is a good way to start from scratch and work on form and dump the old habits. It has also given me an extra inch of draw length.

It is easier than you think. The hardest thing is getting started by nocking an arrow.

[northener]

Born a righty and still am. I switched to left hand with bow years ago, although I have no right handed bows I know I could shoot right handed no problem today.

How quick you pick it up depends on your hand-eye coordination and developing new muscles. Back when I switched it seemed real strange for a few months but quickly came around after that. I light bow will speed the process up considerably.

Id say give it a whirl, nothing to lose IMHO.

[ChuckC]

yes
ChuckC

[Bowwild]

I'm RH but left-eye. I shot RH from 1960's-1995. Switched to LH in 1996. I can still shoot RH  but I don't.

If you go about this to be technically proficient it will give you a lesson in form. You will have to think about the shooting steps as you learn to shoot with the other hand. Steps that are subconscious RH (your current) will be conscious LH until you commit them to habit.

[KyStickbow]

I switched to lefty due to eye dominance...but I have no problem shooting right handed.

And switching to the opposite hand isnt that hard. A couple weeks and everything begins to feel normal.

[Bladepeek]

Originally posted by KyStickbow:
I switched to lefty due to eye dominance...but I have no problem shooting right handed.

And switching to the opposite hand isnt that hard. A couple weeks and everything begins to feel normal.

x2. I'm mediocre with either hand.

[joe skipp]

I shoot both..made the switch to LH the fall prior to my rotator cuff surgery on my right shoulder. The key was getting a bow weight I could handle comfortably.

Southpawshooter lent me his 54# LH Fedora and this allowed me to practice all summer. I then bought a new 52# LH Fedora for the fall. Managed to take 2 deer. I now alternate bows during the fall season.

I found myself concentrating more shooting lefty and being right eye dominant wasn't that much of a problem. I did get some flyers whenever I didn't concentrate and the right eye took over.

 


 

[recurvericky]

This a little off topic, but still has to do with being ambidextrious. Many years ago, an interviewer was interviewing a North Carolina State basketball player about his performance in a game, specifically, about being able to shoot with either hand. The player responded that he was amphibious and could shoot with either hand. When he said that, I though I would die. Says alot for a college education!

[northener]

Originally posted by recurvericky:
This a little off topic, but still has to do with being ambidextrious. Many years ago, an interviewer was interviewing a North Carolina State basketball player about his performance in a game, specifically, about being able to shoot with either hand. The player responded that he was amphibious and could shoot with either hand. When he said that, I though I would die. Says alot for a college education!

Might come in handy bowfishing though      

[Archer Dave]

I don't know if I am "BOTH Handed", but I think I might be ambidextrous.   :D

I am amphibious, I paddle on the left side for a few strokes and then I paddle on the right side for a few strokes. It is important to not look directly at your arrow to check your draw length when switch hitting, but it is important to have that arrow in your secondary vision and know that it is under the eye that you are shooting with.  Looking at the arrow can cause the other eye to take over the shot because it has better angle. I am not inferring a point of aim or even gap aiming, but acknowledgement of where the arrow is will help to prevent your eyes from splitting the difference when switching back and forth.

[BOWMARKS]

I am right handed but left eye dominant so I shoot lefty.
i used to shoot right handed and switched a few years back .
At this time I am starting to think like you and beginning to shoot both ways now it doesn't seem to be hurting my shooting at this time.

[huskyarcher]

Thanks for the help and ideas fellas! I for sure know the correct term for this phenomenon, just thought id make someone chuckle as they clicked on it! Lol.

I think i will give it a whirl, after a long shooting session with my RH Omega, il usually put the arra on the other side of the riser and shoot lefty just for fun. (i know this scratches the finish.) I have surprised myself actually,  at how not-weird it feels. Think i might pick up a light weight LH beater and see what happens!