Left or Right: Which Dominant Hand and Foot Do You Use?

[Lisa!]

Are you left handed or right handed? I mean which hand you usually write with!
Are you able to write with both hands? And are you left footed or right footed?

 

[mattmns]

What is right footed?

 

[Lisa!]

What is right footed?

Do you play football?

 

[Monique]

Do you play football?

or skateboard/snowboard

 

[brewnog]

I'm always interested in this.

Studies generally show left handers to account for about 10% of the general population, but 4 out of the 5 engineers I sit with at work are left handed. Similarly, I did a poll on my (engineering) course at university (nicer sample size), something daft like 100 out of 200 people admitted to being left handed.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I am right-handed and my left hand is useless for many tasks. However, in throwing a frisbee, I can only do it well with my left hand.

 

[JasonRox]

I'm always interested in this.

Studies generally show left handers to account for about 10% of the general population, but 4 out of the 5 engineers I sit with at work are left handed. Similarly, I did a poll on my (engineering) course at university (nicer sample size), something daft like 100 out of 200 people admitted to being left handed.

Really? That must suck with all them right handed rules going around.

 

[BobG]

Really? That must suck with all them right handed rules going around.

For the poor right-handed guys that happen to be holding their pencil in their right-hand, so substitute their left-hand for the right-hand rule?

I'm right-handed and right-footed. However, I did go through a period where I was left-footed. Playing indoor, some clod slammed my right knee into the boards (and beat up my face, as well - I don't have a clue what he was trying to do - maybe he was a hockey player). I couldn't play for about 2-3 months and even when I started playing again, it still took a long time for it to get back to normal. I was amazed at good my left foot got over that time.

About two years after getting slammed into the boards, I was back to being a right-footed player again, though. It's amazing how you can just fall back into old routines like that.

 

[Kurdt]

Playing football these days one needs to practise with both feet equally. Its a huge advantage if you can strike the ball without thinking with your left foot as naturally as you would with your right (if you're right footed).

I'm right-handed and right-footed, but I do have a lot of things I can do with either hand or foot. When I play footbal I can strike just as well with either foot and I can play darts left handed as well as I can right handed.

 

[BobG]

Playing football these days one needs to practise with both feet equally. Its a huge advantage if you can strike the ball without thinking with your left foot as naturally as you would with your right (if you're right footed).

I'm right-handed and right-footed, but I do have a lot of things I can do with either hand or foot. When I play footbal I can strike just as well with either foot and I can play darts left handed as well as I can right handed.

Franz Beckenbauer barely ever touched the ball with his left-foot his entire career, and he was one of the guys responsible for the rise in soccer's popularity in the US back in the 70's or 80's.

 

[dontdisturbmycircles]

Very much a right handed person. Also when I play football I kick with my right (most naturally anyways, I can also kick with my left).

 

[DaveC426913]

I'm left-handed but I had to think about my footedness. I have always considered myself right when it comes to sports like hockey and golf, but for foot-sports, my left foot is forward.

 

[Moonbear]

My right hand is dominant (though, there are a lot of things I wind up doing left-handed without really thinking about it...I have a tendency to grab surgical instruments with either hand, because sometimes you just need both hands, and don't realize I've been using my left hand until it's time to release a hemostat and for some reason, that's the one thing that I'm not particularly good at doing left-handed).

I haven't a clue what foot is dominant. Probably my right foot, but when doing that circle your hand and foot thing someone posted the other day, I seemed more coordinated with my left foot (before I even started doing the hand circles).

 

[Danger]

Couldn't pick an answer because my category isn't there. I use both hands equally, but am right-footed and right-eyed. I therefore shoot pool, bow-and-arrow and long-guns right handed for aiming purposes.

 

[Ouabache]

I'm left-handed for most things and kick a ball right-footed. Not sure if the foot comparison is valid though. I do quite a few things right-handed because I was taught to do so (play guitar, play brass musical instrument, drive using stickshift). I wonder if as a child, someone showed me how kick using their right foot, I just followed their example and with practise, attained the proficiency.

On a quick net search, I find 10-11% of population in North America & Europe are left-handed. Wiki has a wider distribution. "Approximately 8 to 15% of the adult population is left-handed."

Here's some interesting stats in our poll at 41 votes in; we have 70.7% right-handed, 29.3% left-handed. Does this imply there are twice as many left-handed people in the sciences compared to the general population? As a grad student at Purdue, I recall an officemate, my advisor, our dept head and the professor in the next office, were all left-handed. Hmmm

Previous PF handedness threads Oct 2003 and July 2005

 

[1016]

can be a right-handed train himself become a left-handed?
what do you think about a guy abandon from being right-handed?

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

I'm pretty ambidextrous although I write with my right hand, it's easier that way.

Foot wise probably favour my right.

I was left handed when I was born, when I was about five I just switched over to being right handed, I to this day have no idea why?

 

[verty]

I think it's probably like anything, you need to be consistent. If you switch to Dvorak typing and are consistent, it can be learned soon enough. If you do taichi for a short while consistently (a year or two), you'll be very accustomed to it. I think a person could learn to write with the other hand but one would need to be consistent.

 

[brewnog]

Trying to force yourself to use the 'wrong' hand can have some pretty interesting effects. Many people will develop a stutter later on in life if forced to use the wrong hand as a child.

 

[Ouabache]

Interesting, we are now up to total 49 polled, right-handed 69.4%, left-handed 30.6%. This ratio is holding steady within our PF members. Using the data I mentioned before as a basis, we still have "twice" as many left-handed people here, compared to the general population.

Also in our group with 49 polled, rightfootedness 75.5% and leftfooted 24.5%.

 

[turbo]

Couldn't pick an answer because my category isn't there. I use both hands equally, but am right-footed and right-eyed. I therefore shoot pool, bow-and-arrow and long-guns right handed for aiming purposes.

I'm kind of in the same boat. Being a guitarist, I have a lot more left-hand dexterity than most righties, and since I'm strongly right-eye dominant, I automatically shoot with both eyes open (pool, pistol, rifle, shotgun) with no squinting, head-tilting, or other compensation.

 

[Anttech]

I am predominately right footed but I can use my left foot, I also snowboard goofy and skateboard that way too, I can also Bat Left and Right Handed at Cricket, but I am very much better with my right..

 

[Kurdt]

Trying to force yourself to use the 'wrong' hand can have some pretty interesting effects. Many people will develop a stutter later on in life if forced to use the wrong hand as a child.

I learned to play guitar left handed as the only way to upstage my friend who is much better than me. If I knew I could then develop a stutter I'd not have bothered

The only saving grace was that I was not a child when I learned.

 

[Danger]

I automatically shoot with both eyes open

The only time that I shoot anything with one eye closed is when I'm drunk. It's impossible to see double with one eye.

 

[Janus]

Well, I'd definitely say that I was right footed. As to handedness, that's a little more complex. As a general rule, I am right handed, except when it comes to the example given in the original post. When I pick up a pencilto write or draw, I naturally use my left hand.

 

[arildno]

I'm a thorough leftie. At first, I had some difficulty seeing whether I was left- or right-footed, but then I remembered which foot I dispreferred the least kicking a football with.

However, when eating I have the knife in my right hand, and the fork in my left. Don't know why.

 

[Kurdt]

Knife in the right and fork in the left was the 'correct' way round in the past days of etiquette and the likes so perhaps that is the reason.

 

[Moonbear]

I still haven't voted, because I haven't figured out what foot is dominant. I step on the cat with the left foot (to tickle her belly when I'm too lazy to bend down to annoy her...then she bites my toes or ankles). But, I'm not sure if that means I have better balance on my right foot (I'm not trying to squash the cat), or that I have better fine motor control of my left foot for tickling.

I was ambidextrous until I had to learn to write cursive, and they made us choose a hand for our lessons. I ended up just asking my friends which hand they use and chose the class they were in. If my friends were left-handed, I'd have just as likely wound up writing left-handed. Since Danger mentioned shooting pool, I do use both hands for that...whichever is easiest from the side of the table I'm on for the direction I'm aiming...not that it makes me any better of a player, but I've made more of the difficult shots left-handed than right-handed (and all of my best shots require a few beers in me first). So, I wonder if others are correct that there might be an influence of whoever taught you to do something in which hand you choose to use to do it. I know I was taught some surgical procedures by someone who is left-handed, and so did them left-handed for a while.

 

[NoTime]

I'm predominantly left hand, foot and eye.
For the most part I can use either side, even for writing, but the left side is stronger and somewhat more dexterous.
When strength or very fine detail is required I use the left side.

Moonbear, I have to agree that a left handed hemostat would be good.
Those are truly annoying to open with the left hand, but easy with the right.

 

[Moonbear]

Moonbear, I have to agree that a left handed hemostat would be good.
Those are truly annoying to open with the left hand, but easy with the right.

Now there's an idea! Whenever I do something with my left hand, I usually am attempting to do it by mirroring whatever I would do with my right hand, but that doesn't work with hemostats. I try to push out with my thumb, but you have to pull with it left-handed, which I usually realize after I've gotten my thumb stuck in the handle. Though, having left-handed hemostats mixed in would probably mean I'd be trying to open the left-handed ones with my right hand and the right-handed ones with my left hand.

I'm still trying to figure out how to use my toes for those times when you really could use a third hand. Too bad they don't make sterile gloves for your feet!

 

[NoTime]

Now there's an idea! Whenever I do something with my left hand, I usually am attempting to do it by mirroring whatever I would do with my right hand, but that doesn't work with hemostats. I try to push out with my thumb, but you have to pull with it left-handed, which I usually realize after I've gotten my thumb stuck in the handle. Though, having left-handed hemostats mixed in would probably mean I'd be trying to open the left-handed ones with my right hand and the right-handed ones with my left hand.

I'm still trying to figure out how to use my toes for those times when you really could use a third hand. Too bad they don't make sterile gloves for your feet!

Color codeing or texturing comes to mind

I like the foot idea, but I'm a fumble toes

If they ever come up with somatic mods the extra set of arms/hands could end up on the best seller list.

 

[Moonbear]

I like the foot idea, but I'm a fumble toes

But I might be able to answer the question more definitively of whether I'm right- or left-footed!

If they ever come up with somatic mods the extra set of arms/hands could end up on the best seller list.

Definitely. I'm sure there'd also be a long list of buyers among new parents too.

 

[moose]

Well, I'd definitely say that I was right footed. As to handedness, that's a little more complex. As a general rule, I am right handed, except when it comes to the example given in the original post. When I pick up a pencilto write or draw, I naturally use my left hand.

Same exact situation for me. I am right footed, and right handed except for writing.

 

[DaveC426913]

Well, I'd definitely say that I was right footed. As to handedness, that's a little more complex. As a general rule, I am right handed, except when it comes to the example given in the original post. When I pick up a pencilto write or draw, I naturally use my left hand.

There do seem to be distinctions between fine motor skills and gross motor skills. I imagine they're picked up differently. It is probably easier to learn the gross motor skills used in sports by imitating others, which means you'd be right-handed atr them.

Now, I wonder if there are any right-handed writers who are left-handed at sports...

 

[turbo]

Now, I wonder if there are any right-handed writers who are left-handed at sports...

Well, I'm a rightie and throw a baseball right-handed, but in HS, I preferred to bat left-handed. I could bat well either way, though and tended to hold back on the swing and swing late so that when I batted leftie, the ball went to shallow left field and when I batted rightie, the ball went to shallow right field. That threw off the opposing fielders and I often got on base.

 

[BobG]

Well, I'm a rightie and throw a baseball right-handed, but in HS, I preferred to bat left-handed. I could bat well either way, though and tended to hold back on the swing and swing late so that when I batted leftie, the ball went to shallow left field and when I batted rightie, the ball went to shallow right field. That threw off the opposing fielders and I often got on base.

That makes sense, especially if you're right-eyed. Right-handed, left-eyed baseball players and left-handed right-eyed players tend to hit better, while right-eyed, right-handed and left-eyed left-handed players tend to pitch better.

Generally, about 65% of the population is right-eyed as compared to 90% being right-handed. People with opposite dominant eye-hand tend to do better in most flowing sports, including running surprisingly enough. They carry their weight more centrally balanced than people that have the same dominant eye-hand.

The two links talk a little bit about it, but I read a better article on it several years ago in a magazine.
http://www.psychedonline.org/Articles/Vol3Iss6/EyeDominance.htm
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0805.htm

 

[turbo]

That makes sense, especially if you're right-eyed. Right-handed, left-eyed baseball players and left-handed right-eyed players tend to hit better, while right-eyed, right-handed and left-eyed left-handed players tend to pitch better.

I never thought of it that way, but it makes sense. I am right-eye dominant and I seemed to bat leftie better than rightie in most circumstances. I'd watch the pitchers, though, and if they had a good breaking ball or something that would make me favor one side of the plate over the other, I'd switch.

 

[Ouabache]

... tended to hold back on the swing and swing late so that when I batted leftie, the ball went to shallow left field and when I batted rightie, the ball went to shallow right field. That threw off the opposing fielders and I often got on base.

As a leftie, if i tried holding back and swing late, I'd more likely foul it off. Course if I if the ball did stay in play, we are at least a couple steps closer to first base than righties.

In tennis I did something similar to your holding back at the plate. I gained control (generally with some backspin) hitting down the line i.e. same side of the court you're recieving. With a little practise, it's not hard to do that one the backhand as well as the forehand.. In tennis, there is one more advantage swinging leftie, most right handed players (and lefties too), don't face many southpaws.

In bowling, rolling from the left side of the lane tends to be smoother (oil on the wood is not worn off), consequently there tends to be more friction on the right side of the lane.

 

[BobG]

As a leftie, if i tried holding back and swing late, I'd more likely foul it off.

In little league, I used to take pride in the number of cars I'd hit in the parking lot. My legendary moment came when I pointed my bat towards the gold colored Studebaker seven rows back behind the opponents dugout in the parking lot. To this day, our coach swears I was pointing at his pale blue Nash Rambler, six rows back behind first base. I still haven't given him a cent for the windshield.

Well, not really, but I did tend to send a lot of foul balls into the parking lot on the first base side. I wasn't exactly a star player, but I did peg two umpires in one game with throws from the outfield. When the infielders don't come out and call for the ball, sometimes your best bet is to throw towards the one guy you can usually count on to be near the base that the closest play is at ... as long as you throw at the right umpire and not the one that's just watching from afar, or the one that's hiding behind the pitcher for some unknown reason. On the second umpire, it was actually a great throw home from very shallow left field, aimed right at the pitcher's head, who was standing in line with the plate ready to cut the throw if necessary ... except the throw was a little low, about mid-section level, but still a hard throw on a good line, so the pitcher stepped aside leaving a shocked umpire to take one in the ribs.

 

[DaveC426913]

My legendary moment came when I pointed my bat towards the gold colored Studebaker seven rows back behind the opponents dugout in the parking lot. To this day, our coach swears I was pointing at his pale blue Nash Rambler, six rows back behind first base.

Studebaker? Rambler? For a few moments, I was wondering if your baseball diamond was across from an antique car lot!

 

[DaveC426913]

In one-on-one sports, such as fencing, lefties tend to have an advantage.

In boxing, ambidexterity is a liability. Ambi boxers tend to take a split second longer to decide which way to dodge.

 

[Lisa!]

Well the reason of starting this thread was this article! Too late for posting that but I couldn't do that sooner since I wasn't here!

 

[Francis M]

I write left handed on a desk but on a blackboard I can write with either. Most of the stuff for sports I end up doing right handed because that's how I was tought. Like Moonbear I'll find myself utilizing both hands as necessary at work. American football I probably could kick with either leg. I can bat (equally bad) from either side of the plate in Baseball, Football (Soccer) it just seems natural to me to use whatever leg is convenient. Hockey I could probably get away with either a left or right handed stick.