choosing handedness according to eye dominance?
Suppose you're teaching left-eye dominant, right-handed beginners for the first time. Do you ask them to draw with the left hand or right hand?
My inclination is to have them draw left-handed, but this is according to the convention of archery styles that use a sight. In barebow styles where you're holding the arrow below eye level, is there a strong argument for having them draw right-handed instead?
My inclination is to have them draw left-handed, but this is according to the convention of archery styles that use a sight. In barebow styles where you're holding the arrow below eye level, is there a strong argument for having them draw right-handed instead?
Justin,
This is one of my archery pet hates. The coaches at my club will always dictate left eye, left hand and right eye, right hand. Two particular archers who were both right handed in everything else found themselves left handed archers. Never comfortable, they eventually stopped shooting and all down to this coaching mandate.
One evening we were discussing this point and I was telling one of them
'Look, if you're not happy, use your right hand. You've done the beginners course, you do what you feel happy with.'
An old archer sitting in the corner came bluntly to the point and simply asked.
'What happens if you close your left eye then? Do you go bloody blind? If you close your left eye that makes your right eye dominant.'
That's my feeling as well, dominance only applies when both eyes are open. Or put another way, it has never affected my wife with her aiming.
This is one of my archery pet hates. The coaches at my club will always dictate left eye, left hand and right eye, right hand. Two particular archers who were both right handed in everything else found themselves left handed archers. Never comfortable, they eventually stopped shooting and all down to this coaching mandate.
One evening we were discussing this point and I was telling one of them
'Look, if you're not happy, use your right hand. You've done the beginners course, you do what you feel happy with.'
An old archer sitting in the corner came bluntly to the point and simply asked.
'What happens if you close your left eye then? Do you go bloody blind? If you close your left eye that makes your right eye dominant.'
That's my feeling as well, dominance only applies when both eyes are open. Or put another way, it has never affected my wife with her aiming.
Same here.
I am left handed and my left eye is dominant. When I first shot a bow it was at a course at the university. They had recurve bows with sights, right-handed only, so there was no choice. I often shot way to the side of the target and I haven't realized until later that it was because I often had the wrong eye open. When I started to grow tired of the teacher I began to ignore both the teacher and the sight and my shooting was actually better. At that time I didn't know much about archery and couldn't explain why I was better without sight (still worse than the people with the sights though). I finished the course, pretending to try "proper" technique only when the teacher passed me on the line, but the whole thing never felt right, so I lost interest and went foil fencing for a year.
However archery was still around my head and one day it occured to me that maybe I could make my own bow and looked for bow making courses. It was a revelation.
What's wierd is that I still shoot as a right-handed archer, even though I am left-handed. But it is has never been a problem and I am glad that the wrong start didn't ruin it for me.
Daniel
I am left handed and my left eye is dominant. When I first shot a bow it was at a course at the university. They had recurve bows with sights, right-handed only, so there was no choice. I often shot way to the side of the target and I haven't realized until later that it was because I often had the wrong eye open. When I started to grow tired of the teacher I began to ignore both the teacher and the sight and my shooting was actually better. At that time I didn't know much about archery and couldn't explain why I was better without sight (still worse than the people with the sights though). I finished the course, pretending to try "proper" technique only when the teacher passed me on the line, but the whole thing never felt right, so I lost interest and went foil fencing for a year.
However archery was still around my head and one day it occured to me that maybe I could make my own bow and looked for bow making courses. It was a revelation.
What's wierd is that I still shoot as a right-handed archer, even though I am left-handed. But it is has never been a problem and I am glad that the wrong start didn't ruin it for me.
Daniel
There is hardly a coach out there who would encourage you to make your own equipment. If the score is the most important goal then every improvement is important. But if history is the goal, then one is limited to a particular timeframe. Just shoot against like minded persons and the playing field will be more level.
I have the dilemma of being right handed and left eye dominant; have tried shooting left handed and would prefer to abandon archery rather than switch. I will stand at 45 degrees to the target giving my right eye some advantage over the left.
Unfortunately, those who have seen my shooting would agree, I am better suited to making equipment rather than competing. But compete I do with my own hand made equipment and therein lays the accomplishment.
Not really an answer, just some thoughts.
I have the dilemma of being right handed and left eye dominant; have tried shooting left handed and would prefer to abandon archery rather than switch. I will stand at 45 degrees to the target giving my right eye some advantage over the left.
Unfortunately, those who have seen my shooting would agree, I am better suited to making equipment rather than competing. But compete I do with my own hand made equipment and therein lays the accomplishment.
Not really an answer, just some thoughts.
One more clarification: let's suppose you're shooting with both eyes open as well, looking forward, but still without a sight and without sighting down the arrow.
I starting to think that under these conditions, the brain should be able to adjust naturally regardless of eye dominance if you're shooting with your dominant hand. Moreover, ambidexterity seemed to be a pretty valuable skill back in the day.
Here's an anecdote: in Chinese martial arts everybody is taught to wield a sword with their right hand (even left-handed folks). Still, some of the best practitioners I knew were lefties wielding swords in their right hand. Of course, everyone's in the same boat once you start wielding two swords.
I starting to think that under these conditions, the brain should be able to adjust naturally regardless of eye dominance if you're shooting with your dominant hand. Moreover, ambidexterity seemed to be a pretty valuable skill back in the day.
Here's an anecdote: in Chinese martial arts everybody is taught to wield a sword with their right hand (even left-handed folks). Still, some of the best practitioners I knew were lefties wielding swords in their right hand. Of course, everyone's in the same boat once you start wielding two swords.
I am left-eye dominant, right-handed
and draw with the right hand, and have no problems with it.
If you shoot full instinctively and not looking at the arrow or bow but only on target, then it probably does not matter with an eye dominance??
and draw with the right hand, and have no problems with it.
If you shoot full instinctively and not looking at the arrow or bow but only on target, then it probably does not matter with an eye dominance??
With both eyes open (as I do) I agree, most targets are instinctive until cast enters the equation. At that point some form of reference is needed, I used to use the point on various areas of the face and finally my bowhand knuckle. The focus is always the target and peripheral vision for aiming. It's this peripheral vision that should cause the problem and you can understand why if you do the point test.
Reach out and point at a spot, both eyes open. Close your weaker eye and your finger will still be pointing at the same spot. Now close your dominant eye and see how your finger points off to the side.
Regardless of this, I would prefer to let them use the bow whichever way they feel most comfortable.
Reach out and point at a spot, both eyes open. Close your weaker eye and your finger will still be pointing at the same spot. Now close your dominant eye and see how your finger points off to the side.
Regardless of this, I would prefer to let them use the bow whichever way they feel most comfortable.
Meantime, go back to my videos and look at the game of hitting the ping-pong balls on the ground at three metres. Hand your beginner students a light bow, explain what you want done then just watch them do it. If you're not sure what you're seeing, ask, 'Does it make any difference if you close one eye?' If they seem to have a problem handling the bow and arrow, ask, 'Is it easier if you change hands?'
If ultimately you hope your students will be able to shoot both left and right-handed, it's better for them to have that introduced early on. If your traditional archery student group includes some cocky character who is a gold medal FITA archer, insist that he or she use the 'wrong' hand from the start. 8)
(p.s. ATARN's Mawangdui avatar (top of page) is left handed. My own (to the left) is right handed. Warring States and Han thumbrings come in both left and right handed versions.) :shock:
If ultimately you hope your students will be able to shoot both left and right-handed, it's better for them to have that introduced early on. If your traditional archery student group includes some cocky character who is a gold medal FITA archer, insist that he or she use the 'wrong' hand from the start. 8)
(p.s. ATARN's Mawangdui avatar (top of page) is left handed. My own (to the left) is right handed. Warring States and Han thumbrings come in both left and right handed versions.) :shock: