Are you a left or right-handed

[Cimbian]

According to general research the percentage of left-handed people in a western society is around 15% ( I am not talking about eye-dominance here).

At a recent shoot I was watching the shooting line and there seemed to be an inordinate number of archers shooting left-handed, longbow, recurve and compound. My son (a natural leftie) shared a target with three other juniors; all were left-handed.

So, It got me wondering just how many people are left-handed (I am not but my dad was and sister is) and whether archery appeals to more of the left-handed population than, perhaps, other activities or is it more to do with eye-dominance, coaching advice or simply preference.

[Kae]

A lot of it has to do with the fact that many so-called coaches don't know eye dominance from handidness (lol, is that a real word?).
However, I understand where your coming from, as the ration seems to be much more than 1.5 in 10.

Originally Posted by Cimbian

According to general research the percentage of left-handed people in a western society is around 15% ( I am not talking about eye-dominance here).

At a recent shoot I was watching the shooting line and there seemed to be an inordinate number of archers shooting left-handed, longbow, recurve and compound. My son (a natural leftie) shared a target with three other juniors; all were left-handed.

So, It got me wondering just how many people are left-handed (I am not but my dad was and sister is) and whether archery appeals to more of the left-handed population than, perhaps, other activities or is it more to do with eye-dominance, coaching advice or simply preference.

I'm a right handed person who is left eye dominant. It's eye dominance that should dictates most peoples choice of bow, be it left or right handed. I shoot a left hand bow.

From experience so far in archery most equipment is very highly dominated by right hand equipment, almost exclusively with Korean bows. I find It odd that you see so many left hand archers? Given the choice I would have much prefered to shoot right handed, as equipment availabilty in used, and new is much more abundant. Try walking into an archery shop and asking to test the latest bow in left hand....err it has yet to happen for me..."sorry, only have right hand ones"..."We can order one for you?" This is due to archery shops not wishing to hold stock they can't sell. This kind of makes me feel left hand archers are still very much a minority and account for only a small percentage of the archery community

additionally there is a big difference between a left handed person and a left handed archer. I feel this pole will only show the stats of 15% of people to be left handed. I do wonder if you need to add left or right handed archer too.

Something like

Right hand person - right hand archer
left hand person - left hand archer
right hand person -left hand archer
left hand person - right hand archer.

Would this give a more accurate bunch of stats? It will also domonstrate the % of eye dominance of people assuming they shoot according to eye dominance in the firsts place?

EDIT

Just noticed this thread. http://www.archery-interchange.com/f...ead.php?t=1443

It kind of makes this one redundant???

[not dead yet]

11 out of 47 club members l/h inc.dad, me ,bro, my son

[WhitehartFB]

Originally Posted by rgsphoto

Try walking into an archery shop and asking to test the latest bow in left hand....err it has yet to happen for me..."sorry, only have right hand ones"..."We can order one for you?" This is due to archery shops not wishing to hold stock they can't sell. This kind of makes me feel left hand archers are still very much a minority and account for only a small percentage of the archery community

Clearly you have not been to perris then, but you are right there is more choice for right handed archers and us lefties do some times have to compromise or wait longer for a left handed version to hit the market. I understand that the issue with the Koreans is that being left handed is considered evil or something like that so there is a reluctance to cater/prioritise for left handed archers.

[GreenSteve]

Originally Posted by Whitehart

I understand that the issue with the Koreans is that being left handed is considered evil or something like that.

Is that the explanation for Clicki`s Riding Crop in her quiver ?

Originally Posted by clickerati

Let's see...I'm right handed but I CHOOSE to shoot left handed! Guess that makes me more sinister than most!

Me = Right Handed Right Eye Dominent
(although as a youngster i was fairly ambidextrous could right leftie too but it`s a skill that faded with lack of practice)

[Big Boy Blue]

Me, Im right handed but left eye dominant. I did try shooting both left and right handed bows but it was far more comfortable for me shooting right handed.

[Cimbian]

Originally Posted by rgsphoto

EDIT

Just noticed this thread. http://www.archery-interchange.com/f...ead.php?t=1443

It kind of makes this one redundant???

Sorry you feel like this but I was actually more interested in the appeal of archery to a right-brained mind, rather than simply who shoots left-handed.

As you know, each half of the brain has a dominance for logic, language, emotion, creativity etc. For example right-brained people tend to be more creative and the advertising world seems to bear this out in my very unscientific experience.

Logic and emotion are generally considered to be on opposite sides and I simply wondered if one factor was more dominant in taking up the sport than, perhaps, other activities.

I did specifically say in the poll that I was not referring to eye-dominance.

[Cimbian]

Originally Posted by GreenSteve

but it`s a skill that faded with lack of practice)

I had the same problem with conkers... need to get my eye-in again now the season is here.

[Little Miss Purple]

I think it is interesting to hear from those people who start shooting say right handed, but then switch to left handed due to target panic!! It is of course because they are using the opposite side of the brain that they would normally use, so cures the problem!