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Author Topic: Serious question about switching hands  (Read 2152 times)

Gizmo823

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Serious question about switching hands
« on: August 31, 2013, 05:07:40 PM »
I figured out that I'm right eye dominant recently.  I'm predominantly righthanded, but I'm ambidextrous with a lot of things like swinging a baseball bat, shooting a basketball, and I can also bowl lefthanded well enough to make me consider working it up.  I averaged 205 lefty when I bowled for a season a couple years back.  I've started practicing righthanded again recently trying to work some kinks out, but it's always felt better lefthanded.  It's smoother, my timing is incredible, and I can throw it much cleaner lefthanded, it's just the accuracy and the strength I have to improve on.  I feel like I fight myself constantly righthanded.  I was practicing form without a ball earlier, and noticed that I am a lot more comfortable opening up my shoulders and getting deep lefthanded than righthanded.  It feels like it's easier to "see" what I'm looking at lefthanded.  My body doesn't want to open my shoulders up righthanded though for some reason, it fights to keep my shoulders square with the line, and that's where the right eye dominance thing clicked.  I think that's why I've had a relatively easy time doing things ambi. 

So the argument is that I've bowled for years righthanded, and am more practiced, but it comes so much easier and more quickly lefthanded.  I'm used to bowling at a high level, and a part of me doesn't want to take that step back, if just for year or two, but another part of me is sick of fighting my mechanical issues righthanded.  Does it sound like I'm just being lazy or might I be on to something?  Could I have really been a lefty all along or is my head playing tricks on me?  Should I start practicing and maybe bowl next summer lefthanded and evaluate it then?  Give it to me straight, I know you guys don't know me and my situation personally, but I'll take all the input I can get.  Thanks a bunch for any replies. 
What would you be if you were attached to another object by an inclined plane, wrapped helically around an axis?

 

900DJ

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Re: Serious question about switching hands
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2013, 08:28:15 PM »
Wow, now you have me thinking!  I am right eye dominate as well. Does this mean that normally I would be left handed?  I bowl right handed and can not open my shoulders well either.  My Dad does everything lefty and my Mom righty.  But I throw and write right handed and bat lefty and kick left footed! Wonder if I should practice bowling lefty as well? As I am fairly smooth lefty, but haven't done it enough to be good.

J_Mac

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Re: Serious question about switching hands
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2013, 09:26:17 PM »
I am right handed... left eye dominate.  I do not target the dots or arrows since I would have to target a different mark than I would actually be hitting.  I target down lane where the difference is less dramatic.

Discovered this in hunter's safety as a young teenager.  Nothing like being right handed and target shooting with my left.

It's more common to have the dominant hand and eye on the same side of the body...

Strider

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Re: Serious question about switching hands
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2013, 10:30:48 PM »
Eye dominance matters very little.  You may not hit what you think you are aiming for, but as long as you hit the same spot each time, what does it matter?  If you are "aiming" at 10, but actually hit 12 100% of the time but are hitting your break point and the pocket who cares?  You're going to adjust to how the ball reacts to the 70% of the lane after the arrows anyway.

To switch, it's a combination of economics and whether or not you'll be satisfied with the short term results.  I'd have to switch to at least a pound lighter to start.  Even if I didn't, I'd have to re-drill everything for the correct span and pitches (may not apply to the pro shop guys).  My form is technically better left handed as well, mostly because I don't have 30 years of bad habits to overcome.  Right now I have no incentive to switch, but it's definitely an alternative if anything changes.

Gizmo823

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Re: Serious question about switching hands
« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2013, 10:58:46 PM »
Thanks guys for the replies and the info on eye dominance, I didn't know that, it at least removes some of that possible concern from my decision.  I've fought my mechanics for 5-6 years righthanded, and all I've really managed to do is find ways to "cheat" around my issues.  Ever since I dislocated my shoulder and a lot of my strength disappeared, it's just been constant frustration.  I can't come through the ball well, my fingers just don't have the strength to get through the ball for more shots than the warm up ones in practice, so I've found other ways to adjust or get around it.  That's what I mean by "cheating," I have to pay so much more attention and do more mentally to make up for it, and I do like that it's made me be more mentally aware and it's taught me a lot, but my physical game seems like it's just not going to catch up. 

However if I go lefty, yes I have the great luxury and advantage of being able to do it cheaply, being in a shop, it's not going to cost me much at all, so that's actually a big incentive to give it a real shot.  But at the same time, just because I don't have bad habits and just because it feels better doesn't mean I won't develop bad habits if my physical ceiling isn't as high.  Again though, if my physical game is so horrific righthanded and I can still manage to average 230, why shouldn't I be able to do better with better form, timing, and more strength?  I'm still coordinated enough righthanded to get away with it, but I worry that my coordination ceiling won't be high enough with my left hand to be consistent.  But right back to being so bad and frustrated righthanded, what do I have to lose but a year or two?  I can still go right back to at least getting by righthanded, and how much of a crybaby can I be about averaging 230?  Am I just a hopeless perfectionist that will never be happy with anything?  I just know what it feels like to throw the ball well, and I'd rather average 200 throwing the ball well than average 230 fighting it the whole way.  I have a direction I'm leaning, but it's just disappointing to have spent the last several years fighting it righthanded when if I'd have just stuck with my left, I might be ahead right now.  Sorry to ramble, and sorry if this all sounds melodramatic, I'm sure it does, but I'm just a dork for bowling, and being so involved in it, I still want to perform at a high level.  Thanks again for the input, I REALLY appreciate it. 
What would you be if you were attached to another object by an inclined plane, wrapped helically around an axis?

LuckyLefty

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Re: Serious question about switching hands
« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2013, 09:00:20 PM »
I've done it!

I've had some success.  I'm inconsistent and NOT ambidextrous in any sense of the word.  My problem was a messed up thumb from injury on my completely dominant right hand.

I wish I had instead known about two handed when I switched.  I still may try going back to two handed righty.

The problem for me is spare making is nearly impossible without hours of practice a week.  Then I get good but only for brief periods of time.  I can only motivate myself for those times for tournaments that really excite me. 

When those occasions come up I wouldn't want to bowl me!  The rest of the time I am a wonderful no tap player that I wouldn't want to have on my team in any serious league.

Very frustrating most of the time.  As a 205 in the past I sense you are more natural with spares and more ambidextrous.

Regards,

Luckylefty
It takes Courage to have Faith, and Faith to have Courage.

James M. McCurley, New Orleans, Louisiana