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Adam Yilmaz
May 92 min read

What Does it Take to Become Ambidextrous?

Training yourself to use both hands equally is not easy, but has been shown to be completely possible.

Learning to use both hands equally, or for certain tasks, can make daily tasks more manageable, especially if there is a complication to the previously dominant hand, such as an injury.


Who would benefit the most from training to become ambidextrous?

The group that benefits the most from learning to use both hands equally would be athletes. Sports that value an athlete's ability to use both hands effectively, such as lacrosse, baseball, and tennis, tend to have athletes who can rise above the competition in part due to their ability to use both sides equally. Pat Venditte, a former Major League Baseball player, was viewed as an extreme outlier for being able to pitch with both hands, despite not throwing above 90. Besides that, being able to hit from both sides of the plate in baseball, catch, throw, and shoot with both hands in lacrosse, and switching to the other hand when necessary in tennis can lead to an upcoming athlete to rise above their competitors and stand out in their individual sport.

What is the most effective method for practice?

The most effective method for learning to become ambidextrous is getting used to employing the non-dominant hand for daily tasks, which can range from brushing your teeth, to writing an important paper. Writing with the non-dominant hand is often viewed as the best way to get used to using the other hand, as it forces the individual to use intricate muscle memory and concentrated focus, in order to complete the task. There are many types of writing practices on the internet that can be used to train the non dominant hand. Certain exercises can train the muscles as well.


Are there any potential disadvantages?

Most evidence has been shown to inconclusive in proving that learning to use the non-dominant hand more effectively will lead to problems. Some professionals have claimed that it can lead to complications with development, including reading disability, stuttering, academic difficulty, and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms. These complications have only been noted in some individuals who were known to be ambidextrous at birth, and it should be noted that the total sample size of naturally ambidextrous people is very low, due to the rarity of the ability. Other than individuals who were born without a dominant hand, those that choose to work to becoming ambidextrous will most likely not face any negative outcomes, and may learn the virtues of patience from the process, while simultaneously gaining the ability to use both hands to their fullest extent.


Sources:


Title Image (The Guardian)


Sports and Becoming Ambidextrous (SixStar)


Effects on the Brain (National Library of Medicine)


How to Become Ambidextrous (WikiHow)


Pat Venditte Image (Chicago Sun-Times)

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