Where do you use your dominant hand?

[PIASMurph 0]

I'm lefty in every aspect of life, but my dad is right handed and when I was little I used his RH stick and RH golf clubs so I do both of those righty.

[DarkStar50 679]

I write with my left hand but throw and bat righty. My hockey sticks are lefty, dominant right hand at top. Just felt comfortable when I was 12 years old a long time ago and picked up my first Northland Custom Pro, Lie 6 for $3.50.

In our shop righties outsell lefties 2-1. It has been this way since I have been an equipment buyer since 1980.

[TBLfan 25]

Aging youself there buddy. haha

[hockeymom 2]

Interesting discussion on whether you're a top or a bottom.

The "correct" way is dominant hand on top, as said previously, better fine-motor skills for stickhandling. I've seen some research on it that was pretty conclusive and saw a demonstration at a hockey camp a few years' back that was convincing.

On one of the other many posts on the subject, someone (was it Storm?) made the analogy about how you use a broom - and usually people will place their dominant hand on top of the broom.

However... which ever way you started is now the comfortable and correct position for you. If you're using the "wrong" hand, it doesn't mean you will be crap at stickhandling... it means you might have had to work harder to develop those skills than if you had started with your dominant hand on top.

My theory is little kids are more shoving sticks when they start, not really using fine motor skills... and so they feel they have better control with the dominant hand on the shaft. After that I think it is too late for them to switch back.

Oh, MissD plays with her dominant hand down. LOL, I read the research AFTER she started to play hockey. After the hockey camp demo I mentioned, she was convinced she plays with the wrong hand on top... and also that it is too late for her to change it up.

[TBLfan 25]

And keep in mind that the "proper" way to puckhandle is almost completely with the top hand. It only makes sense to have the dominate hand on top but some people just arent comfortable with it.

Even when you think of shooting mechanics, the top hand is the hand that is the working hand, the bottom hand provides leverage.

Being an American, if I have a son or daughter that wants to play, I will teach them to play LH. There is a serious shortage of LH players and hopefully they can take advantages of having the dominate hand on top. If their left handed... they're their mom's problem. :P

[cxo 0]

I don't know, LH is pretty dominant in Euro play. And maybe it's just me, but it seems like the majority of your "sniper" style players are lefty's.

[ubitsa 0]

I don't know, LH is pretty dominant in Euro play. And maybe it's just me, but it seems like the majority of your "sniper" style players are lefty's.

Being a player who is a predominantly a sniper, though, should involve less stickhandling and more shooting, which if anything should chip away at that theory, of it being more advantageous to be left handed and a sniper. It's a sniper's job to just park his ass somewhere constructive and wait for a pass. The thing that is odd is that it seems like there is an EVEN HIGHER percentage of left handed defenseman than forwards, and defensemen very rarely even stick handle.

[JR Boucicaut 3799]

After the hockey camp demo I mentioned, she was convinced she plays with the wrong hand on top... and also that it is too late for her to change it up.

A-ha!

Stonehands for a reason!

And keep in mind that the "proper" way to puckhandle is almost completely with the top hand. It only makes sense to have the dominate hand on top but some people just arent comfortable with it.

Even when you think of shooting mechanics, the top hand is the hand that is the working hand, the bottom hand provides leverage.

Being an American, if I have a son or daughter that wants to play, I will teach them to play LH. There is a serious shortage of LH players and hopefully they can take advantages of having the dominate hand on top. If their left handed... they're their mom's problem. :P

At the NHL level there isn't.

There is actually a shortage of RH defensemen.

I think RH will always be the minority at the pro level, but in the US LH will be like LHPs in baseball.

[chippa13 1844]

And keep in mind that the "proper" way to puckhandle is almost completely with the top hand. It only makes sense to have the dominate hand on top but some people just arent comfortable with it.

Even when you think of shooting mechanics, the top hand is the hand that is the working hand, the bottom hand provides leverage.

Being an American, if I have a son or daughter that wants to play, I will teach them to play LH. There is a serious shortage of LH players and hopefully they can take advantages of having the dominate hand on top. If their left handed... they're their mom's problem. :P

I guess noone told the guys on the two teams I play on where we have a combined 4 righties compared to 20 lefties.

[JR Boucicaut 3799]

The better adult leagues (and I guess I'm giving you a lot of credit) will have more LH players. The beginner leagues are almost all RH.

[TBLfan 25]

After the hockey camp demo I mentioned, she was convinced she plays with the wrong hand on top... and also that it is too late for her to change it up.

A-ha!

Stonehands for a reason!

And keep in mind that the "proper" way to puckhandle is almost completely with the top hand. It only makes sense to have the dominate hand on top but some people just arent comfortable with it.

Even when you think of shooting mechanics, the top hand is the hand that is the working hand, the bottom hand provides leverage.

Being an American, if I have a son or daughter that wants to play, I will teach them to play LH. There is a serious shortage of LH players and hopefully they can take advantages of having the dominate hand on top. If their left handed... they're their mom's problem. :P

At the NHL level there isn't.

There is actually a shortage of RH defensemen.

I think RH will always be the minority at the pro level, but in the US LH will be like LHPs in baseball.

Oh yeah, of course! In the NHL it's probably 1/5th or less RH. But come on... What are the chances the NHL is even a legitimate thought?

I've never had more than 3-4 lefties on any of my teams. On the beginner team I coach there is actually a surprising amount of lefties, think there is 5.

Keep in mind, I do play in Florida. Here, you pretty much are born, slapped on the ass and given a baseball bat. JR, I assume you notice a different in LH to RH shot players from O-town to up north?

edit - damn, I'm out of it today, cant freaking type.

[chippa13 1844]

"Thank you for your support."

If anyone catches that ad reference then they're showing our age.

[Hooah4 12]

"Thank you for your support."

If anyone catches that ad reference then they're showing our age.

Bartels(sp. it's been a while) and James baby! The Smirnoff Ice of the 80's.

[DarkStar50 679]

Aging youself there buddy. haha

Yes and since I'm in the business it blows my mind to think how much a dozen Northlands went for at wholesale back then! I remember when Titan TPM 2020 broke the $20 price point at retail in the 80s.

But we digress. I always think goalies who have to switch hands to shoot the puck(Turco) are really screwed up.

[TBLfan 25]

Turco? You mean flip their catcher? It's almost the standard, I've never liked it but it is proving to be effective.

[sturdy22 28]

I make all of my kids, 3 of my own, or the beginners that I coach start with a straight stick. and if parents come to the rink with a curve i send it back and use some of my own that I have collected. that way the player can make the stick adjust to them and not the other way around. I coach young kids and high school so I see the effects of the righty vs. lefty debate almost everyday. what I have noticed is that the players who are right side dominate, Hand and Leg, but shoot righty tend to be out of position when in the offensive zone and be forced to use their backhand due to the fact that their right leg, power leg, naturally puts them in that situation. a left shot who is also right side dominate in that same senario, Power Leg, will be on their good hand. Now naturally you can say that players should learn to use their backhand. the simple fact is they tend to try one last move to get into a scoring position. and the scoring chance may be passed up. I have seen many talented players drop out of hockey because their natural balence tends to be off.

for the record i am right side dominate and shoot left.

the correct way. :)

[gxc999 7]

I make all of my kids, 3 of my own, or the beginners that I coach start with a straight stick. and if parents come to the rink with a curve i send it back and use some of my own that I have collected. that way the player can make the stick adjust to them and not the other way around. I coach young kids and high school so I see the effects of the righty vs. lefty debate almost everyday. what I have noticed is that the players who are right side dominate, Hand and Leg, but shoot righty tend to be out of position when in the offensive zone and be forced to use their backhand due to the fact that their right leg, power leg, naturally puts them in that situation. a left shot who is also right side dominate in that same scenario, Power Leg, will be on their good hand. Now naturally you can say that players should learn to use their backhand. the simple fact is they tend to try one last move to get into a scoring position. and the scoring chance may be passed up. I have seen many talented players drop out of hockey because their natural balence tends to be off.

for the record i am right side dominate and shoot left.

the correct way. :)

I think you said it perfectly right. I really think lower body, dominant hip etc has a low to do with it. In regards to myself, it seems my left side is stronger and I end up getting faster strides but my right side is more coordinated. However, the opposite is true of my upper body, chest and shoulders, except reverse for my arms. Anyone else notice this too?

[Slava 0]

i use it on the top of my stick

[Rustpot 1]

I am left handed.

Everything done with two hands I do "right-handed", everything one hand is lefty.

Hockey- righty forward, full right tendie- always shooting on the same side

Baseball- hit and throw right. Batting with your dom. on bottom makes sense for the follow-through. Don't know why I throw/catch right.

Tennis/Racquetball - lefty, plus when I two-hand I feel natural like with a bat

Writing- lefty

Firearms - lefty (left-eye dominant, no trigger control on my right)

Bow hunting - righty- the pull hand is the blunt instrument, the bow hand does the finesse of aiming and takes more strength to hold a draw

[rmnyi 0]

Im the same as you guys^^^ i thought it was strange that absolutely everything i do was righty except pool. I thought it might be because i prefer my left hand at the butt for everything, but i paintball with my left hand on the grip. So if I were to shoot a rifle, it would be opposite to pool. Kind of strange IMO

When you mention shooting a gun, that brings up another question. Which is your dominate eye? My left eye is dominate which is why I shoot a gun left handed. I also think that is why I shoot pool lefty.

[Rustpot 1]

Im the same as you guys^^^ i thought it was strange that absolutely everything i do was righty except pool. I thought it might be because i prefer my left hand at the butt for everything, but i paintball with my left hand on the grip. So if I were to shoot a rifle, it would be opposite to pool. Kind of strange IMO

When you mention shooting a gun, that brings up another question. Which is your dominate eye? My left eye is dominate which is why I shoot a gun left handed. I also think that is why I shoot pool lefty.

It also has to do with aiming and hand control.

Some people in the shooting world bless left-eye righties. Having your non-dominant on the trigger means your (usually) more coordinated hand is in charge of the finesse aspects of the firearm. Aiming long guns, the sweep for trap/skeet shooting, and secondary hand grip and steady hand for pistols are just a few things that right-hand, left-eye shooters can benefit from.

The few things they loose out on are trigger control, one hand shooting pistols, etc.

The guy that shoots lefty who is right dominant in my target class is among the best I've seen for beginners.

Edit-

I also forgot that left-shooting right-handers are also using their dominant leg when cross-body shooting a lot more. When firing long guns while standing, being on your dominant leg can help steady the shot and stabilize the shooter for recoil. Same for most cross-body positions.

How lucky I am to be a left-eye, left-hand, right-leg for shooting is beyond me. Not as great for hockey, but my target shooting is great for it.

[Lord ZipLock 0]

I am right handed...

But i use a left stick so dominate hand on top

however for tennis baseball bowling ect i use my right hand mainly.

[gxc999 7]

You've all made some very interesting points. I think that if you're a righty in every day life, putting your right hand on the bottom will hurt your stickhandling for a while when you're new to the game, but obviously, you'll overcome it if you play hockey for a while. My only concern is that some players whose friends are all shooting righty are told to do the same, so they try it, can't control the puck worth a darn and say "Hey, maybe I'm just not supposed to play hockey."

[all-star 0]

Right handed,

I shoot, golf and bat left.

but for like tennis, throwing etc. im a righty.

[TBLfan 25]

Im the same as you guys^^^ i thought it was strange that absolutely everything i do was righty except pool. I thought it might be because i prefer my left hand at the butt for everything, but i paintball with my left hand on the grip. So if I were to shoot a rifle, it would be opposite to pool. Kind of strange IMO

When you mention shooting a gun, that brings up another question. Which is your dominate eye? My left eye is dominate which is why I shoot a gun left handed. I also think that is why I shoot pool lefty.

Get over the cue more. If you see most pros and other skilled players you'll see they look down the cue with both eyes, gives better depth perseption allowing you to more accurately control speed. Dominate eye should not be an issue.