Dominant Eye V.S. Dominant Hand

[Jacob Parnell]

Hello!

I have a problem... I recently did a test and found out that my left eye is dominant.  However, my right hand is dominant too.  I heard that this is a problem for archers, and I was wondering what I should do to fix it i.e. which hand do I use to hold the string, where do I place the arrow shelf on the bow, should I sacrifice my dominant hand or my dominant eye?

Thank you!

Jacob

[Olanigw (Pekane)]

You can train your hand to accomidate your dominant eye much easier than you can retrain your eye.

Shoot like a leftie.  Your target will thank you!

[Jacob Parnell]

You can train your hand to accomidate your dominant eye much easier than you can retrain your eye.

Shoot like a leftie.  Your target will thank you!

Thank you!  I will try it.

[Pat B]

If you shoot instinctively is doesn't matter. Your brain will figure it out. If you use sights or your arrow as a refference then it will be more difficult to shoot well and you might have to train yourself to shoot left handed.

[Jacob Parnell]

If you shoot instinctively is doesn't matter. Your brain will figure it out. If you use sights or your arrow as a refference then it will be more difficult to shoot well and you might have to train yourself to shoot left handed.

Well, I think I will shoot instinctively, once I make a bow.  Is it hard to shoot instinctive?

[Pat B]

It just takes practice to train your body and brain but after that it is just like throwing a baseball or shooting a basket ball; you look at where you want the arrow to go and your brain puts it there.  I learned from G. Fred Asbell's book, "Instinctive Shooting" , available through our sponsors or elsewhere.

[Olanigw (Pekane)]

If you shoot instinctively is doesn't matter. Your brain will figure it out. If you use sights or your arrow as a refference then it will be more difficult to shoot well and you might have to train yourself to shoot left handed.

I completely forgot about instinctive shooting...  Pat's got it right on that.

[Jacob Parnell]

Thanks so much, everyone!
I'll run my plan by you and you guys tell me if anything is wrong with it (I'm a noobie lol).

I'm gonna make a ambidextrous bow with no arrow rests.  That way, I can try shooting left handed, right handed, and instinctively. 

Thanks again!
Jacob

[Pat B]

Most selfbows without a shelf can be shot ambidextrous favoring one side over the other. If the string tracks down the center of the bow there shouldn't be any problem shooting it that way.
  Learning to shoot left handed for a normally right hand shooter(or vice versa) can be a challenge but lots of folks have successfully done it, either by necessity or desire.
 With most styles of shooting consistency is crucial. Choose the style that best suites you(for me it is instinctive) and work on your consistancy and form first then concentrate on shooting accuracy. Once you get the mechanics worked out and embedded then all you have to do is know where your arrow will go. Your brain does everything else.