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Learning To Write With The Left Hand
Learning To Write With The Left Hand
Life
by Jessica Booth
Updated: June 22, 2021
Originally Published: July 22, 2018 Grace Cary/Moment/Getty Images
If you're a right-handed person, you might be curious about what it's like to be left-handed.
After all, it still seems like something that is quite unique, as even science says it's still a
pretty rare trait. Maybe your curiosity has reached a point where you actually want to learn
how to write with your other hand. Teaching yourself how to become left handed if you're
right handed can be extremely tricky, and it's going to require a lot of patience and training
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— but it's not impossible.
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There are a few reasons someone might want to learn how to be ambidextrous. Some people
believe that learning how to use both hands interchangeably can be better for brain function,
while others simply want to say that they can write and use both hands. And then there are
more practical reasons: some get injured or sick, lose the use of their right hand, and have no
other choice.
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If you're determined to become left handed as a righty, then doing so can be possible,
however, as Ocklenburg explains to Bustle, “while some parts of the brain of converted right-
handedness resemble activation in left-handers other parts will stay in the typical right-
handedness pattern forever.” So, keep in mind that this isn't exactly the easiest task in the
world, and if you’re naturally right handed, you will forever exhibit some right handed
patterns. This is due to the fact that these two parts of our brain are not interchangeable, and
so you're basically going against your nature when learning how to use the other hand
properly.
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There are certain steps you can attempt to take, and remember: be patient. This isn't going to
happen overnight!
1
Start By Tracing
You might feel anxious to just start the hard stuff right away, but going immediately into
writing full words and sentences with your non-dominant hand isn't going to end well. You'll
most likely fail, and then you'll feel frustrated. Instead, start by tracing letters and shapes.
You can use writing workshop books that children often use to learn how to write, or you can
simply grab any book and just start tracing with your left hand. It will help make the
movement feel a bit more natural. One women told the BBC that she learned how to be left-
handed by doing exactly this — tracing.
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2
Work On Holding The Pen Comfortably
The way you hold a pen or pencil is a crucial part of how well you write. If you have a super
tight grip on your writing utensil, you're going to create tension in your hand and make it
more difficult to write (that's why your handwriting gets all weird when you're been writing
for a long time). Train yourself to hold the pen comfortably in your left hand, which is going
to be difficult, because it's something you aren't comfortable with. Keep your hand loose and
relaxed, making a conscious effort to take breaks.
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3
Practice Writing With Your Left Hand Every Day
If you're going to start writing with your non-dominant hand, you need to be committed to
the training. That means it's something you're going to need to work on every single day. Set
aside about 20 minutes or a half hour to writing with your left hand each day, whether you're
tracing or actually writing. In this case, practice definitely makes perfect.
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4
Practice With Your ABCs
Again, you can't just jump into full words and sentences. Start out writing on your own, not
tracing but writing out your ABCs — take it back to kindergarten! Keep drawing out your
letters every day until it starts to feel a little bit more normal. Give yourself some time. You
need to adjust to figuring out how to create these shapes when your brain is working against
you.
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5
Build Up Strength With Your Left Hand
Since you have always used your right hand for everything, it makes sense that it would have
more strength than your left. So, work on building up strength in your left hand. You can do
this by lifting weights of course but an easier and more practical way to do it is just to use it
this by lifting weights, of course, but an easier and more practical way to do it is just to use it
more often. Instead of using your right hand to do daily tasks like brushing yourSHOP
teeth, MENU
washing dishes, and making the bed, use your left hand. It will definitely feel awkward at
first, but just work through it. And be conscious — your brain is going to tell you to move to
the right when you're struggling.
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6
Move On To Sentences
Once you've started to feel more comfortable using your left hand to trace, write out letters,
and do basic other tasks, you can start using it to write actual sentences. Take it slow, be
patient, and stay focused. It's not going to be as easy as it sounds.
7
Use A Computer Mouse With Your Left Hand
Let's be real: Many of us barely actually write anymore because of modern technology We all
Let s be real: Many of us barely actually write anymore because of modern technology. We all
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use the computer! So, practice using a computer mouse with your left hand to really MENU
make
that connection. It's just another way to train your brain to think of your left hand as more
dominant.
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8
Write Backwards
If you're really struggling, you might want to try writing backwards. In most languages,
people write from left to right, which feels natural if you're right-handed. If you're left-
handed, this does not feel natural, and so left-handed people usually end up writing
backwards. So, practice writing backwards as well — you might find it to be easier to figure
out.
9
Practice A Sport
If you typically play a sport and use your dominant right hand, try to switch overSHOP
to the left.
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For example, if you are throwing a ball, use your non-dominant hand instead. In fact, this
practice is one that is quite common. “This is sometimes done [among] tennis players, for
example, who want to be more flexible for returning a ball, but they usually train for
ambidexterity, not exclusive left-handedness,” says Ocklenburg.
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