[English Longbow] Shooting Right/Left handed

Simon Banks

Active member
Was thinking the other day about learning to shoot with my other hand (currently shoot left handed). Apart from the ramp up and disruption to normal form is there any major disadvantages to being an ambidextrous English longbow archer?


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D

Deleted member 7654

Guest
I think learning to shoot either way is good for the body (helps balance, symmetry and improves the left hand coordination) and hand eye coordination.
A bit like learning to use your left foot when playing football, it improves everything.
Funnily I've been thinking about going leftie as my neck is stiff when rotating it to the left for right hand shooting.
I've just made a bow with an arrowplate either side Waterbuffalo for the leftie Mother of Pearl for the right hand.
Del
 

Simon Banks

Active member
My current bow has plates either side so I'd just need a finger tab... I'll give it a go after my next comp.. Sounds like a fun thing todo..
Maybe I'll start with my 35# Horsebow it's much lighter to get a feel for it..


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Deleted member 7654

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It messes with your head when you first try it! :)
Del
 

Simon Banks

Active member
Well I gave it a go.. Amazing I couldn't rotate my elbow out.
Not really any feeling but I can hit the boss at 20 yards ;-?
Very odd but not as bad as I imagined..



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blakey

Active member
Was thinking the other day about learning to shoot with my other hand (currently shoot left handed). Apart from the ramp up and disruption to normal form is there any major disadvantages to being an ambidextrous English longbow archer?


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I often shoot LH. I like wearing an eye patch and looking like a pirate. I have to do that because my right eye is dominant. I find as Del says that it helps balance up the body and strengthen the other half. I actually can shoot a heavier poundage LH because my Right shoulder is gently wrecked. One day when it finally gives up I will abandon the Right side and go left for the remainder. :)
 

Simon Banks

Active member
Sounds very painful Blakey I went down poundage from my first bow on the basis I was a) making incredibly slow progress and b) was causing me physical harm. Oddly enough my scores got a huge boost and increased improvement once I dropped the pounds a oh yes and I don't have pain anymore. ;-)

I'm not planning on using an eye patch.. I'm told by a number of high scoring instinctive archers it's not required. It's more of a sighted/reference archery thing.. Still as with most things in archery time will tell.


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