The Joys of Being Ambidextrous

It's not something I think about often, just the way things are to me. Pretty sure I was born left handed but I was taught to be right handed. If startled my stance automatically goes southpaw. So instinct has me a leftie I believe. Dad was left handed. IDK if being "handed" is a genetic predisposition or not but there might be something to it.

It's great. If there's a task in front of me I can accomplish it quicker than if I just used one hand. Secondly there's an access aspect to it. Ever work on your car and have to twist yourself into knots to reach that bolt? Pull that right hand back and easily get at it with the left. I love that.

I can't do everything with my left. Like writing. Then again my right couldn't either until it was trained to. That's pretty much it though. It's a beauty not having a "dumb hand".

That's about it. Slow morning I guess.

I am naturally right-handed, but have trained myself to be at least partly ambidextrous. My left hand is still the dumb one, but I get better use of it now.

a reply to: intrepid

Me too but I'm left dominant so I think I was just forced into it. I can write with both. I used a ten key calculator with amazing speed with my right. I golf both left and right and when I attempt to play softball I bat both. The world is designed around a dominant right hand . Even the shape of a phone handle which of course no one has anymore anyway. Scissors and can openers are my enimies.

a reply to: intrepid

My baby sister is natural ambidextrous. Always was.

a reply to: Lazarus Short

Absolutely possible because as a lefty I had to learn to use my right .

My father was ambidextrous. He could write with both hands. He was a lefty naturally though.

originally posted by: Edumakated
My father was ambidextrous. He could write with both hands. He was a lefty naturally though.

So you could say he edumakated his right hand then.

a reply to: intrepid

You've seen my posts. . . I can't write with either hand.




What is truly scary is my youngest child.


He was practicing his piano lessons the other day and called me into the room.

"Hey Dad! I learned a new trick!" He said.

He played a few lines of a classical piece he was learning for a recital.

Then he crossed his arms over each other and played the same piece.


I slowly backed out of the room because it was then that I realized that this child was far superior to me in every way.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
You've seen my posts. . . I can't write with either hand.

I've seen you smoke and drink with both hands making you truly talented.

a reply to: DBCowboy

I probably shouldn't admit this... my three year old has been beating me in the card game memory. I mean legitimately beating me. All the card are turned upside down and then you have to guess / locate the matching pairs.

originally posted by: intrepid


It's great. If there's a task in front of me I can accomplish it quicker than if I just used one hand. Secondly there's an access aspect to it. Ever work on your car and have to twist yourself into knots to reach that bolt? Pull that right hand back and easily get at it with the left. I love that.

Yes, being left handed does have it's advantages in that we are forced to be ambidextrous. But I have often said god messed up in designing humans by not giving us 3 hands. I often work alone and a 3'rd articulating appendage with an opposing thumb sure would be nice on certain occasions.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: DBCowboy
You've seen my posts. . . I can't write with either hand.

I've seen you smoke and drink with both hands making you truly talented.

While eating a cheese pizza.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
While eating a cheese pizza.

Wait, I thought that was what you were drinking.

originally posted by: Edumakated
a reply to: DBCowboy

I probably shouldn't admit this... my three year old has been beating me in the card game memory. I mean legitimately beating me. All the card are turned upside down and then you have to guess / locate the matching pairs.

Spooky, isn't it.

I had my wife watch our son play he piano like he did for me.

I asked her if I should start beating him or something and she said, "It's too late. We're doomed."

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: DBCowboy
While eating a cheese pizza.

Wait, I thought that was what you were drinking.

I use pizza the same way others use a nicotine patch.

It's the only way I can get through mid morning until lunch.

a reply to: intrepid
Not sure if I'm considered ambidextrous or not, but I eat and write left handed, and everything else I do right handed. My left arm is my stronger one though.

a reply to: intrepid

Glad you made this thread.
People don't believe me when I tell them I taught myself to be ambidextrous. They assume you have to be born that way.
My mother was born left handed I was born right handed. In my life I have had to learn how to function in a home set up for left handed people. Even still today I can't use a mouse with my right hand. Also I wanted to connect with my mom so I made sure to try and use my left hand as much as my right while growing up.

Today while I can't write very well with my left there are things that I can do just as well with it like throwing a ball, using a mouse, and a even catch better with my left than with my right.

I'm also a great masseuse because I have equal strength and dexterity in both hands.

wow, I can't believe there are so many ats members like this!

I have never even met a person in my real life that taught themselves to use both hands equally.

I guess ats just attracts a curtain kind of person.
Those willing to improve themselves in different ways.

a reply to: intrepid

I am also left-handed and can write with both hands.My
right-handed writing looks like it was written by a 2nd
grader though.I do ALL of my typing with my left index
finger.

a reply to: intrepid

I was born a rightie, but taught myself to be a leftie. Right side is my strong side, but left side is my finesse side.