Performing tasks with the non-dominant hand can be very helpful. Here are some basic tips you can follow to learn how to write with your left hand.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Practice Writing
Step 1. Understand the difficulties of writing with the left hand
To control the non-dominant hand, your brain will need to form new neural connections.
- This is not a quick or easy process, so you will need to be prepared to practice for many hours if you intend to become ambidextrous.
- Developing these fine motor skills will likely make you appreciate the life of young children in a whole new way.
Step 2. Start calmly
Begin writing the alphabet in both uppercase and lowercase letters, then move on to sentences. Write in lowercase when you have gained some confidence with capital letters.
- If your writing is very confusing at first, trace large text from a book or magazine. It can also be helpful to buy a primary school notebook, which has widely spaced lines, so you can draw large letters and check their proportions.
- Another useful thing to do is observe how left-handed people write or just ask them for some advice.
Step 3. Practice writing each letter
Write "But the fox with its leap has reached the quiet Fido" or "Few strive that vine stem" over and over again to improve the accuracy of your left hand. These sentences are perfect because they use every single letter of the alphabet.
- You should also practice writing the most common Italian words and your name, as this will teach your muscles the most popular letter combinations. You can find lists of the most common words in each language on Wikipedia.
- Be prepared to feel a little pain in the arm and hand muscles after practicing writing; after all, you are training them for the first time.
Step 4. Draw basic shapes
Drawing simple shapes will help strengthen your left hand and give you more control over the writing tool.
- Stylized men, square houses with rectangular fireplaces, round-headed cats with triangular ears… the goal is to increase your skill, not to become the new Rembrandt.
- To feel more comfortable with the use of your left hand, you can also try coloring them.
- Also try to draw straight lines from left to right using your left hand. It will teach you to push and not to pull.
Step 5. Learn mirror writing
For left-handers, it is easier to pull the pen to the left than to push it to the right. Therefore, writing backwards with your left hand is easier than writing forward.
- You can simply write backwards (from right to left) or you can practice mirror writing, where the letters are upside down.
- Writing backwards is also useful because you won't smudge the ink or risk tearing the page when you use a pen, however it won't be easy for others to read, so just do it in your diary (just like Leonardo da Vinci did!).
Step 6. Use the right kind of pens
Liquid ink pens and especially gel pens are worth trying, as they require less pressure and force when writing.
- This makes writing easier and decreases the likelihood of hand cramps at the end of the practice session.
- Make sure you use quick-drying ink, otherwise the text may get smudged as your left hand moves across the page.
Step 7. Be realistic
Don't expect to see results in just one day. It takes a long time to get clear and legible writing with your non-dominant hand.
Part 2 of 3: Retrain the Brain
Step 1. Resist the urge to let your right side be in charge
You may be surprised to find out how deeply ingrained this habit is, physically and mentally; stopping it will help your brain cope with more complex tasks in the future.
- If you automatically open doors with your right hand, start opening doors with your left.
- If you usually place your right foot on the first step of a ladder, use your left.
- Keep working until starting with your left side feels easy and natural.
Step 2. Do simple daily activities with your left hand
Good examples to get started include:
- Eating (especially using a spoon);
- Blow your nose;
- Wash the dishes;
- Brush your teeth
- Dial a phone number and write SMS on a mobile phone.
Step 3. Practice making more precise movements
Now that your left hand is comfortable with more rough movements like rubbing and brushing, start perfecting your hand-eye coordination.
- Tracing a shape is a great starting point: having a defined shape to practice on will push your eye, which is visually tracing the outline, and your left hand, which is physically tracing it, to work in sync.
- Trace the outline of your right hand on a piece of paper. Pushing the pencil against the three-dimensional edges will make it easier to guide the left hand.
- Switch to tracing 2D images. Think of this exercise as slightly raising the bar for a jumper.
Step 4. Tie your right hand
The hardest thing is remembering to use the non-dominant hand consistently throughout the day, so you need to resort to a trick to avoid using the dominant.
- The thumb is used in almost any situation where you use the dominant hand. Not being able to move it freely is a great way to notice every time you use it, so try tying it to your index finger with a piece of string.
- You can also try wearing a glove on your right hand, keeping it in your pocket or behind your back.
Part 3 of 3: Gaining More Strength in the Left Hand
Step 1. Practice throwing a ball
Throwing and catching a ball with your left hand is a fun way to strengthen it and improve hand-eye coordination at the same time. Squeezing the ball vigorously in the hand will also help strengthen the fingers.
Step 2. Practice sports in which the racket is used
Playing tennis, squash or badminton while holding the racket with your left hand is a great way to strengthen your hand, which will result in more control when writing.
Step 3. Lift weights
Take a small weight of 2 kg (or less) and lift it with your left hand. You can also try to exercise each finger of the left hand individually by lifting a very small weight with each one.
Step 4. Use your left hand for computer controls
You can reverse the mouse buttons if you wish, but you can still use the left-handed mouse with the default controls. Also, try pressing the space bar with your left hand - it's harder than you think!
Advice
- If you are practicing writing with your left hand, do it calmly and diligently. Don't fret if you don't get the results you want!
- Try to hold the pen or pencil as you do with your right.
- If you use your left hand a lot, try not to move it too much. Avoid shaking by trying to be calm and in control.
- Are you a left handed who is trying to use the right? Do as indicated in this article, but reverse the directions and apply those for the left to the right hand.
- You can also write a letter or draw a shape with your right hand and compare it to the one created with your left hand.
- Try writing slowly at first. If you write too fast you could hurt your hand.
- Also practice on a tablet with a stylus. It doesn't require a lot of energy and still allows you to use your left hand.
- Practice writing on a chalkboard.
Warnings
- In some cases, you may experience difficulties or health problems due to incorrect posture.
- Make sure you rest your arm and hand often. Excessive use of the non-dominant hand can lead to inflammation and joint problems. You have to pay attention.
- Left-handed people who write in Western languages have to push the pen across the paper from left to right. This could cause the paper to tear, but this can easily be avoided with correct posture and pen. This problem does not arise when writing with the left hand in Hebrew, Arabic and other languages that proceed from right to left.
