Eye Dominance

OBH · 02-02-2003, 03:39 PM

I'm trying to teach my four year old to shoot a bow. He uses his right hand for most of the things that he does so he is shooting a right hand bow. Although he is still some what erratic, I have noticed a definite tendency to group the arrows to the left of the bullseye. After testing him, I found out he is left eye dominant. What should I do? Do I need to buy him a left hand bow? Should I have hime close his left eye? Are there any other solutions?

Thanks

CMitchell · 02-02-2003, 07:26 PM

I do everything right-handed, even rifle hunting. I figured out I was left-eye dominant when I started shooting clays. I took up archery hunting 3 years ago at age 30. Since I had never shot a bow I really didn't have any bad habits to break other than getting used to shooting lefty. It wasn't that hard and I know I'm a better shot left handed. I know 4-year olds can be difficult but I'd see about switching him. Try not to make a big deal about it. Try to sell it that he'll be a better shot and being able to do things with both hands is a good thing.

Rob/PA Bowyer · 02-02-2003, 09:07 PM

OBH, first, welcome to the forums. You won't get better advice anywhere on the web then the guys right here.

A good shooting coach will tell you to teach the boy to shoot to his dominant eye. He's young and you have the opportunity to teach him the right way to shoot rather than have him struggle with it later in life. You'll be doing him a favor having him shoot to his dominant eye because one should shoot with both eyes open tho many great shooters don't and some great shooters shoot opposite of eye dominant. BUT with the opportunity to teach/mold your boy into the best shooter he can be, I'd opt to teach him to his eye dominance.

The other option is to patch his left eye when he shoots.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

Rob

kyner · 02-03-2003, 11:58 AM

If you can I would suggest to get him to switch. I am left eye dominant and do everything right handed. I shot for about 10 years as a righty closing my left eye.
For the most part I did ok shooting like that. I ran into a few problems with the dominant eye trying to take over and screwing up some shots. As I got older and my eyesight changed I decided to switch and go lefty. It has been the best thing I've done. This has been my third year as a lefty and I am very happy. I now shoot with both eyes open and feel very comfortable. It takes practice to "get coordinated" but being a young kid it probably won't be too hard. In the long run your son will be happy.

OBH · 02-03-2003, 05:48 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quotequote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
. . . You won't get better advice anywhere on the web then the guys right here.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

Rob
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

First, thanks for all the great advice from those who responded. I guess I already knew that I should get him a left-handed bow but for some reason I was resisting it. Sometimes you just need to hear it from other people before it sinks in.

Second, as far as not being able to get better advice anywhere on the web. I couldn't agree with you more. I've visted the other forums and most of them are so childish and petty and all you get is "my bow is better than your bow." For my purposes, the only other forum worth visiting is Hoyt. Right know I'm trying to decide whether my next bow will be a CyberTec or a RazorTec.

Thanks
Rich

Ossage · 02-04-2003, 09:47 AM

I guess at that age you can get one of those little glass bows witht he rubber handle that one can shoot left or right off of. Are there many serious youth bows available for left handers? Anyway the advice is correct, and I am sure you can find somethign for him to shoot.

OBH · 02-04-2003, 05:19 PM

The only serious youth bow I found that looks suitable for someone so young is the Tom Thumb thats put out by Stacey Archery. www.staceyarchery.com/tom-thumb.html
Comes in right or left handed with drawlengths as little as 15" and draw weights as little as 10 lbs. It even has a machined aluminum riser. **** the thing is better than the 20 year old Hoyt bow that I'm currently shooting. Oh Yeah, the price is pretty steep (for a 4 year old) at $179. Whats interesting about it is that as the kid grows you can send the bow back and for $35 they'll change limbs and wheels. It will go all the way upto 25" and 40lbs