Hand-eye dominance pattern

Table Tennis Discussion

Last updated 9 years ago

Dieter Verhofstadt

Dieter Verhofstadt Asked 9 years ago

Hi Aloïs and Jeff

A more light weight question today and one that you could turn into some kind of poll one day: do you believe there is an advantage in having either same side or different side hand-eye dominance.

A sparring partner of mine projected that both of us were at a disadvantage because we're right handed but our left eye is the dominant one. However, I looked it up and scientific studies say there is no advantage for either pattern - they investigated tennis, baseball and cricket as far as I could retrieve.

Eye dominance can be figured out by looking at a far away object, then stretch both arms and make a circle with both hands around the object, then narrow the circle until the object is neatly surrounded. If you close one eye, the object will remain in the circle, if you close the other the object will be covered by one hand.

The procedure can be forced to obtain the opposite result but you'll feel it's kind of forced while for the dominant eye you can do it lazily. An estimated 10% of the people have no dominant eye, 2/3 have right dominance, 1/3 have left dominance.

What's your dominant eye? Is it same side as your hand? Do you believe or not that it would bring an advantage?

Cheers!


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario Answered 9 years ago

Hi Dieter,

An interesting question.  I found by doing that simple test that I am right eye dominant but play with my left hand.

Would be interesting to hear what other readers were.

I am not sure how it would bring an advantage.  I wonder if because I am forehand dominant this has anything to do with this idea as with the forehand i am turned slightly so that my right eye is in front.

I read this article which also backed up that there is no advantage either way. 

However it would be interesting to hear which hand and eye dominant our readers are and do a poll of our own.

 


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Thoughts on this question

John Vancott

John Vancott Posted 9 years ago

I just did the test. I'm left handed and left eye dominant. I have to admit, I do feel like I have more problem with balls hit hard to my left side when I have to turn slightly to my left so that my right eye is in front.  Whereas balls hit hard to my right side when I am turned slightly to my right so that my left eye is in front, I feel I see the ball better.


Alois Rosario

Alois Rosario from PingSkills Posted 9 years ago

Interesting…

It would be good for everyone else also tells us which side they prefer, as in their left or right side.


Jeff Plumb

Jeff Plumb from PingSkills Posted 9 years ago

I'm right handed and right eye dominant!


parkash rawat

parkash rawat Posted 9 years ago

i am right handed and left-eye dominant......i don't like balls going too far right off the table....


Jean Balthazar

Jean Balthazar Posted 9 years ago

That was the one an only thing I learned from my long career in the army (which lasted a whole ten... days). Just point at something rather small and far away with both eyes open, close one and check if your finger still points on the target.

So I'm left eye dominant and I'm right handed.

Other than for shooting with a rifle, where you use only one eye, I don't think this should have a big influence, since you point at things exactly the same way with your eye that's "right" (dominant) as you do with both eyes open. Now if by misfortune I would have to lose an eye, I'd probably be better of if it were the non-dominant one (or would that maybe self-adjust with time? could be an interesting field of study).


Ard Paardekooper

Ard Paardekooper Posted 9 years ago

I'm a right hand player and left eye dominance.

Happen to naturally prefer the Backhand.



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