Which foot forward vs dominant hand/eye......

[ScottScott]

There has been occasional conversation about which foot forward, and it is usually referenced to whether left or right handed. I am right handed but am LFF. As a kid I learned to ride a skateboard with LFF. I recently had a discussion with someone and pointed out that I am right handed but Left eye dominant, and LFF. So I started wondering if there is more consistency with which foot forward people use relative to the dominant eye, if hand and eye dominance are different. I think this could be helpful in determining which foot forward to start beginners, in addition to some other tests I have seen people talk about.

[LeonL]

I've often wondered what really causes dominant eye. I know what it means and how to determine which, but why? In my case the non-dominate eye has considerably worse vision. For a long time I thought that was the reason, but a lot of people have essentially equal vision and obviously still have a dominate eye.

[DefectiveDave]

I've never really been able to figure out my eye dominance, but I think it's the right eye.

 

I've been told you're supposed to point at something without thinking and then close your eyes one-by-one to figure out which one lines up with your target. However, when I do this I always see the two ghost images of my hand and it's kind of random which hand I line up with the target without thinking. So, when shooting since I'm right handed I always use the left-most ghost image of the sites because I know it lines up with my right eye.

 

Any other methods to determine eye dominance? Definitely right-handed and RFF though.

[MISkier]

Left eye dominant.

Left foot forward.

Right handed.

 

I was always a terrible marksman. Always used my right eye. Didn't figure out that I was left eye dominant until I was in my late 40s.

[ScottScott]

I guess how bad the vision in your non-dominant eye would also be a consideration in the relationship to which foot forward, but too many options to put into a poll. My non-dominant eye is also considerably worse vision. When I came to the association of my LFF and left eye dominant I wondered if that is what led me to skateboarding, so that my better eye had more forward vision. As we ski facing more forward than skateboard or wakeboard and surfing, that would be less of a factor in skiing, but the foot forward would likely carry over from any of those sports if done previous to learning to ski.

 

[ScottScott]

@MISkier As I had a very difficult time closing by left eye, and right eye vision was very weak, as a kid I started attempting to aim a rifle by tilting my head over so left eye aligned with sights. Finally I got smart and just learned to shoot left handed. Like I say tho, as weak as the vision was and the difficulty of closing my left eye was there was no doubt as to which eye was dominant.

[UWSkier]

Right eye dominant. Right handed. LFF. Always thought this was normal but seems the same-all-three is winning right now. You guys sure about your eye dominance? Short link attached to help you check.

 

http://goo.gl/0t9FcN

[oldjeep]

Left eye dominant, right handed, left foot forward. Used to shoot right handed until I took a gun safety class with one of the kids and realized I was left eye dominant. Shoot everything but a shotgun left handed now - left handed with a 12 gauge doesn't feel safe to me.

 

I did actually try out RFF last year, got up no problem but thought I was going to die every time I tried to turn.

 

I always thought that you just had your strong leg (dominant hand side) on the back of the ski.

[Fast351]

Right handed. Right eye dominant. Left foot forward. I've been told my foot is wrong, but it works for me. Tried to switch some years ago, and after much hilarity trying to deep water start, I tried it for a few weeks. Finally gave up after I never got comfortable.

[ScottScott]

I think the old dog/new trick thing certainly applies. After you've been doing it long enough, however you are doing it is what is natural and you are definitely going to take a couple steps back if you try to change. As far as which foot forward goes, I'm not sure that after someone has been doing it long enough there is going to be any real gain in changing. I think you may have a tendency to favor, or put more weight on, the dominant foot, but once you learn to get more weight forward I don't think there will benefit in changing. I am guessing that for a beginner......MAYBE there will be easier progression early on if starting with a foot forward that will be more natural for them.....question is, what best determines this?

[klindy]

Right eye dominant

Left Handed - strongly left dominant

Left Foot Forward

 

What's interesting is that since I'm 'very' left handed it's far more comfortable to hold the hand like if you're batting left handed (left palm up). Which is the opposite from what's taught. It's further reinforced by jumping which is best with the same "left hand" grip.

[dchristman]

Every poll needs one :) "none of the above". I don't believe I have a dominant eye (Ambi-ocular?). Just pointing out that dominance, whether it's handedness, footedness, or binocular vision is shades of grey.

 

It's hard for me to understand why a "test" is needed for front-footedness at all... it seems to me that if you really want to slalom, your going to have an opinion yourself and quickly figure out what's going to work best for you, or you're probably not yet ready to even think about one ski.

 

The survey makes me think though - what about blind slalom skiers? Anybody out there with vision only in one eye? Maybe that would add some interesting new data points.

[PatM]

I always believed Right foot forward meant you were skiing Lefty and Left foot forward meant you were skiing righty. Although I am a lefty in fine motor skills I am a righty in most sport activities.

[Porkfight]

In every other board sport, right handed and right foot forward is considered "goofy." That never made sense to me.

[Than_Bogan]

INTERESTING! After 30 votes, your hypothesis appears to have merit. If we look at handedness vs. foot forward, it is actually perfectly uncorrelated: 50% match and 50% do not.

 

But if we look at eye dominance vs. foot forward, almost 2/3 match. That's not a strong correlation, but it's some correlation!

[ScottScott]

Yep, its not overwhelming but it does lean that way. Not only in the 2/3 ratio but that the 2 currently leading categories are the 2 with foot and eye matching. I am surprised tho that the same hand and eye but opposite foot forward isn't' the least. Maybe as someone earlier suggested that as a beginner it is felt that strongest foot goes back?

[klindy]

When I was taught to ski on one ski (I didn't say slalom!) behind the family boat on a public lake, FAR away from anything organized or coaching...I was pulled on a pair of combo's and told to "pick up one foot and try to ski left to right"..."now the other foot"...."Which one felt better?"

 

Ok you are now left foot forward. :smile:

[DW]

Pretty scattered distribution, interesting data. Follow up would be which foot to kick a ball compared to ski foot forward. @ScottScott : Good idea for poll.

[wtrskior]

LFF is considered "regular" footed, most right handed people will fall into this category for board sports. Goofy is RFF, so I don't really agree with how you've described the options and not sure how dominant eye ties in.

 

In slalom there are lots of right handers skiing RFF. I'd love to know how many left handers are skiing LFF. I'd guess not many

[ScottScott]

@wtrskior I suspect that the designation of regular vs goofy is related to the majority of people being right handed and then are "supposed" to be LFF, and then left handed people being taught according to right handed rules. Although I question that as I seem to remember thinking there were more people around me skateboarding with RFF, and i was in the minority. MY poll is to see if there is more of a correlation between foot forward and dominant hand or dominant eye.......so options are described correctly according to what I was looking for. Maybe you would like to start a poll inquiring about left handed people vs right handed people.

[PatM]

@wtrskior I'm Left handed and ski LFF.

[MISkier]

Oddly enough, I am LFF on a water ski, but I am RFF on a snowboard (and skateboard). I also shoot billiards left handed, even though I am right handed otherwise. I suspect the billiards is where my left eye dominance subconsciously asserted itself.

[gsm_peter]

Hmmm

All messed up....

 

Right handed but my left arm is stronger.

I threw a Frisbee equally (bad) with both hands.

 

Left FFW but my right leg is stronger. I kick a ball with my right foot.

Left eye dominant. Learned that from shooting Bow and Arrow.

The instructor checked my eyes.

 

A guy at the club slalom with RFF but trick LFF.

He sometimes forget which and slalom LFF.

Not to bad type15 or 22 off at 34 and some times do a flip on the trick ski.

Ok he is young.....

 

 

[RazorRoss3]

Right, Right, and Right. My left side just can't win in this poll

[LeonL]

@DefectiveDave here's the way to determine dominate eye. Make with circle with thumb and fore finger. Hold your hand out at arms length and look through it at an object. Close one eye turn the other. If the object disappears from the circle that's the dominate eye.

@dchristman try the above. Everyone has a dominate eye. At least everyone I've ever heard of.

[dchristman]

@LeonL While I was just trying to be the first to post the traditional (if irritating) "you didn't include my category in the poll" comment, apparently not everyone does have a dominant eye ... A study on handedness and ocular dominance.

 

This is one of those topics that leads me to read further and wonder what the heck is wrong with me!??

[RazorRoss3]

at only 57 responses it's not very statistical but 85% of us have the same foot forward as dominant eye compared to 74% with the same foot forward as dominant eye. I'm guessing what it actually comes down to is... whichever foot you happened to put in front when you learned.

[Bill22]

Right, right, right.

What really sucks is to be left eye dominant & right handed and try to do target shooting with a pistol. My sister has that issue.

[Shell]

Right eye

Right handed

Right foot forward

BUT....here's the interesting part....i do everything left handed...lol....left handed stick in hockey, bat left handed in softball, kick left footed and golf left handed(i dont really like to golf) so go figured...lol

[Orlando76]

Right eye and hand dominant, RFF, very good right handed marksman, but I fish left handed and twist the bread tie CCW.

[Waternut]

I would never throw this into a pole but I have neutral eye dominance now despite being right eye dominant as a kid...don't really know what causes it but I've heard of other people having eye dominance shifts. Everything else is very right dominant for me.

[DaveD]

Shouldn't this poll be saved until the middle of Winter when there's nothing else to discuss? :)

[ToddL]

Related Reading Link 1

Related Reading Link 2

 

Wiki: Over 90% of right-handers are also right-footers; right-footedness hence predominates in the general population.[1] Only about half of the left-handers, however, are left-footed.[2]

 

Citation 1: Peter M, Durding BM (1979). "Footedness of left- and right-handers". Am J Psychol. 92 (1): 133–42. doi:10.2307/1421487. PMID 484752.

Citation2: Jump up ^ Krasnegor, Norman A.; Rumbaugh, Duane M.; Schiefelbusch, Richard L. (2014). Biological and Behavioral Determinants of Language Development. Psychology Press. p. 182. ISBN 978-1-317-78389-3.

[ScottScott]

@DaveD We can re-post in a couple months....it will have been forgotten by then.....or some follow up questions.

[Jmoski]

Lefty here skiing LFF, which like others was a function of being taught at camp to lift one ski while on two to see which felt better. The next step at camp was to drop...

 

I suspect if I had gone straight to learning a deep water start I would be skiing RFF.

[Bookm_dano]

Always thought I was Right eye dominant but the test that @UWSkier posted indicates Left. I always skateboarded and surfed LFF as a kid, so I did the same when I learned to Slalom. Not sure why, but I can shoot fairly straight right handed.