Learning to throw left handed

[splashpot]

How hard would it be to train myself to throw lefty with good form? I've dislocated my right shoulder several times and it seems pretty damaged. It hurts every time I try to even play some light catch. I've had surgery on it once but it didn't seem to help. So has anyone else forced themselves to become ambidextrous?

I'll edit to add that I've read the "handedness" of a person is an inborn trait resulting from one hemisphere of the brain dominating the other. Is that BS? If it's true, it might be hard to overcome.

[Green Kool Aid]

its the exact same as girls learning to throw with their dominant hand.

look into that.

[KDuff]

It's not easy. The challenge will be that you'll have to consciously think about your motor patterns. I suggest using bungee cords and ball throwing (into a wall) to hit the right positions and develop the necessary flexibility. Once you've mastered that, you should incorporate a few steps into your throw (like an outfielder or a 3 step drop w/ a football).

I'm not sure how well you'd be able to throw over a specific distance without building up some strength, but a sustained program should yield good results.

[Ditch Digger]

Billy Wagner did it, of course, he was 11 or so when he switched. I'm sure it can be done though I'm not sure it's worth the effort.

[evilempire]

just start doing everything with your left hand, i bet you could do pretty well after a week or two

[doubLe a tom]

[ QUOTE ]
its the exact same as girls learning to throw with their dominant hand.

look into that.

[/ QUOTE ]

No way, I can throw better than girls with my non-dominant arm and I dont even practice.

[Golden_Rhino]

I would recommend working on your small motor skills first. Use a colouring book. Don't colour the pictures, but instead try tracing the pictures with your left hand. Once you get really good at that you should have an easier, but still hard time throwing.

[Cornell Fiji]

I am not a doctor... never wanted to be a doctor... have not taken a bio class since highschool... I take no responsibility for any further injury caused by using my suggestions. I am just a guy with 2 torn rotator cuffs

The bungee cord suggestion is good.

If you have had reocurring shoulder problems then I am sure that you have some of those thera-bands lying around your house. You should exercise with them on your non dominant arm every other day (don't do this every day.)

There is a video on this website that outlines theraband exercises for pitchers which is pretty much exactly what you are looking for.

This program is fairly long, from my experience the pulldowns are the least helpful exercise here if you want to cut out time in your workout:

http://www.thecompletepitcher.com/pi...ng_program.swf

[lippy]

In my prime, I could throw ~ 85mph right handed... but since HS my right shoulder has kind of gone to jelly. If I throw much, I can't throw for a week or so (or the pain is just brutal)... so when it hurts I play softball left-handed. I've always been slightly ambidexterous, but it's tough.

Throwing LH is weird because it is though my brain knows what I should be doing, but all the muscles/tendons (or whatever) aren't developed well enough. I've "practiced" it enough to occasionally play first base adeptly in softball, so it can be done.

To me, it just seems really, really easy to slightly hurt my left hand... happens constantly.

[octop]

I have several thoughts on this. I am naturally left handed and one of the most un-ambidextrious people in the world. Almost everyone I know can do some things opposite handed but I can do nothing righty.
The brain has a lot to do with it, but if you start young enough it probably can b e done but I doubt to the point we're youll ever be good as you would be with your natural hand)
I have always been skeptical of the Billy Wagner tory and quite frankly I dont belive it.

With a lot of practice you cna probly become adequte enough to play softball lefty. It will help if you had some ambidextrious qualities to start with.

A good example of using the opposite hand that anyone whose ever played baseball would be using a glove. If I use a glove on my left hand I am awful.So obviously if i really work on doing something with my right hand it can be done(albeit Ive about 18 years worth of practice with a glove on my right hand)