Teaching by having students use the non-dominant hand

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I never used to teach students to cast using their non-dom hand. That is, until I broke my right hand a few years ago. You probably recall my revelations -- the things I learned when forced to cast with my left hand. I was definitely inspired by the whole situation, and started pushing some of my more advanced students to give it an honest try. As you mentioned a couple days ago, it makes the caster focus and concentrate on every detail of form and technique and timing and power. You have no built-in muscle memory with the non-dom hand, so it can only listen to what your conscious mind is telling it to do. I?ve probably advocated it with 12 to 15 of my more geeky casting friends/students, and the main complaint is lack of grip strength (which I agree with completely). As a self-discovery tool for accomplished casters, I think it can be highly effective and adds a spark of fun to casting sessions. It?s also humbling?

One other instance is when teaching old-time bass fishermen who are used to quick flipping hardware off a baitcasting rod. Unlearning 50 years of that type of muscle memory is often insurmountable. I?ve been successful more than once having the student switch hands and actually start getting the nature of the stops and the length of the stroke with his non-dom hand and the overall rhythm/cadence. Once the desired technique is identified by the caster, he can FEEL what he?s being asked to do ? and we can switch back to the other hand for a while. Whenever a relapse occurs, we go back to the non-dom for a bit of reinforcement. This does work, although I?d say I?ve used it on less than 1% of students.

Regards,
Troy Miller
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Troy ... Of course, its the "humbling" aspect that makes this technique a controversial one. I guess it is how one goes about it.

Some of us need to be humbled a bit from time to time ..... using the other hand helped do that for me just as did my start to learn Spey casting after 70 plus years of single hand fly fishing. Put me in the position of being a student again even as I practiced.

.... Now that makes me wonder if it might be a technique to try when confronted with the student who is cockey .... a "know-it-all".

Gordy

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From Gary Eaton :

Gordy,

I enjoyed two individual students who asserted from the outset that they wanted to be ambidextrous fly casters. One woman anticipating saltwater opportunities more than a year out and a gentleman focused on teaching others. I simply showed them the technique with their dominant hand and let them go. About session three, they noticed non-dominant hand function lagging behind.

Here are my methods for addressing this-

1) Two rods mimic each other in different hands. - Often with only one of them lined-up.

2) Begin and end each practice session using the non-dominant hand.

3) Use the non-dominant hand for twice as many successful casts as the dominant hand during training.

4) Use a heavier line weight outfit in the non-dominant hand while being cautious not to overuse. Stop as soon as variability of casts encroaches. Over-lining AND underlining the non-dominant side outfit both offer different kinesthetic and, maybe visual, feedback to the student.

5) Condition the non-dominant hand first and last in conditioning sessions and consider over-conditioning the non-dominant side as compensation. (See The LOOP Spring 2009 and Summer 2009 for my explanations of fine points of conditioning versus training)

6) Pantomime with non-dominant side, relentlessly - in the car, on the elevator, walking, talking on the phone, etc.

7) Work in front of a mirror:

a) at extremely slow speeds of one minute per half cast and only gradually increasing pace

b) with both hands simultaneously moving a simulated rod (a writing device works fine)

c) alternating dominant and non-dominant hands

8) VIDEOTAPE - great tool! See my comments regarding use of video at http://forums.southerncouncilfff.org/showthread.php?t=289

this is the Southern Council website forums - Video is very time intensive to analyze but, properly done,it will clarify even very subtle movement issues.

Gary Eaton, MCCI

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Gary ...

Interesting suggestions for actually teaching a caster (or ourselves) to cast using each hand. A bit of overkill, I suppose, for simply teaching a student the STOP.

When casting with the "opposite hand" was first discussed as a potential new requirement for the MCCI exam, I immediately felt I had to get competent at doing it. From the outset I used variations of your #'s 1.), 2.), 6.) & 7.)

I didn't use video, though I can see value in doing so.

Now, when fishing, not a day or tide goes by without my making a few casts with the opposite hand even when fishing with heavy salt water outfits and weighted flies. (Caught a nice jack yesterday that way.)

When actually fishing or going for distance, I work on the haul using my dominant hand for the line hand. THAT proved to be one of the most difficult things to master. I'm sure the reason for this is that when doing that the caster is training both hands at the same time to do new moves.

I found something else of interest: My most comfortable default casting style is slightly different when fishing with my rod in the non-dominant hand.

Perhaps we should do a bit of wordsmithing as we call those who cast with the "other" hand, "NON-DOMS" !

Gordy

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From Gary Davison:

Gordy,

Dominate vs non dominate arm. Dan Davala provided his take on how to incorporate a stop into the cast by casting over the opposite shoulder (stroke reduction) or by switching to the non dominate arm. Main reason given was to just rest the dominate arm after casting for a prolong periods of time. This some times is an eye opener for some casters when they do this switch. Meaning its a surprise when they end up making a good or better cast then with the dominate arm.

As stated earlier the conditioning of the non dominate arm is not there, so the power applied is reduced automatically. This reduction in power usually paves the way to better loop formation, based on the smoother application of power, with better rod tip position SLP throughout the cast.

A Student or Instructor that becomes more efficient in the formation of good tight loops (technique), can usually begin reducing the amount of power needed to make a good cast.

My brother Lee Davison MCCI gave me a nice lesson regarding the importance of good technique combined with just enough power to make the cast desired.

Good casting means applying good technique (Loop Formation), so the power in the cast can be reduced to deliver the fly to the target as intended for the desired presentation. This reduction in power due to Good Loop formation, can and will hopefully give your student the luxury of casting all day long with out fatigue.

Gordy, I recall an article that Bruce Richards provided addressing this same subject in regards to Technique as it relates to the Application of Power.

Power must be applied in the proper amount at the proper place in the stroke.

This statement addresses not only the adding of power to the cast, but it also addressing the reduction of power to the cast.

All the best

Gary Davison

Gulf Coast Spey

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Gary...

Now you have called attention to two other potential reasons for sometimes switching to the use of the non dominant hand.

1.) To continue practice while resting the primary arm.

2.) To help teach the value of casting with reduced application of power.

I remember the learning the value of the latter while casting with Ed Jaworowsky years ago as he taught this concept:

"NOW TRY TO MAKE THE SAME DISTANCE USING HALF THE POWER". It is amazing how the loops improved.

(Of course he wasn't teaching maximum distance casting.)

Gordy

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From Kirk Eberhard :

Hi Gordy,

I teach single hand students the pickup and lay down cast using their dominant hand.

After reasonable proficiency I have them repeat the cast with the non-dominate hand. There is much whining before giving it a go, however

90% of beginners cast better with the opposite hand. They are quite pleased when I comment "now you can cast with both hands". I don't pursue the opposite hand casting any further, only for the pick up and lay down.

Beginning two hand (spey) casters benefit from alternating sides, the dominant side teaches the non-dominant and vice versa.

I have a "trick", starting two hand students on river right with the left hand on the top grip.

We start with flipping the tip overhead cast, roll cast, switch, single spey with a small change of direction with the left hand on the top grip. Most do not realize they are casting with the opposite hand and I don't mention it. Gives them a boost toward becoming ambidextrous.

Kirk Eberhard

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Kirk...

I new somebody would eventually come up with the use of the non-dominant hand on top while Spey casting !

Especially interesting since poor Spey casts are often so because of "top-handedness" when making the delivery cast when the D-loop is on the dominant hand side.

As I began to learn these casts none of my teachers even considered letting me use my dominent hand on top when placing my D-loop on my non-dominant hand side either because of wind or bank position. I found that I was less inclined to have this fault of "top-handedness" when I switched to casting with my non dominant hand on top. *

No "CACKHANDEDNESS". **

* TWO-HANDED FLY CASTING, Spey Casting Techniques by Al Buhr, "Off-shoulder Casting: p. 24.

** SPEY CASTING by Simon Gawesworth, Chapter 17, "Lefty Hand or Right Hand", pp. 225-226.

Gordy

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