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School Of Hard Knock

Posted 7/31/2009 17:12 (#795236)
Subject: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

just a tish NE of central ND

(opinon question) An age old question around here is .............If you shovel grain with your right hand near the base of a grain shovel and your left in the D Handle, does that make you a right handed shoveler or a left handed shoveler? Dad always put his left to the bottom and I put my right to the bottom. But he always said I was left handed and I say that Im right handed . Which is it?My strength is always in my right arm, therefore it goes to the base where most of the strength is applied to the loaded shovel.

Edited by School Of Hard Knock 7/31/2009 17:52

Indianajones

Posted 7/31/2009 17:41 (#795257 - in reply to #795236)
Subject: RE: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

If your right hand is at the bottom of the shovel, it makes you a right handed shoveler. You also throw it over your right shoulder.
Just my .02$
INDY

IL_no_till

Posted 7/31/2009 17:47 (#795271 - in reply to #795257)
Subject: RE: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

Central IL

Guess that's why I've never found much enjoyment in it. I've been doing it wrong all these years. I'm right handed, but shovel with my left hand low.

Really doubt changing my form at this point in time would make it more enjoyable.

Skyhawker

Posted 7/31/2009 17:52 (#795275 - in reply to #795236)
Subject: Re: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

EC IL

That is an interesting question. Imagine yourself standing in a batter's box, facing the plate and shovelling toward the pitcher. If your right hand is near the base of the shovel, you are standing in the left-hand batter's box and you would be shovelling left handed.

MNRyeGrower

Posted 7/31/2009 18:04 (#795282 - in reply to #795236)
Subject: Re: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

Central MN

Having worked with a few people over the years I have a philosophy on this topic. I think there are basically 4 differnt body/mind types when it comes to writting/shooting/kicking/shoveling etc.

1. 100% Right handed
2. Mostly Right handed
3. 100% Left handed
4. Mostly Left Handed

The individuals in the "Mostly" categories may do basic things right or left handed (main test being writting) but other things with the other side. Being right or left handed is more than just your hand, it can involved your whole body such as when you shovel, kick, bat, shoot, fish and even operate machinery.

So individuals in the "mostly" caetegory are a bit more flexible in this regard. I also wonder if sometimes a bit more clumsy AT TIMES and AT CERTAIN THINGS. My brother for instance is right handed but can shoot either right or left although he is a better shot left handed. If certain tasks are easier with the opposite side yet you do them with your supposidly dominant side, you might be a little clumsier at that particular task. Some tasks or activities that involved tools or machinery designed for your clumsy side can make using them difficult and hard for you to master.

I have no scientific basis, research or studies to cite on my above opnion. Just what I have observed over the years.

I consider myself 100% right handed and will use my LEFT hand at the bottom of the shovel. I have often thought that was strange too since I know my right arm is stronger. So even though my right arm is stronger, it is being used in the weaker postion since it seems to be more important to utilize my right arms ability for control over strength.

milofarmer1

Posted 7/31/2009 18:14 (#795289 - in reply to #795236)
Subject: Re: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

Texas/New Mexico Stateline

Hmm, I am right handed but have my left hand at the bottom. When I get tired, it is not hard for me to switch though, just to use some different muscles for a change. I am not ambidextrous but I can do a lot with my left hand.

Ham

Posted 7/31/2009 18:33 (#795296 - in reply to #795236)
Subject: different things

Blvd d'Espair Bowhill, Sth Aust

I am definitely a right hander generally. i would naturally shovel mostly left hand at the bottom, but can switch to spread the load. mostly id prefer to just plain stop shovelling.

But i shoot left handed exclusively. i always wonderd why that was, and eventually I think i decided its an eye dominace thing in my formative years.
Try something for me?
Go through the actions of pretending you are shooting with a a bow and arrow. If you're right arm is on the bow, then your left eye is sighting. I think that makes you a left handed archer , even though your right hand is doing most of the action.
Similarly, hold a pretend film camera up and peep through the viewfinder.... for me it just goes to my left eye. Of course with digital cameras and display screens, all that has gone the way of the dinosaurs..

What other less than obvious examples are there?

afx_guy

Posted 8/1/2009 11:45 (#795950 - in reply to #795296)
Subject: co-dominant

outside looking for more corn cobs

In 4-H shooting sports (shotgun) the instructors would try to determine which eye was dominant in the shooters. Since in shooting shotgun you're supposed to keep both eyes open, you need to know which one is dominant to be able to aim correctly.
well, I am co-dominant. Basically that means that if I shoot with both eyes open and focus on the target, I see 2 barrels. The instructors couldn't figure out why I was shooting so poorly with both eyes and much better with one eye closed. I was young, so I thought everyone saw 2 barrels. They finally realized what was happening when I got fed up and shouted "which barrel do you want me to use?" we went back inside and they tried to confirm which eye was dominant, but never got the same result, so determined co-dominance.

It may be that, or the fact that my dad is a lefty and I'm a righty, but when it comes to a lot of things, I can do it either handed depending on which way is easier at the time.
Shoveling, I just switch as needed, makes no difference.
I made Christmas wreaths with my granddad for a few years, and I always found it easier to go one way, but all the other relatives (except my dad) went the other way around the ring. I'd never seen my dad make wreaths before, either, so that was not an influence.
writing I use my right hand, though.

steadyman

Posted 7/31/2009 18:35 (#795297 - in reply to #795236)
Subject: Re: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

Treynor IA

I'm right handed and I prefer to have my right hand at the top of the handle where I can control the shovel better. When I was a young man we shelled corn with six neighbors and it seemed they all wanted to shovel with their right hand so I learned to use it either way. I don't miss the corn shelling but I sure do miss the lunches and dinners.

40DODGE

Posted 7/31/2009 18:36 (#795299 - in reply to #795236)
Subject: RE: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

Right-handed, but I guess I prefer to have my left hand at the bottom of the shovel. Can do either way when one arm wears out, in baseball or soft ball I can go either way, so I guess I'm a switch shatter...That don't sound good??!!!

winkill

Posted 7/31/2009 18:39 (#795301 - in reply to #795236)
Subject: Re: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

Petersburg, Illinois

I am right handed and I have the left hand lower. I think my left arm and hand are my strongest but the right hand needs to be positioned for dexterity. If I scoop a few bu. of corn over the side of my Timpte hopper, it better be right handed.

Don Kraft

Posted 7/31/2009 19:28 (#795339 - in reply to #795301)
Subject: Re: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

I'll bet if you had 10 right handers and you asked them to shovel at least 8 of the 10 would shovel with the left hand in the lower position. No way to prove that but I'm guessing that would be accurate. Many of us could scoop equally well with both hands, but we had tons of experience then. It seemed like we scooped everything into the hogs and cattle and then scooped it up behind them. Silage we used to scoop down the chute. Scoop it into baskets and then carry out and dump it in the bunks. All those wagon loads we blew into the silo we would scoop it twice fork full by forkfull

Red/Green

Posted 7/31/2009 20:07 (#795373 - in reply to #795339)
Subject: Re: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

Elizabethtown,KY

Right hand on the bottom part of the shovel here, I am right handed.

ne_mn

Posted 7/31/2009 20:57 (#795408 - in reply to #795236)
Subject: RE: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

Kettle River, MN

Right handed and shovel left handed and use a hockey stick left handed. My brother is right handed but shoots left handed.

Mark (EC,IN)

Posted 7/31/2009 21:34 (#795442 - in reply to #795236)
Subject: RE: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

Schlegel Farms, Hagerstown Indiana

I'm right handed, and shovel with the left hand down. Granted that makes the left pick up the load, but it takes more strength to throw the "load" somewhere with the right.

..................................................Mark

Unit 2

Posted 7/31/2009 22:02 (#795473 - in reply to #795236)
Subject: RE: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

Well here is my theory on why so many of us right handed farmers use a shovel left handed. Most of us have spent hours and hours driving tractors and combines with our left hand on the steering wheel and our right hand on the controls. And if you started as long ago as I did the only power that steering wheel had was the power you put to it with your left hand. So while your right hand was having it relative easy working the controls your left hand was building muscle on the steering wheel. So when you pick up a shovel your right hand tells the left hand I think I can do this job just a little better than you can. To back up my theory I’ve hired a lot of young kids over the years to work the harvest with me. Without exception, any time we had to do some scooping, I noticed that these young kids were holding the scoop with their right hand down at the bottom, just opposite of the way I was holding it.

Ron..NE ILL..10/48

Posted 7/31/2009 23:07 (#795584 - in reply to #795236)
Subject: RE: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

Chebanse, IL.....

I've scooped plenty. I'm definitely RH @ everything in life. However, I scoop most naturally w/my LH low. But, I'm a switch-hitter, if need-be. If I had to throw a scoop of corn from the ground up over the top of a semi trailer, I'd have the best shot w/my LH low. If I tried it w/my RH low, I'd probably get 5% of the corn in the truck & 95% back all over the place.

But, if you grew up shelling corn out of cribs, you'd better be able to "swing both ways". If you were scooping into the drags from the east crib 1/2 w/your LH (as described above), when you got on the other side, you'll need to be using your RH....or you'll be turned completely backwards scooping towards the empty end of the crib which pretty much made you worthless. Same w/whetmore drags. You had to work both sides of the tunnel. You always wanted to scoop with a motion towards the drags, not away from them, no matter what kind of drags.

Edited by Ron..NE ILL..10/48 7/31/2009 23:10

boog

Posted 8/2/2009 01:28 (#796611 - in reply to #795584)
Subject: Re: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

I am "right handed" in that I write , eat, throw a ball, and basically anything that I do I use my right hand When it comes to scooping I put my left hand at the base of the handle& throw over my left shoulder. When I get tired doing it that way I switch hands & throw over the right shoulder but will use the left hand down probably 75% of the time.

Ron, I've spent my share of time working on a sheller crew back in HS and for a few years afterwards. That's when I pretty much learned to shovel with either hand. Us "older guys" would always laugh when we got a rookie & they went about shoveling like they were "killing rats". Wouldn't be long before they were leaning on the shovel taking breaks while we continued to shovel at a steady pace.

A good scooper would throw a scoop of grain and it would all land at the same time. I never quite mastered that technique.

paul the original

Posted 8/1/2009 01:28 (#795688 - in reply to #795236)
Subject: RE: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

southern MN

I'm a lefty, & mostly put my right hand at the base of the shovel.

As with most lefties, I can deal with it pretty well either way - we have to adapt. Like sweeping, if the broom is well used by others, I need to sweep 'righthanded' just because the broom is already shaped that way. Won't work as a lefty model any more.

Just ran into one of the few things I really struggle with: a popcorn scoop in the local bowling alley/ volleyball bar.

Walk up to that popcorn machine with a bowl in my right hand _every_ time, pick up that scoop with my left, scoop up a load of popcorn - and can't do anything with it. The scoop is flaired, so the popcorn will dump out the narrow end into your bowl. And dang it if it only works one way - with the scoop in your right hand.

I can deal with sissors a lot easier than this silly popcorn scoop. Betcha righties never even give that a thought....

--->Paul

paul the original

Posted 8/1/2009 01:34 (#795691 - in reply to #795688)
Subject: RE: as to why......

southern MN

My theory on why lefties use the right hand by the base of the shovel, and righties use the left hand for the base is pretty simple:

The base of the shovel is just the pivot point. Either hand will work there. Really doesn't take any extra strength or effort, straightforward pivot is all it does.

Your dominate hand wants to do the control, the finesse, the fine work. The hand out on the end of the shovel, in the D-loop, is doing all the control. Angle of attack, pitch & yaw, all of that is controlled by the hand in the D-loop. Your controlling hand automatically goes to that position of control.

--->Paul

Ron..NE ILL..10/48

Posted 8/1/2009 07:34 (#795754 - in reply to #795691)
Subject: RE: as to why......

Chebanse, IL.....

Paul

I agree w/you 100% on LH being the pivot hand for those that are right handed. Your LH isn't really doing that much work, if you do it right. Your shoulder & back do more. As you say, the RH is doing all the guiding, twisting, pushing etc.

I sometimes watch the younger kids get in a bin & scoop. You can see all the wasted motions they go thru just to get a scoop of corn. They'll pick it up & throw it instead of sliding it along in the scoop. It looks good for a little bit, but soon they're getting tired.

takecarekid

Posted 8/1/2009 13:52 (#796024 - in reply to #795236)
Subject: Re: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

It really has to do with your brain. Right brain controls left hand, left brain controls right hand...it depends on how much of your brain you use. Right on top, right handed... left on top, left handed.

1tjfrmr2

Posted 8/1/2009 22:07 (#796453 - in reply to #796024)
Subject: Re: Right handed or left handed shoveler? Just for fun

R F, Il.

i guess i have allways shoveled with bothe

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