Non-Dominant Side Training: An Undervalued Practice in Athlete Wellness
Switch It Up: Lessons in flow.
I recently played a "friendly" game of badminton and decided to use my non-dominant hand. Why? My knee was acting up from an injury and I was frustrated. Plus it was just a bad day… Switching to my left hand felt like hitting reset. My brain shifted focus entirely to the intricate movements on my left side — how my wrist controlled the swing, how difficult it was to step first the other leg.
It wasn’t pretty at first. But after some time, my left hand was outperforming my right (which wasn’t too hard considering the bar was fairly low) . Despite my loss on the scoreboard , I was surprised to actually find myself in flow.
I went from being frustrated about my knee and wanting to kick my friends ass to having fun within a new awareness and not caring that I lost… which never happens.
As a movement and performance coach, this got me thinking: how often do athletes have the opportunity to practice while detaching from results. How can we overcome mental blocks that can come from physical injury and still train? How can we play with this?
What started off as a quirky experiment this day sent me down a nerdy spiral on the benefits of non-dominant side training in sport.
Spoiler alert: this simple practice is a gold training nugget.
Quick Wins: Fun, Focus, Presence, Resilience
Non-dominant side training can immediately shift the dynamic of how we approach movement and problem solving in sport. By focusing on the less-coordinated side of our body, we create a unique opportunity for growth:
Lower Stakes, More Creativity: When you switch sides, there’s less pressure to perform perfectly. It’s about exploration, creativity and neuroplasticity. Learning to step a different, twist, catch and reach different ways can mean anything from more confidence to faster reaction times, and better problem solving.
Somatic Lessons in Balance : From a physical perspective, this training can be seen as balancing the other side. But from a somatic one, there’s an internal dance between competition and collaboration. Athletes like to set their bar high and compete with themselves Yet, this practice also requires a lot of collaboration within the body in order to get the best results.
Be in the Present and Get Focused : You can’t dwell on the past or future when your mind is occupied with this type of task. ANNND, It’s no secret. We have an attention span problem people!! The good news is, non-dominant side training can distract us from all that (pun intended). Starting practice with non-dominant training is a good hack to recenter the mind and transition from the day to a focused practice.
Now, don’t get me wrong—some athletes might get more frustrated than intrigued with non-dominant training- Triggered, if you will. But this initial reaction is so valuable. It provides insight into their capacity towards adaptability. Other athletes may instantly develop an “edge” to their game. To ease into non dominant training start by keeping the stakes low and playful. As they grow more comfortable, you can raise the challenge.
Play the Long Game
Beyond the immediate benefits, non-dominant side training addresses some of the bigger challenges in athlete development today. It’s a solution to injury prevention and develops overall movement versatility. Plus it’s a great way to engage the brain for life.
Early Sport Specialization and Drop Out Rates
Early sport specialization (ESS) will always get a big no from me. It often pushes young athletes into repetitive movement patterns year-round increasing the risk of overuse injuries, burnout, and even early dropout in sport. If athlete are going to have one sport be their main focus incorporating diverse movement practices withing that sport is a must!
Their are so many programs that try to coorace athletes into thlike non-dominant side training, encourages more balanced development and prevents these pitfalls. It helps builds adaptable, well-rounded athletes who can handle movement demands in and beyond competitive sport.
Preventing Overuse Injuries in Sport
Over-relying on the dominant side of the body creates larger muscular imbalances and strain. Training the non-dominant side redistributes the workload, enhances awareness and reduces the risk of overtraining. Humans in general will always have an asymmetrical bias, which is why the majority of people are right handed. However, noticing how one side feels and moves compared to the other will benefit athletes in the long run. Athletes can become aware of compensatory patterns which can inform the direction of their strength and conditioning, rehab, or biomechanics training.
Developing Athletic Versatility
Who doesn’t love a great save party trick moment in sport. One of my favorite as a volleyball player was casually being able to hit with my left hand in control when I needed to and make some amazing plays. In moments of high-pressure, creativity and quick adaptability are game-changers. Non-dominant side training strengthens these qualities, giving athletes a competitive edge.
The Meditative Effect
Non-dominant side practice isn’t just a sports skill. It’s an attention and brain training tool. It’s a practice helps us slow down moments we usually rush through or perform mindlessly. It can bring a sense of playfulness into daily life.
It’s as simple as feeding, brushing your teeth, write wash dishes, or paint with your other other hand. Chewing with the other side of jar, These simple shifts force you to slow down, engage your brain differently, focus on the moment and give new perspective. It’s a playful way to bring meditation into your day while sharpening your brain-body connection.
Take a look down life’s timeline to see how the habit of using our non-dominant side can help preserve our motor control and lower stress as we age. More training like this can help preserve our relationship to movement for longer leading to healthier lives.
Dare to Move Differently
Non-dominant side training offers more than just physical benefits. It’s a way to approach movement with curiosity, to build resilience, and to reconnect with the joy of sport.
If you’re as curious about these ideas as I am—or want to challenge the status quo in athlete development—let’s connect. My Movement Wellness Workshop explores how to integrate holistic movement practices into an athlete’s training for better performance, wellbeing and creativity.