How many fake left-handers are there?

[olive-nguyen]

okay, time to share a bit of fake lefty culture in Taiwan

It is quite common that since small, a right handed player would be trained to play left handed. The reason is quite vast, but one of the more common reasons is that lefty is different angle, so there is "some" advantages.
Cut the long story short, about half, if not more, of the lefties in the national team over the years are all fake left handers. This applies for both mens and womens.

It may not just be the writing hand, because for chinese character, as it is common to force one to right it with the right hand. But one could spot other behavior you eating (using chopstick) and playing other sports, or using the hand like in the XX video of opening the ball, gluing rubbers etc with the right hand. You guy and ask if you are a fake lefty, and most of the time they will say yes.

Now, when did this all start? well over 20 years ago, maybe 25-30 years ago in Taiwan.

True about the chopsticks and writing. Grandmother forced me to be right handed to "fit in". Left hand still stronger, and I use it more often to carry loads.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

True about the chopsticks and writing. Grandmother forced me to be right handed to "fit in". Left hand still stronger, and I use it more often to carry loads.

we mostly have writing only.
not so much eating.

in the olden days, where 3 generations stay under 1 roof (crowded), then there is a saying a righthander chopstick will end up fighting with a lefthanders chopstick (because one faces right, and the other on your right will face left).
But other than that, fake left handed players use right hand chopstick, writing etc.

I think I know one pro player who told me she can eat and write with both hands, but she is a pure righthander but trained to play left since young.

 

[Jslick89]

Even though i'm a left hander that plays table tennis with my right hand, i still can goof around with my left hand. USATT i'm rated close to 1750 now, but with my left hand i'm at least 500 points worse. I took a guy rated 1350 to 5 games with my left hand. And i easily beat 1100 rated players, but thats only because I can block and push pretty good with my left handed backhand. and i can get an occasional loop in with my left handed forehand.

 

[Amaken23]

Lefty - are they real lefties, or actual righhanders who play with they left hand?
or maybe they are just able to use both hands?


In Taiwan, over half the left handers in the national team, I know are actually right handers

so, 1) Guess who in Taiwan?
and 2) who else in the world are fake left-handers

Fun fact, TT legend Andrzej Grubba was the opposite. Natural left-hander who played with his right hand. I think it was because in those times, people were supersticious (religious stuff, I think, thinking left hand is 'wrong hand', etc.) and were forcing left handed people to 'switch' to their right hand during early childhood. I was the victim of this too xD My grandmother wanted to switch my writing hand from left to right but it didn't work. But I use mouse with right hand, for example.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Fun fact, TT legend Andrzej Grubba was the opposite. Natural left-hander who played with his right hand. I think it was because in those times, people were supersticious (religious stuff, I think, thinking left hand is 'wrong hand', etc.) and were forcing left handed people to 'switch' to their right hand during early childhood. I was the victim of this too xD My grandmother wanted to switch my writing hand from left to right but it didn't work. But I use mouse with right hand, for example.

wow, I didn't know that.
learnt something today

 

[Amaken23]

Not to mention in boxing it is far more common for orthodox fighters to fight in southpaw stance to get the advantage of stronger jab, for one.

 

[olive-nguyen]

Fun fact, TT legend Andrzej Grubba was the opposite. Natural left-hander who played with his right hand. I think it was because in those times, people were supersticious (religious stuff, I think, thinking left hand is 'wrong hand', etc.) and were forcing left handed people to 'switch' to their right hand during early childhood. I was the victim of this too xD My grandmother wanted to switch my writing hand from left to right but it didn't work. But I use mouse with right hand, for example.

Wow. Exact same. Grandmother said it was not auspicious. Left hand it naturally stronger than right, even till now.


Cheatsheet for Timo Boll hand switch

 

[olive-nguyen]

Rexpected too many times haha 😄