If you’re left-handed, you may have had people try to ‘correct’ your ways, but being a southpaw (left-handed in boxing terms) can have many benefits that comes from being different. Because your brain works differently, it also affects how you think and perform. Here are top 5 ways of being left-handed is beneficial:
Boxing
Southpaws are famous in the boxing arena – not only do they fight different, they also think different in the ring. This results in a high win percentage for both boxers and MMA fighters. Research showed that lefties had a higher win percentage because their opponents are likely to be disoriented by their fighting stance.
Memory
Lefties may also be better at remembering events, according to research, because the two brain hemispheres of left-handers are more strongly connected. Apparently people with leftie relatives also benefit from this situation.
Maths
Even when it comes to mathematical abilities, there is a difference if you’re left-handed. A study conducted by 3 European universities found that lefties were much better at performing difficult problem-solving questions (although there’s no difference for simple arithmetic).
Interactive Sports
Sports – like basketball or table tennis – require fast reaction times, and lefties have the biggest advantage, according to a 2017 study. The faster reaction time required, the better the advantage a leftie has in sports that require quick reactions and thinking.
Thinking
We seem to think with our left or right side of the brains. In a study by Stanford University where participants were shown columns of abstract illustrations, left-handers found images on the left to be positive and the right to be negative; the reverse is true for right-handers. That association could apply in many situations – from choosing cereals to cinema seats.
