I'm right handed and I use my left hand to open bottles. I know most people use their dominant hand (which makes more sense). I have no idea why I do this. I first noticed in elementary school when I was trying to open a frozen gatorade bottle with my left hand and a friend asked me why I didn't use my right hand.
So which is your dominant hand and which do you use to open bottles?
EDIT: To clarify, I meant which hand do you use to twist the bottle cap open
Poll: Which hand do you use to open bottles?
Right handed, use left hand (453)
43%
Right handed, use right hand (413)
39%
Left handed, use right hand (101)
10%
Left handed, use left hand (89)
8%
1056 total votes
Your vote: Which hand do you use to open bottles?
(Vote): Right handed, use right hand (Vote): Right handed, use left hand (Vote): Left handed, use left hand (Vote): Left handed, use right hand
To task of holding the object that needs to be opened, which is subject to a variety of factors such as not allowed to fall, pales in comparison to the action of merely twisting a bottle cap a bit. Ergo, since it's only specified for bottles the majority is going to be using their dominant hand to hold the object.
Well, i mean its just normal to "use" the left hand to open a bottle, because most of the physical work is done by the right hand at this moment. The right hand has to hold the bottle + has to do the exact conter-momentum opposed to the momentum of the left hand - so totally normal
Technically I allways use both hands to open a bottle. Besides that, the hand that actually screws off the cap all depends on the situation. If the bottle is to my left i take the bottle with my left hand and open it with my right and visa versa. If the bottle is in the middle, both feels comfortable for me. So you should add ambidextrous.
Right handed, so I feel my right hand/arm strength is greater, therefore makes sense to open it with right hand? Besides, imagine if you were in front of people and failed to open a bottle because you weren't using your strongest hand..
On July 18 2011 00:15 Knalldi wrote: Well, i mean its just normal to "use" the left hand to open a bottle, because most of the physical work is done by the right hand at this moment. The right hand has to hold the bottle + has to do the exact conter-momentum opposed to the momentum of the left hand - so totally normal
On July 18 2011 00:12 legatus legionis wrote: To task of holding the object that needs to be opened, which is subject to a variety of factors such as not allowed to fall, pales in comparison to the action of merely twisting a bottle cap a bit. Ergo, since it's only specified for bottles the majority is going to be using their dominant hand to hold the object.
On July 18 2011 00:16 CoR wrote: i think because with left hand you open it AWAY from your body so its just easier to do then TO the body and smash it vs your body if you fail
Wow that is really interesting, only with your left hand twisting you open it towards your body. But I think the pull action, or opening it towards the body, is also stronger. Towards the body uses the biceps, away the triceps. Generally the bicep curl action is by far more developed than the triceps. From carrying things for example. So you can execute more "power" if you open it with your left hand. Of course this starts to fail as the power required increases.
Edit: To expand, holding an object then also uses the biceps, of which your dominant hand/arm will be the stronger more developed side. If you have to carry heavy things like a travel bag or a set of dishes that break when they fall, you will most likely be using your dominant hand/arm for that since it has the most power and endurance, or the most control. If that is true then you will use your right arm for that and your left arm/hand will automatically get the utensil role, picking things up, placing them down again, opening the door. So naturally opening a bottle falls into that as well. Just another way to look at it Excellent topic btw, would've never thought about this and it's pretty fun.
There should be a "I never noticed, so I can't remember, but if I try now, I won't know what comes naturally because I am thinking about this and it will affect my decision. The only way I will know for certain is if by some chance this thread randomly pops in to my head when I'm in the middle of opening a bottle." option
Not that there's that much disparity but you never want the twisting action to be more powerful than the anchoring action. Although I do random things with my weaker side better (throw a frisbee, kicking).
EPT
