# Neuroplasticity, Right brain training etc. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 25, 2017, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neuroplasticity-right-brain-training-etc/799810 "2017-10-25T13:41:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2017, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neuroplasticity-right-brain-training-etc/799810/1 "2017-10-25T13:41:34Z")
To what extent in your experience do trainings to improve Neuroplasticity, Right brain usage etc. work? Walking backwards, using wrong hand for writing, brushing teeth etc… Have you ever tried them and which ones? Are you able to do regularly or do you find them boring or useless? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2017, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neuroplasticity-right-brain-training-etc/799810/2 "2017-10-25T20:44:22Z")
I’ve tried walking backward uphill (and I’ve seen others do it too). It has nothing to do with reprogramming any neurons that I know of. It has everything to do with exercising muscles that you didn’t even know you had. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2017, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neuroplasticity-right-brain-training-etc/799810/3 "2017-10-26T00:14:59Z")
The “right brain” thing is pop psychology that is **greatly** oversimplified. And anyway most of these things are contralaterally projected, so if you are left handed and start using your right hand, then you’re “left brain training.” And no matter what hand you use, many of these use non-lateralized brain structures. I do lots of things the “wrong” way. Apparently people use their dominant hand for bodily functions, and I find that strange. I also use my non-dominant left hand to open bottles more often. Not uncommon I guess, but many people do it the other way. I am cross dominant so it affects shooting and archery so I am considering trying my left hand for some of these functions to see if it works better. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neuroplasticity-right-brain-training-etc/799810/4 "2017-10-26T01:20:14Z")
To go one step more with **thelurkinghorror** , those of us who are left-handed don’t call it neuroplasticity. We call it, “stuff we do all the time even though it seems backward to us because the world is mostly designed for right-handed people.” ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2017, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neuroplasticity-right-brain-training-etc/799810/5 "2017-10-26T01:33:33Z")
In art school we did an exercise where we drew simple shapes first with dominate hand and then with the other. It started out pretty awful, by the time the year was up we were much better. Some more than others. I was really impressed how my own improved, so I kept it up. Now many years later I can write as well with either hand and I can draw somewhat ok with my right hand. I am a lefty. I have been working with my right hand whenever I can, because I have some degree of arthritis in my left hand. So I believe in brain training, it is my experience that it can be done. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2017, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neuroplasticity-right-brain-training-etc/799810/6 "2017-10-26T01:41:19Z")
I re-wired my brain to stop fearing sound by listening to pink noise at a low level. I had to listen on earbuds the entire day for about 12 months. I did nothing active - this was simply my brain having its hard wires broken down and rebuilt a bit. Neuroplasticity is real, and tremendous. But it shouldn’t be seen as something conscious. The brain’s learned tendencies are a bear to break down. ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2017, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neuroplasticity-right-brain-training-etc/799810/7 "2017-10-27T03:40:24Z")
Thanks everyone for contributing. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > In art school we did an exercise where we drew simple shapes first with dominate hand and then with the other. It started out pretty awful, by the time the year was up we were much better. Some more than others. I was really impressed how my own improved, so I kept it up. Now many years later I can write as well with either hand and I can draw somewhat ok with my right hand. I am a lefty. I have been working with my right hand whenever I can, because I have some degree of arthritis in my left hand. So I believe in brain training, it is my experience that it can be done. > [@Stringbean](#): > > I re-wired my brain to stop fearing sound by listening to pink noise at a low level. I had to listen on earbuds the entire day for about 12 months. I did nothing active - this was simply my brain having its hard wires broken down and rebuilt a bit. > > Neuroplasticity is real, and tremendous. But it shouldn’t be seen as something conscious. The brain’s learned tendencies are a bear to break down. Nice. It looks like it takes a lot of time but after that one can see good results. I just want to give newer, interesting and novel things to work upon to my brain all the time. For example, the task in this video - [https://youtu.be/p6O7SL58kfM](https://youtu.be/p6O7SL58kfM)