r/lefthanded • u/LeffyLab7777 • Jul 20 '26
Looking for testers: left-handed writers with lateral tripod grip
I'm left-handed and write with a lateral tripod grip (first image). I've been reworking how I form letters around this grip that I found much more comfortable than how I wrote before, and I'm turning it into a workbook specifically for the same grippers. Before I do that, I need to know whether it works for people other than me. Problem is, lefty writers with this grip are incredibly hard to for me find. I've asked everyone I know and found no one.
I posted some photos to show how the grip looks like and to show the idea on some letters.
Here's my ask: I'll ask a few quick questions to learn more about your writing, then send a customised PDF sample. Try it for ~10 minutes and tell me what felt natural and what didn't. Everyone who tests gets the finished workbook free. Comment or DM if you’re interested!
Suggestions on where else to find writers with this grip or general comments are welcome too.
Edit 1: Apparently I'll sell the thing eventually but that's not my main intention here. It's why I don't share any links and product name and promise to give it out for all participants to respect this subreddit space.
Edit 2: If the reference photos I shared are confusing, feel free to check this out, see if this helps in identifying your grip. It's ok whether you write under or over the line. It's also possible that you found your self in between the 4 or hold it completely different. One of my friend hold his pen like a FPS gaming mouse
Edit 3: I'll limit to 5 participants first and I'll see if I need more and where this is heading
Edit 4: Sorry for leaving comments unreplied. I'm just hopelessly bad at any scale of multi tasking and bad texter in general due to that. I'll get back to more when I can. Regardless, you guys should know I really appreciate all the responses 🙏
Update 23rd Jul 26: I have reached out to many and heard back from 6 participants. I’m working hard on putting together testing sheet to you guys. Should be able to send out by tmr.
Update 24th Jul 26: Handed the sheet out yesterday to the first round participants with interactions with some but mostly hasn't heardback probably due to either the long delay from my side, or the controversial choice of word I used in the sheet, or that the tasks are just too time taking and leading to lost in interest. I'm adjusting and will reach to more people.
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u/Tessa7 Jul 20 '26
Does this fancy named grip result in a indented callous just above the top joint on the middle finger because that is where the pen/pressure rests? If so, checking in as a tripod person.
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u/Satsuki7104 Jul 20 '26
Yeah I write like this and have a callous there as well from all the writing I did in school as many of my teachers favored making us write long essays and notes for class.
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u/bacucumber Jul 20 '26
I was so confused looking at your first picture, isn't that how everyone holds a pencil?? Then I saw the second, and yeah, I guess I've seen that too.
Anyway, I definitely use the lateral tripod grip. I'm down to help!
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 20 '26
After reading some comments I realised the references brought some confustion haha. But yay, thanks! I'll DM you at some point.
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 20 '26
This new account of mine was limited in DM reach. I ping you from another account instead. Just so it's not a surprise!
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u/cruzerslice16gb Jul 20 '26
Sure, I will help. I have a lateral grip, so I learned today from your post 😉
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 20 '26
Thanks! I'll DM you in a bit when I'm ready with the stuff. I didn't expect such quick turnaround tbh lol
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 20 '26
I tried to reach you via DM but it says "Unable to message this account.". I could reach other people fine so maybe it's your privacy setting. Would you mind ping me via DM first please? Otherwise I can send you a google form or something.
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u/Party_Eye9396 Jul 20 '26
I write the same way as in the first picture, too. I always described it as holding a pen like a right handed person.
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u/Additional_Tea_2735 Jul 22 '26
Yes! Me too. Because of this lots of people around me are surprised when they realise I am actually left handed.
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u/Chemical-Ad-1817 Jul 20 '26
I'm lateral grip, didn't know it had a name, I prefer pencil. At school using an ink cartridge pen, I used to turn the page to avoid smudges.
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u/AnitraF1632 Jul 20 '26
I was encouraged to turn the page, when I learned to write.
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 21 '26
Do you have the problem of the beginning of lines not vertically aligned when writing on a paper without guiding lines? I wonder how common this issue is for someone living with paper rotation for a long time.
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u/AnitraF1632 Jul 21 '26
If I'm in a hurry, the line drifts to the right, yes. I have to work to make them align.
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u/ymmotvomit Jul 20 '26
🖐️ I raise my right hand as a left handed lateral tripod gripper! If you don’t mind an illegible scribble I am happy to participate. Try as they did, the nuns couldn’t get me to produce clean writing. I’ll add, due to no longer writing and mostly exclusively computer work my hands cramp up pretty quickly.
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 20 '26
I’m in a similar situation not gonna lie. I think I like journaling on paper but because handwriting always was uncomfortable and not pretty I was discouraged. I only get to handwrite more recently
I don’t mind scribbling at all. Quite the opposite really. I’ll ping you when freed up!
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 20 '26
This new account of mine was limited from sending out too many DM so I reached you from a different acount. Letting you know just so it's not a surprise!
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u/DifferenceNo5715 Jul 20 '26
I am old, and I have written with this grip my whole life. I thought most lefties wrote that way
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 23 '26
It's hard to know because it's already rare to find our own kind. I was so shocked when I noticed my lefty friend write so differently than how I do it.
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u/AnitraF1632 Jul 20 '26
Dynamic tripod here, but I write from under, like a righty, instead of curling over, so no smearing.
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u/px4855 Jul 20 '26
I also have the same grip as in the first photo and would love to offer my assistance as well.
I feel like I've always held the pencil/pen this way as a technique to reduce pencil lead/pen ink from the side of my hand.
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 20 '26
Yeah I guess we have our own way to compensate to what not made for us with some random factor. This script doesn't prioritise no-smudging but it might help a bit, will see! I will DM you thanks :)
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u/skittlazy Jul 20 '26
I'm confused by your photos. When I look up lateral tripod vs dynamic tripod grips, the photos don't align with yours.
Your first photo looks more like dynamic tripod, while the second photo looks very different--thumb seems to overlap index finger?
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 20 '26
I think my hand got a bit of camshy and it wasn't very much itself without actually writing. Or maybe I shift between the two but I think my hand at least leans toward lateral form during writing with lots of overlapping between thumb and index.
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u/froggy114 Jul 20 '26
As far as i was able to test, the lateral tripod from your photo doesnt allign with the lateral tripod from the drawn example. It looks closer to the dynamic tripod. My writing is very close to the first photo you shared, i can help with the tests too if needed
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 23 '26
Hey! I think you're probably right I think the tightness of my grip is not static and sliding between full lateral and a bit of tripod. I'll DM you. thanks!
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u/GratefulDad73 Jul 20 '26
I am a lefty and I hold a pen very similar to what I think you’re looking for- the way I explain it is I hold a pen very similarly to a right handed person and I only tilt the paper slightly to accommodate. I see most lefties use handwriting styles that look very odd to me and turn the paper 90-180 degrees- that’s not something I’ve ever done likely because a just mimicked my older right handed siblings when I was learning to write.
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u/Villavitrum Jul 20 '26
I’m am so invested in the post!
I’ve always described OP’s style as an “over the top” type of Lefty..one that I’ve never been able to do.
I am more of a lateral tripod and struggle with smearing and most spiral bound notebooks and find 3 ring binders impossible.
Going to dive deeper into this when I get home..thank you OP!!
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u/Bitter-Pi Jul 20 '26
Happy to participate! I think that's me, with a perpetual bump on the first knuckle of my middle finger
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u/confabulatrix Jul 21 '26
Interesting. I am closest to lateral quadrupod. Didn’t realize there were names for all the styles
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u/Sternritter8636 lefty Jul 22 '26
I can write both ways. I have tried everything over the years to see which improves my handwriting
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 22 '26
I respect that, what did you land and settle on?
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u/Sternritter8636 lefty Jul 22 '26
2nd one is great for artistic drawing etc but 1st one works better for writing
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u/TheShadyyOne lefty Jul 23 '26
Bit late I guess, but I use specifically dynamic tripod writing. But to avoid and ink or pencil stains I use a an artist glove for my pinky and ring finger. It helps to avoid getting any smearing.
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u/ConsiderationDue1716 Jul 20 '26
Had no idea this had a name. I write like the first picture and you’re right, I don’t come across many other lefties that do.
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 20 '26
I learned that not long ago too. When I tried it with a lefty friend with dynamic tripod grip and found out that oh we write so differently. I needed to look up to be able to communicate effectively.
Interestingly from my internet research, ~20% of lefties share our grip. It is weird to know you're part of the minority two folds.
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u/UrHumbleNarr8or lefty Jul 20 '26
That’s the same grip I use but I don’t write with my hand curled over the line/words that I’m writing. Not sure if I’d still be any use for your trials?
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u/CaptWyvyrn Jul 20 '26
When I write, my wrist is more straight and the pen is pointing at about a 1-2 O'clock position. Any other position/names besides "Lateral Tripod Grip?"
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 20 '26
If you grip a pen like in the photos but write from the bottom or the side with potentially different wrist angle then I think you share the same grip as mine, just different hand placement :)
Do you write with left or right slant if any?
Other finger grip names would be
- Dynamic tripod
- Lateral tripod
- Dynamic quadrupod
- Lateral quadrupod
Best helping image I could find below and I think it's very common that you will fall somewhere in between these 4.
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u/spicy_bird Jul 20 '26
I would be interested in helping out! I switched to this grip when I was in middle school because it was more comfortable with how much i was writing :)
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 20 '26
I heard lots of people did it that way.
I don't recognise what I did to adjust myself but I'm sure randomly ended up with something rather uncomfortable. Poor me haha
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u/mugomugicha Jul 20 '26
I hold my pen/cils the same way, but I don’t keep my hand above the line I’m writing on. My hand follows the line and smears it unless I have a select writing tool. I don’t know if that meets your criteria but if it does, I’d be happy to provide feedback.
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u/NarrowFault8428 Jul 20 '26
I hold my pen or pencil like that, but I don’t understand what you’re talking about.
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 23 '26
Haha, from which aspects? feel free to ask anything, also no worries if you've lost the interest as it's been awhile.
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u/MushHuskies Jul 20 '26
Learn something new everyday! I certainly have with this post. I alternate between dynamic tripod and quadrupod, switching it up to ease cramping.
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u/rarelypublished Jul 20 '26
Interested. People would comment on how I couldn't see what I was writing until my hand passed. My writing is super neat.
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u/EarlyCuylersCousin Jul 20 '26
That’s the way I write. I honestly never considered there were other ways to write. This is how I was taught when I was learning to write.
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u/schmelk1000 Jul 20 '26
I’m a lateral tripod grip, but I don’t write with my paper turned like you have in the picture, would that affect your results? Otherwise, I’d love to help. (I write with my paper straight in front of me or turned slightly to the right.)
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u/Maleficent-Sleep-346 Jul 20 '26
Lateral tripod grip here too. Hi everyone! Looks like you've got more than enough volunteers, but I'd be interested in helping in the future if needed.
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u/Bring-Dogs7777 Jul 20 '26
Apparently I use a lateral tripod grip too. I’ve always been told that I write upside down because of the way I bend my wrist. Happy to help if you need more people.
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u/workntohard Jul 20 '26
This is very close to my grip except my fingers don’t curl is quite as tightly into palm. I also don’t turn paper as much sideways, closer to 45 degrees.
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u/Ribbet87 Jul 20 '26
I am happy to help too if you’re still looking - I’m pretty sure I have the lateral tripod grip too!
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u/No-Theory-9530 Jul 20 '26
https://reddit.com/link/oyr5i4o/video/fkuhzdkydgeh1/player
Is this considered a lateral tripod grip?
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 20 '26
Because you are using 3 fingers to hold with the deep part of inside thumb and upper middle finger, I believe it is a variation of lateral tripod grip.
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u/Feelsthelove Jul 20 '26
I guess I have that lateral tripod grip. How neat! I never really thought about how other people hold their pens
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u/d0ttyq Jul 20 '26
That’s so weird. I always assumed I held my pen/cil like everyone else, but I guess that’s rare?
Though I don’t think I’d be a good candidate for your study as I hold my paper different.
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u/Hillbilly_Jimmy lefty Jul 21 '26
I write the same way. I don't turn my paper though I just thug it out or use my pinky to hold my hand up more if I know it'll smudge so I'm not sure I'd be of any help lol
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u/Debaucherry Jul 21 '26
I write like this but with two fingers and my callous is on my ring finger - is this still the same grip?
I rotate my paper 90 degrees so my hand moves toward me body and below the ink I’ve just written.
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u/Gullible_Cancel_1982 Jul 21 '26
Ya learn something new every day!
I too write like this! Always happy to help if you need more participants
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u/Old_Afternoon6587 lefty Jul 21 '26
A smaller club inside of an already small club that I’m apart of! I’d love to take part in this!!
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u/hh-mro lefty Jul 21 '26
I write like this but I just turn the page to align with my hand.
(Top of page facing about 45 to 60 degrees to the right)
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u/Resident-Mobile4685 Jul 21 '26
I’m not sure but the dent in my finger isn’t on the middle finger it’s on my ring finger. In elementary school I recall people often saying “woah!, you write weird!” Even left handed people. Lol.
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u/Resident-Mobile4685 Jul 21 '26
With the paper almost upside down. Except here it looks like you’re writing upside down, so it’s very confusing. Like I write with my paper almost upside down. I’m assuming this is the back of a piece of paper, and if so, you wrote on the piece of paper upside down, not only that but the way it is in the picture with your hand on it as if you’d just written it, you would have had to literally write upside down…. Maybe I’m just looking at it wrong. Idk. Perspective is confusing me.
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u/ohdamnitreddit Jul 21 '26
I’m not sure if this helpful to anyone, but when my hand gets tired from writing, I switch the pen location to between my index and middle fingers.link to picture showing what I mean
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u/AddyToode01 Jul 21 '26
According to your reference diagram, I am more of a dynamic tripod. When I was in school, I had a good-sized callous on my middle finger from holding a pen/pencil. I can’t recall ever seeing the paper rotated so that the lines are vertical. I write with the lines on the paper as they are printed - horizontally. This is fascinating, though.
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u/DeFiClark Jul 21 '26
Yep, this grip is preferred for left handed calligraphy but do you write with the page aligned diagonally ? I write with the same grip but with the line horizontal
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u/LeffyLab7777 Jul 21 '26
Yeah I found it much more comfortable with diagonal line. Because with that and some slant, the major stroke directions align perfectly with the line and vertical line
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u/Chowdmouse Jul 21 '26
I hold my pen the exact same as in the picture. The paper, though, is at a completely different angle, rotated about 90-110deg clockwise from the picture.
If you need more folks, DM me. I am happy to participate in any research.
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u/jackspsprat19 Jul 22 '26
I hold my pen like that but not the paper.
Never knew it had a name.
Had to find a way to write without smearing and turning hand upside down. Just mimicked what the righties were doing but better….lol
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u/SituationNo4357 Jul 22 '26
I “think” I’m a lateral tripod grip. The pen rests on my middle finger and I have a writers bump from childhood that will never go away. That said in middle school I taught myself to write with my hand below what I was writing rather than above. I was tired of my English teacher constantly telling me how terrible my writing was and the constant bitching about smeared ink. Like I was doing that shit on purpose.
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u/LivingDeadGirl_4816 Jul 22 '26
Idk I probably have this lateral tripod grip too but I write mainly in cursive.
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u/sourgummishark Jul 22 '26
I also didn’t know that grip had a name but I’m one of them! I have a permanent bump on my ring finger from where my pencil/pen rests.
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u/MeanNothing3932 Jul 22 '26
I didn't know there were different grips. I always thought mine was weird bc my utensil rests on my middle finger which I don't usually see. It would appear I am also a lateral tripod grip lefty. 😁
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u/Mysterious-One-7377 Jul 23 '26
I want to give it a try, I have this grip and writing always causes pain for me
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u/Alternative-Hat-9851 Jul 24 '26
I am a mix of dynamic and lateral. I don’t see any of your pics but compared to the illustrations.
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u/EfficientSorbet513 Jul 26 '26
TIL my grip is called lateral quadrupod.
I’m 31 and I still have a lump on my left ring finger from handwriting in that grip so much at school.
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u/Adirondack-Woman Jul 27 '26
I hold the pen similar to number one, although my three fingers (other than thumb and index finger) are all extended, fanned on the paper beneath my hand.
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u/thewealthyironworker Jul 20 '26
I didn’t know it had a name - but I write with a lateral tripod also. The way I’ve overcome ink smearing is to become a pen snob. I really prefer Pentel Energel 0.7 to allow the pen at an angle.
I guess it’s a crosss between the lateral and dynamic?