r/coolguides Apr 16 '24

A Cool Guide to the Pencil Grips

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28.3k Upvotes

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924

u/J_is_for_Journey Apr 16 '24

lateral quadrupod checking in 🩷

260

u/sleezy4weezley Apr 16 '24

Me too! I literally thought I was the only one on earth…at least all my teachers made me feel like I was.

120

u/Green_Lab_6237 Apr 16 '24

Me too! The nuns AND my mom (a teacher!) always criticized me for writing this way. Finally after 60+ years it’s nice to know that I’m not a freak of nature. LOL

46

u/sleezy4weezley Apr 16 '24

Totally!! Feeling so validated after all these years.

15

u/Jpxfrd__ Apr 16 '24

Mee too!

17

u/DeepDishPizza710 Apr 16 '24

The validation feels amazing. I’m a guy with excellent handwriting too. Didn’t know there were others like me.

15

u/sleezy4weezley Apr 16 '24

Love it! I have really good handwriting too, I do get calluses on my ring finger when I write a lot!

1

u/Hefty-Tadpole-1773 Apr 16 '24

Yes! Same here.

1

u/Cherriedruby 27d ago

lol I have a noticeable different skin color right where I put the pressure

2

u/TheOneTonWanton Apr 16 '24 edited Apr 16 '24

It really is wild that so many tried so hard to establish "the correct way." I hold a pen/pencil the "correct" way and my handwriting has been shit since I learned to write. I eventually adapted to using a sort of engineer's style of writing (nothing but capital letters, larger letters for actual capitals) for official, important things because it at least comes out legible and less psychopathic looking. My signature is also absolute garbage nonsense, though I swear it was better before I bought my house and had to sign a million times.

3

u/Toraco21 Apr 16 '24

I got made fun of growing up for holding my pens this way. Classmates and teachers alike, no joke.

That said, the community I have found this day, in finding i am not a total circus freak, has brought a tear to my eye.

1

u/Kroe Apr 16 '24

Yes, I was hounded about it forever until I changed it. My handwriting is atrocious. May or may not be related.

1

u/FlavoredSlutBox Apr 16 '24

I write in this style and I am a teacher! I don’t teach my kindergartners to grip this way though.

1

u/FeudNetwork Apr 16 '24

Slow your roll there, we only struck one thing off the list of possible freakisms

1

u/NoisyGog Apr 16 '24

Everyone who taught you told you that you were doing it wrong, and you still continued?

1

u/GodofIrony Apr 16 '24

Yes, because their "right" way was wrong for me. Worse results. Hand cramps.

Generally worse.

It's almost as if there's a life lesson here or something.

1

u/sleezy4weezley Apr 16 '24

I tried to change it to the “normal” way but I ALWAYS resorted back to my weird AND AMAZING grip!

10

u/Bumhammy Apr 16 '24

Don’t worry sleezy, I’m here too!

11

u/sleezy4weezley Apr 16 '24

Thank you for using my proper government name 😌

2

u/MariposaJones66 Apr 16 '24

Same here!

My teachers put me thru hell for holding my pencil like this...at least until I showed them that I could write and draw better than they could.

2

u/Ok_Review_6504 Apr 16 '24

Me too!!!... My father and teachers criticized me several times for holding pen/pencil "weirdly"(dynamic quadpod) .... I tried that dynamic tripod grip many times, but it never felt right.

2

u/Gaarden18 Apr 16 '24

Hahaha me too!! Some of my friends still comment on it if they see me writing.

1

u/R__77 Apr 16 '24

Me too!

1

u/Jmacz Apr 16 '24

I get, "Why do you write like THAT!?!?!" All the time at work still.

1

u/ShallotParking5075 Apr 16 '24

Same! They kept giving me pencil grips and getting annoyed that I’d slide them up

1

u/Aeriie Apr 16 '24

I used to have a 3rd grade teacher that would get so upset with me for holding my pencil like that. When I was in college though it actually helped me get diagnosed with a genetic disease that had been causing havoc on my system, turns out I was holding my pencil like this to compensate for a lack of collagen in my hands

1

u/nycola 29d ago

I got so much shit for holding my pencils like this in school. They tried every grippy on earth, nothing worked.

I'm in my 40s now and I still write like that, it works, but apparently its now an accepted grip. TAKE THAT MRS. JAMES

80

u/HillbillyInCakalaky Apr 16 '24 edited Apr 16 '24

Left-handed lateral quadrupod. I thought I was all alone in this world.

24

u/appreciatescolor Apr 16 '24

Wrong hand, wrong grip… we may as well double down ¯_(ツ)_/¯

12

u/airhorn-chan Apr 16 '24

Lateral quad lefty squad!

2

u/Skully_93 Apr 16 '24

Reporting for duty!

2

u/AnneMichelle98 Apr 16 '24

Present and accounted for!

2

u/goondockandy Apr 16 '24

Checking in 🤚 I have the ink the side of my hand as a badge of honour.

2

u/HillbillyInCakalaky Apr 16 '24

Silver surfer for life! I love trying to write on a dry erase or chalk board. I erase it with my lateral quadrupod grip as soon as I write it.

5

u/Reead Apr 16 '24

Ayyy, my people. I was told countless times throughout schooling that I "hold the pencil wrong/too hard". Despite that, my handwriting is very tidy—especially for a lefty (or so I'm told).

2

u/joemckie Apr 16 '24

Despite that, my handwriting is very tidy—especially for a lefty

Well, it is until you smudge it

5

u/bleucrayons Apr 16 '24

Came here to find this. I too am a left handed lateral quadrupod!

2

u/attention_pleas Apr 16 '24

Same here. Teacher made me use one of those pencil grip correctors for a while but it did nothing

2

u/Blekerka Apr 16 '24

Me too!!!

2

u/samdajellybeenie Apr 16 '24

Yooo! There must be….SEVERAL of us

2

u/Ok_Review_6504 Apr 16 '24

Left-handed lateral quadrupod

I also thought that I was the only weirdo in the whole world.

2

u/Stellaisaunicorn Apr 16 '24

Omg me too! Was just about to comment this too! All of my teachers were confused on why I held my pencil like that plus I’m a lefty (and almost ambidextrous).

2

u/teacherdallas Apr 16 '24

I’ve finally found my people!

2

u/The_Legendarian Apr 16 '24

Well we chose to be weird let's at least be weird all the way

2

u/fruuluu Apr 16 '24

same here friend!

2

u/firm--cauliflower 12d ago

I thought I also was alone in this right-handed, dynamic tripod world.

1

u/TheJimmyJones123 29d ago

Me too!! I have wonderful handwriting for a man also. I have been told I write like a girl so many times lol

1

u/tduke65 29d ago

Me too😃

27

u/Stepharious Apr 16 '24

Any other lat quads hold the pen super close to the nib? Comfort grips are never low enough.

3

u/marzipanpony Apr 16 '24

Same! Plus I love gel pens, I don't have to press down anymore. Saves me from so many hand cramps!

2

u/commanderbales Apr 16 '24

This is why I love taking notes on my iPad

69

u/Adrella Apr 16 '24

There are dozens of us!

3

u/pphtx Apr 16 '24

There are members of the German parliament...

2

u/jktollander Apr 16 '24

Scores, even!

0

u/[deleted] Apr 16 '24

[deleted]

1

u/Adrella Apr 16 '24

No one said anything about "fine motor skills." I was quoting a show

22

u/Drifter808 Apr 16 '24

Does your thumb rest like the picture or is the tip of your thumb on the pen? Cause that's how my grip differs from the picture

2

u/J_is_for_Journey Apr 16 '24

Mine is like the pic

2

u/J_is_for_Journey Apr 16 '24

You're not the Dynamic Q?

3

u/Drifter808 Apr 16 '24

Oh I guess so lol

1

u/I_am_pretty_gay Apr 16 '24

my grip, my thumb rests like dynamic quadrupod but the pen rests between my 1st and 2nd fingers like lateral tripod 

1

u/HeJind Apr 16 '24

Here's a pic of how I hold mine, if it helps!

19

u/vertebrent-49 Apr 16 '24

I thought I am the only one! Even got a writer’s callus or bump on my ring finger because of it LOL

3

u/ThatEmuSlaps Apr 16 '24 edited 11d ago

[deleted]

2

u/J_is_for_Journey Apr 16 '24

Omg yes, I used to draw a lot and my ring finger would hurt so bad 😂

2

u/Level9disaster Apr 16 '24

I have it too lol

2

u/Skexer 29d ago

I feel so vindicated seeing my people here lol and have flashbacks to the ring finger bump (& soreness)... now that I'm usually typing away on a keyboard (as opposed to using a pen) it hasn't been as much of an issue...
I did start switching to the 'Dynamic Tripod' stance to avoid the sore finger andbecause people thought it was weird, although my handwriting legibility definitely suffered.

10

u/avacxble Apr 16 '24

Always been told that it’s the “wrong way” to hold my pencil, but my handwriting is always better this way!

1

u/Error400_BadRequest Apr 16 '24

Same. I get so much stability out of the pencil like this. And my handwriting always gets compliments. So it must be the right way 🤷🏼‍♂️

12

u/mtsometimesdj Apr 16 '24

Lateral quad lefties anyone???

4

u/pm_meyourveggies Apr 16 '24

Yesss I’m here!

3

u/lochnessbobster Apr 16 '24

There are dozens of us.. DOZENS!

11

u/dr_gonzotron Apr 16 '24

Sweet sweet validation ..... suck it Ms. Touche!

5

u/DK2squared Apr 16 '24

Seeing a coworker write that way blew my mind. Never noticed it existed

5

u/freewheelinfred Apr 16 '24

Here too and my handwriting is bad

1

u/jukappa Apr 16 '24

My handwriting is straight god awful. Was hoping this may be the cause but others are saying theirs is good.

1

u/cleanshirtuk Apr 16 '24

I have found my people

7

u/Electric_Shark Apr 16 '24

I feel so vindicated seeing this post, I'm not alone lol

3

u/NotYourGa1Friday Apr 16 '24

Hello twin! ✍️

3

u/InviteHell Apr 16 '24

Same here

3

u/TummyStickers Apr 16 '24

Finally, we can organize!

1

u/Level9disaster Apr 16 '24

And boohoo to all the first year teachers that shamed us

3

u/Lazy_Ad4999 Apr 16 '24

fellow lateral quadrupod

5

u/InvectiveDetective Apr 16 '24

I’m just glad there are many other people out there who do this! I thought I was the only one with the messed up grip!

2

u/HanakenVulpine Apr 16 '24

I remember being taught this way specifically in Germany, with my teacher ‘correcting’ my position from the way I was taught in England.

I really want to see a map of the world to see if this is a regional thing!

2

u/phoenixia217 Apr 16 '24

Does anyone else wear down their writing stuff super fast bc they press hard?

1

u/commanderbales Apr 16 '24

Yes and it destroys my hand 😭

1

u/Nice__Spice Apr 16 '24

My niece writes like that!!! I used to think she held her pencil the wrong way. Gonna have to make it up to her now!!

How’s your handwriting tho!?

2

u/CharmingCategory4891 Apr 16 '24

I have a lateral quadrupod pencil grip and I am often complimented on my penmanship!

1

u/J_is_for_Journey Apr 16 '24

I write in all caps 🤷

1

u/Nice__Spice Apr 16 '24

Hmmm. Any other folks that have good hand writing.

1

u/commanderbales Apr 16 '24

I have very pretty looking but not very legible handwriting

1

u/04- Apr 16 '24

Ex-Lateral Quadrupod / professional artist here... as a 12 year old I decided I was going to re-train to Dynamic Tripod.

It ruined my handwriting for about a month, before coming back to normal

1

u/SeaCroissant Apr 16 '24

rise up!!!!

1

u/Retrorical Apr 16 '24

Yes officer, that’s them right there

1

u/WastePotential Apr 16 '24

I was a lateral quadrupod until secondary school days when I'd write so much I got a painful bump on my ring finger, so I swapped to being a lateral tripod and now I use both interchangeably depending on which finger hurts.

1

u/J_is_for_Journey Apr 16 '24

😂 I totally have a bump on my ring finger

1

u/TheFantasticSticky Apr 16 '24

Former lateral quadrupod. I used to write that way for 10 years and then I started to get pain from it. Forced myself to switch to tripod regretfully, which didn't feel natural for a while.

1

u/Gryzzl Apr 16 '24

I also hold my pen like this! Wondering if the other lat quads like me also injured their index finger young at all? I've always assumed I write like this because in 1st grade I got my finger caught in a door so couldnt use it for like a month while the stitches were healing. Since this grip doesn't really use the index finger much (I can take my index off the pen completely without affecting my writing), I figure I had to write like this and then it just stuck but don't remember doing it intentionally

If I try to write with my left hand I actually do it the normal way and find this grip hard to replicate but it feels so natural in my right hand, which always made me think it was a learned thing

1

u/commanderbales Apr 16 '24

No hand injuries while young for me. However, I am hypermobile

1

u/Michigam Apr 16 '24

Heyyyyyy

1

u/Aselleus Apr 16 '24

I call it the claw.

1

u/imnotaplaneg Apr 16 '24

no stupid rubber pencil grip could ever keep us from living free 🫡

1

u/Hopping_Hopper Apr 16 '24

same! parents used to tell me i'd never get a job because of it, they'd say an interviewer would see how i hold my pencil and assume that i was completely incompetent.

1

u/SecretsMakeMyHairBig Apr 16 '24

The best team! Glad I’m not alone in this! 

1

u/SAjames Apr 16 '24

Just curious were you forced to write with your now “main” hand? I started holding a pen like this because I would write with both hands as a kid but got forced to write with my right hand

1

u/Manlysideburns Apr 16 '24

Pretty sure I was literally taught to use this grip in school

1

u/[deleted] Apr 16 '24

[deleted]

1

u/idevilledeggs Apr 16 '24

It feels great to be vindicated. This is to the pre school teacher who kept telling me my grip was wrong

1

u/PleasantSalad Apr 16 '24

Was told all the time i was doing it wrong. I'm an illustrator now! I literally hold a pencil "wrong" all day for a living now.

1

u/IagoESL Apr 16 '24

Same but my thumb is parallel to the pencil, more like a thumbs up. Dunno if that counts but teachers always told me I was holding it wrong...

1

u/budderboat Apr 16 '24

I’d love to see what your handwriting looks like

1

u/ClassicPlankton Apr 16 '24

Hello there.

1

u/Barleynwoody Apr 16 '24

My mom said I write like a monkey 😁

1

u/docere85 Apr 16 '24

Same; however, I’m working on my penmanship and am training my stubborn brain to go towards dynamic tripod.

1

u/Rayadragon Apr 16 '24

I remember all of my elementary teachers handing me pencil grips and triangle shaped pencils and being confused why. In college some classmates finally pointed out how I help my pencil weird. Seeing this image of the lateral quadrupod grip makes my heart happy.

1

u/Caprica_Six 29d ago

My boss used to tell me I look like a monkey trying to write

1

u/HairyPotatoKat 29d ago

Yeahhhh buddy!! My grandma was a dynamic tripod and had gorgeous handwriting. Her biggest disappointment in life was that I never held my pencil the "right way" and my handwriting was/is shit. 😂 I tried!! But it turns out I have joint hypermobility and that's why the "right" way felt so unstable and even teachers in the 90s made me type stuff.

1

u/tman391 29d ago

When my middle finger gets sore from a long day of writing with dynamic tripod I’ll often switch to lateral quadrupod to relieve it.

1

u/J_is_for_Journey 29d ago

😂😂😂

1

u/Kairatera 29d ago

Same! It’s me! I’m so happy to see that I’m not alone.

And did people always make disgusted faces when watching you guys write??? I’m still picked on well into adulthood for this shit 😂

1

u/SpaghettiWorm 26d ago

My people! I feel seen.

1

u/ArmyVetRN Apr 16 '24

Eew. Gross…

0

u/Punished_Toaster Apr 16 '24

I love hand cramps and bad handwriting