Do you guys actually use all 10 fingers when typing? I remember taking some typing classes when I was younger but now I seem to use an adapted technique that uses only 6-8 most of the time.
Is it worth it to learn using all 10? Using typingspeed tester I average around 70wpm using my normal style, and only 40 max when I tried using all 10 just now.
If yes, do you guys have any good training materials/websites? Or just cranck some of these speedtests out daily and see how I improve.
Goodluck today monkeys
All ten of them. It's how you can get up to about 120-130WPM. One trick that helped me a lot when I was learning was to cover up my keyboard so I had to form muscle memory instead of looking at my hands while I'm typing. Eventually you'll train yourself so well that you can type while reading something else on another screen or watching a video on another screen or the TV. That's why there's specialty keyboards out there that have entirely blank keys too.
On the plus side, at least you're not one of those people that hunts and pecks while staring at the keyboard.
120-130 wpm??? Damn that sounds crazy.
OK I guess I will have to start practicing. Have ordered a mechanical keyboard a few weeks back so my team will love me when I start typing at 100+ wpm one day :p
Thanks for the response!
Btw, is it normal that my hands hurt when using all 10 in the beginning? It feels like I am getting cramps
Tangential, but are you sure you're getting enough potassium and hydration? Shouldn't feel like you're getting cramps when using all ten fingers. Otherwise all I can conjecture is that maybe your hands just aren't used to it yet?
This isn't wildly uncommon. I use a very weirdstyle of typing where my brain naturally analyzes which hand will do more typing then flips back and forth depending on the word to using 4-5 fingers on the primary hand for that word then like 1-2 on the other. I find it actually accelerates my typing speed significantly.
Take a Midol.
great job..keep going.
Getting to that speed will take a long time for me
Thank you so much for this! Has been around one month of training now and am up to my old speed (75 wpm)with all 10 fingers now. Not actually the speed, but the increase in accuracy has really shocked me. LIVE CHANGING!
I'd hope you can get even further than 130, currently doing so with 6/7 fingers. I've wanted to learn with 10, but I feel like the returns diminish significantly, as there are very few opportunities where you can actually use that kind of speed. You'd be shit-hot at typeracer though.
I did a course at college to learn typing and it was one of the best investments of my life.
The course worked wonders and took about three months, being able to type with ten fingers significantly increases email work, drafting documents, and typing up printed sheets.
It's also a nice party trick at the office as most people don't know how to type.
The way you sit/ergonomics, the keyboard/layout and the type of work all have an impact. I am beyond 110wpm now.
Thanks for the insightful response.
Was this an in-person course or a online one? Do you remember the name/provider of said course?
3 months seems not too bad actually. Were you at a decent level at that moment and improved over time or was this only the beginning?
It was a beginner course at college and it isn't offered outside of it. Ten-finger typing drastically increases productivity, for anything you do with your computers. This skill also decreases miss-spelled words and makes you look more professional.
After the three months the teachers said we should be applying our skills for at least six months to become more fluent. I did it for ten years now and it is just an overall good experience.
Emmy elementary school was weirdly ahead of its time in one area: typing classes. Would recommend you get some software that gamifies it or something - but I use all 10. Because able to quickly type without looking is extremely helpful
All 10. Easily hit 100+ GWAM 99%+ accuracy on tests.
Anybody who uses a computer for their job should learn to type properly. Also learn to use the numpad. Learn what symbol you get from each Shift + # combo above the letters.
Current me runs circles around my first year analyst self of 4 years ago in Excel and typing.
Didn't know you could use shift + numpad damn, will have to try this tomorrow
I meant the shift and horizontal numbers for the symbols. Numpad just for the numbers themselves, but knowing how to type the numbers quickly without looking has helped me become more efficient
Some great points so far from everyone here:
To answer your question yes. Currently, my average typing is between 125-140 wpm with around 98-100% accuracy. However, on typing tests (I use "MonkeyType") my high score is currently 159 wpm with 100% accuracy (it's borderline impossible to reach high wpm without near 100% accuracy).
I have never actually learned to officially type. This is one of the few things that I would say was a seriously tangible skill that I can completely attribute to my computer-gaming. I also wanted to learn to type fast, so in doing so my hands just realized on their own that they would need to type on "home row".
As far as advice is concerned: Practice. Practice. Practice. I do not really think that official typing classes are all that important. Also keep in mind that anyone who can type upwards of 100 wpm or faster is in the top 1% of typers (yes, even now) and is considered a "Professional Typer". My recommendation would be to use a site like "MonkeyType" and try and focus on utilizing all of your fingers in a format that feels the most comfortable to you. Personally, my fingers tend to start on home-row and then they kind of drift around the keyboard as I am typing different words. The primary difference between fast typers (People in the 70-100 range) and insanely fast typers (People in the 130+ range) is in their ability to not look at the keyboard at all and read words ahead of their actual typing.
Finally, I will say that it took me a while to break the 150 wpm barrier as for some reason it just seems so much harder than hitting 130-ish. When I see typers who can hit 200+ I legitimately do not know how that is possible.
Given that we are all on "WSO" I think it's only right that you utilize "MonkeyType" for your typing.
Good luck!!
Typing with 12 fingers:
200+ wpm while knitting a scarf
Sure you'll receive so much more benefit on the lower side of the WPM number, but after a while (>120 WPM) it starts to have a diminishing return on time saved.
What i encourage people more is to make yourself familiar using combination of modifiers (Shift + Alt; Ctrl + Shift, etc). Getting your pinky fingers to be able to seamlessly switch from typing to pressing modifiers will help you immensely on using shortcuts/hotkeys which have a much bigger impact on time saving than just typing super fast.
Having played MMO's and other games that has over 20 keybinds really helps me to get my finger familiar with modifiers which helps me with transition to memorize shortcuts/hotkeys
Yep. Modifiers, parameter settings, and hotkeys will speed up any workflow tenfold over a standard WPM metric. Really specific per-person, just gotta take some time getting used to configuring things in a way that works for you.
Only downside is now when I use someone else's computer my productivity goes to shit. All the hotkeys on my work and personal computers are an accumulation over the years, hard to go back!
You hit the nail on the productivity using other people's computer/laptops.
I could build a model and create well organized slides super fast on my laptop/settings, but f'ed things up constantly when i use my peer devices. Definitely take some time to hit the "factory default setting" button.
Yeah, I hit about 80wpm using 10 fingers
Mavis Beacon teaches typing
Parents forced me to use it at a very young age. I used to get frightened and not look forward to complete the lessons but it got the job done.
10 fingers ever since.
I use all 10 and am averaging at about 110-130. When I’m bored or waiting for comments or whatever, I’ll go on monkeytype, literally just practice and you’ll get better. It’s extremely helpful when taking notes on calls or just doing work. Cannot recommend enough.
I’ve also played piano and guitar for about 10 years now which has definitely helped with finger dexterity, but I don’t think that’s a feasible training regimen for everyone to follow.
I definitely don't practice like some of the other folk in the comments here. Personally, my fast typing "skills" come from gaming - largely from Runescape, but I know people who learned to type fast from playing World of Warcraft as well. I'll do 120 with minimal effort, my peak rates are 150-160.
Next thing you know WSO is going to start organizing TypeRacer events.
red:wave2: Selling Cooked Lobsters 40 gp ea!
Used to type with just index and thumbs (albeit fast). One weekend in university I went balls to the wall, went on 10fastfingers (or one of the other typing websites, I forget), and forced myself to only use 10 fingers.
First day was 20 WPM.
Second day was maybe 30 WPM.
After that it ramped up fast and within a week I was at 80 WPM (faster than had ever been).
I’ve plateaued slightly now but could easily increase my speed if I tried.
Just wanted to come back after asking the initial question. Learning to type with 10 fingers has been a crazy good experience. Let me elaborate:
The first two weeks were absolutely terrible. I went on a training site and un-learning my old method and re-learning to type with all ten was extremely painful. Progress was slow, my fingers would hurt, I made a lot of mistakes...
I saw the first real progress in week 3. WPM started to increase and I could feel my brain taking in the reps and being able to properly touch type.
As for right now, I type at around 85 WPM but manage to reach a very high accuracy most of the time (96%+). Taking notes during calls has changed from an absolute nightmare to a fun challenge to test my typing. Additionally, my ability to type something on one screen while looking at another is soooo good for productivity!
What an experience, thanks for all the posters above who helped me!
Main sources used:
Initial practice: typingstudy.com
Improvement phase: keybr.com
Perfecting: 10fastfingers.com
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