Typing practice

The practice loop

1. Warm up for two minutes with an easy run. Do not chase a score.
2. Pick one weakness from your last heat map: a letter, a key pair or a punctuation mark.
3. Drill it for five minutes at a speed that keeps accuracy above 97 per cent.
4. Run one short test with normal settings and compare it with the previous session.
5. Stop while you are still fresh. Tired repetitions teach sloppy movement.

Accuracy drills

Type a short sentence slowly five times. The repetition builds a movement pattern; the slowness keeps errors out of it.

If you make a mistake, correct it, then repeat the word twice more before moving on. The extra repetitions replace the error with the right pattern.

Word and punctuation drills

Word lists are good for rhythm; punctuation practice is good for realism. Switch punctuation on for at least one run a week, because capitals, commas and apostrophes are where many otherwise fast typists lose time.

Numbers are worth practising too, especially if you type addresses, dates or code. They sit on the top row and use the weakest fingers.

A 15 minute session

1. 2 minutes: easy words, accuracy above 98 per cent.
2. 5 minutes: drill one weak key or key pair.
3. 4 minutes: punctuation and numbers switched on.
4. 2 minutes: one 25 word test with your normal settings.
5. 2 minutes: read the heat map and write down what to practise next time.

Practice mistakes to avoid

Practising fast and wrong. Speed drills only help once the movement is clean.

Practising the same comfortable words every day. You get better at those words, not at typing.

Long sessions. Thirty tired minutes teach less than fifteen focused ones.

Skipping the test. Without measuring, you cannot tell practice from motion.