The fastest typists in the world, with speeds ranging from 160 WPM – words per minute – to over 300, don’t “need” to type so fast that no one can hear over the sound of their clattering keyboards. But typing that fast gives them a distinct advantage in their chosen careers, and wins awards to boot.
The average typing speed is about 41 WPM, with an accuracy rate of 92%. There is nothing wrong with typing more slowly than this, but it can impact your ability to take notes, write documents, and keep up with a competitive workplace. Learning to type faster will improve your professional profile.
The average speed for women is 37 WPM, and the average speed for men is 44. If your speed is lower than this, don’t worry – you can make vast improvement with a bit more practice each day. Learning your keyboard’s structure will help you; the more you understand the layout, the faster you’ll be able to type. Beginning typists are famous for practicing the “hunt and peck” method of typing, where you use your index fingers to seek each letter individually. This can be a slow process. If you shift your style to the “ten-finger” style, where each finger of the hand is responsible for a different part of the keyboard, you can train your hand for touch typing.
Typing at a speed of 57 WPM or higher is very good. The key element that helps faster typists is touch typing. Touch typing is a method where you use muscle memory, not your eyes, to find the keys. Although this can take some getting used to, it’s much easier to type when you don’t have to check to make sure that you have the correct letter or number – and your accuracy improves when you can look at the screen to make sure that your words are coming out as planned. Practice through games and repeated typing exercises, like those represented in Typesy’s interactive curriculum, will train your fingers to recognize the keyboard and progress far beyond your typing speed.
You may be exceptionally fast, but speed is often accompanied with a lack of accuracy. In order to improve this part of good typing, you may have to slow down. Typesy’s Accuracy Building Course can make a huge difference with its focus on accuracy over speed.
And if you’re looking to get even faster, you can always turn to ergonomics. The difference between exceptional and world champion could be as simple as sitting up straight with your elbows at 90 degrees. Take care of your body and your body will take care of you!
Typesy offers numerous ways to practice, with curriculum designed for different kinds of learners. Whatever stage you are at, you can practice the skills that will help you get faster, develop your accuracy rate, and possibly win some typing awards.
Check out Typesy Community and exchange ideas related to touch typing, keyboarding, learning, technology, and Typesy program itself. Login with your Typesy Account here: https://community.typesy.com/