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Like many others I tentatively returned to the gym in recent weeks following the indulgence of the Christmas break.

The beautiful Queensland mornings help, though the first trip back to exercise is always a hurdle.

I've found that the trick is simply to begin, no matter how gentle the first workout, & sooner or later your creaking body parts begin to remember that they can actually do stuff.
Home on the range
When I was a teenager I could often birdie long par-5 holes on the golf course without analysing anything at all - just grip it & rip it, and schlep it down the middle.

How? Practice, practice, practice!

In those days we thought nothing of playing 54 holes in a day, and on practice days we'd smash balls on the driving range until we'd worn all our golf gloves out, then we'd carry on until our hands were blistered, and then we'd hit the putting greens.

We used to have a saying: 'a golfer's half hour', which basically meant 'see you at dusk'.

These days I only play a few times a year at best - most often at Gold Coast during the Wealth Retreat week - but it's a small consolation to find that after a while I can can still hit them sort of OK.

The muscles eventually seem to remember what to do; what used to be known as muscle memory.

It'd be a totally different matter if I tried to play left-handed, no doubt, but for all the rustiness the act of striking a golf ball isn't a totally unfamiliar one, even after all those intervening years.
Practice can make perfect
Today scientists prefer to talk of procedural or motor learning, and neural pathways.

The science doesn't necessarily matter; you know it's real because you experience it yourself every time you tie a shoelace, switch from driving an automatic to a manual without thinking, or touch-type on your keyboard.

It's important to practice good habits, because bad habits can become encoded too (hence it's hard 'to teach an old dog new tricks').

The good news is that you can learn a lot quite quickly, even if truly mastering a skill can take a lifetime.
3 tips to improve muscle memory
You can use this concept for more than simply gym training or playing golf, of course, and positive habits can be formed & encoded across many aspects of your life.

Here are 3 simple tips for improving your results:

(i) Practice good habits - muscle memory doesn't differentiate between good & bad habits, which is why it can make sense to use a coach to get you started, to ensure you're practising the right things;

(ii) Incremental improvements - if you start off trying to box like a professional, lift heavy free weights, or trade foreign exchange contracts like an experienced market pro, you'll probably crash & burn. Don't try to run before you can walk, be patient, & make incremental changes; and

(iii) Little & often - while your pathways can 'remember' patterns for years, muscle memory is at its most effective through regular repetition & reinforcement, while new lessons can be retained for several months (but perhaps not permanently).

There's an old adage that says ' learn slow; forget slow ', and this sums up perfectly how you can train your brain to repeat good habits.

Now let's see you flex those muscles!

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Like many others I tentatively returned to the gym in recent weeks following the indulgence of the Christmas break. The beautiful Queensland mornings help, though the first trip back to exercise is always a hurdle.

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It's 9pm and you have a 1,500 word paper to write. Due first thing in the morning.

If you type 50 words-per-minute (WPM) you could be done in just half an hour.

That's not too bad. You'd still have time for a good night's sleep.

Instead, what if you type with just your two pointer fingers at a rate of 10 WPM?

That same report would take you TWO AND A HALF hours to finish.

That's an extra two hours of your life that you've just lost!

Learning to type faster makes you more efficient and helps save precious hours of your life.

For students this can mean spending less time on homework and better scores on timed tests.

For employees, this can make you shine at work by being faster and more efficient than your colleagues.

The average typing speed is roughly 40 WPM, though this can change dramatically depending on how you type.

For those who type with just two fingers, the "hunt and peck" method, you have to look for each key as you type. Sadly, no matter how fast you move, there is a limit to how fast you can type up words.

For those using this method, the average speed is just 27 WPM.

Instead, typing with all 10 fingers you can train your fingers to type the right keys without looking down at them. Also, by moving shorter distances across the keyboard you can type much faster.

And it shows. The average touch typist using all 10 fingers types over 50 WPM, roughly twice as fast as you can go with just two fingers.

Keep in mind that's just the average. Using this technique, most are able to type MUCH faster.

Sean Wrona, one of the fastest typists alive today types as fast as 256 WPM. He can even keep up a pace of 174 words per minute over 50 minutes.

Watch him dominate a race on our site NitroType.com with an average 199 WPM.

Most jobs do not explicitly require certain typing speeds, but that's because basic typing skills are taken as a given.

Thus you should aim for a typing speed of at least 40 WPM to keep up a standard level of efficiency at work.

For some professions the standards are higher.

To land a job as a personal assistant, you might be required to type at least 60 words per minute. Word processors generally must be able to type from 55 to 90 words per minute.

For other jobs that deal heavily with computers, from programmers to journalists, there usually isn't a specified typing speed requirement. But, you can bet that if you take too long to type, you'll be swept away by the competition.

Find out where your typing skills stand by taking one of our typing speed tests. Whenever you complete a test you can access a professional certificate that can be shown to teachers or potential employers.

Be sure to log in before you take it so that you can track your progress!

Not only will this track your speed it will also take note of the keys you tend to miss. You can take a custom lesson based on your problem keys from the typing lessons page.

Just like most skills, it all comes down to practice.

With every lesson you complete, you create muscle memory in all of your fingers. Practicing using all 10 fingers in the right positions to hit the keys, you can train your fingers to remember it on their own.

Working on this for just 15 minutes a day, after the first couple of weeks, you'll know the exact location of every key without even looking down at the keyboard.

But remember, the key is in learning the RIGHT way. Without learning the correct positions, you'll just be wasting your time. You might even slow yourself down in the long run.

Or if you're ready to stop talking and start doing, you can jump right into our typing lessons where we take you through the whole process.

Whether you're learning to touch type for the first time or you're re-training yourself after years of 2-finger typing, our completely FREE typing lessons will help you get on track.

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What is a good typing speed? - Typing.com

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It's 9pm and you have a 1,500 word paper to write. Due first thing in the morning. If you type 50 words-per-minute (WPM) you could be done in just half an hour. That's not too bad. You'd still have time for a good night's sleep.

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How important is it for your kids to learn touch typing? Well, consider this - the average person types at 38 to 40 words per minute (wpm). Doesn't sound too shabby, eh?

But we speak in friendly conversation at 110-150 wpm. We can listen at 450 wpm. Hey, I know this is possible because I have a kid whose talking speed is set to that. And - by some scientist's estimates - we think at the blistering rate of up to 1000 to 3000 wpm!

Typing at 40 wpm doesn't sound so fast anymore, does it?

I know how important fast and effortless typing is because I am both a transcriptionist, who needs to type at the speed that people talk, and a writer, who desperately needs to pour the words onto the screen as I think them. So touch typing is a must-teach subject in our homeschool. I know the benefits of automating this skill, and hunt-and-peck-typists my kids will not be!

Enter KidzType! I was really excited to recently discover this website. This is the year I want to begin typing practice with my third-grader. Let me tell you why she loves it so much (and begs to use it) and why I am so thankful to have found it.

Using Typing Games to Teach Touch Typing

First, if you're wondering what "touch typing" is anyway - *raises hand* I did, even though I do it all the time. - here is a short video to explain it.

So the thing my daughter loves so much about KidzType is that it teaches touch typing through typing games, rather than just drills. Because how are ninjas and zombies not a gazillion times more fun than that lame quick brown fox and lazy dog??? And we all know that when kids are engaged and having fun, that is where the learning magic happens!

It's even great for my preschooler who, of course, has to do whatever her big sister is doing. The Typing Balloon game is perfect for her because she practices matching the lowercase letters on the balloons to the uppercase letters on the keyboard. (Homeschooling adaptation win!)

Which brings me to what I love about KidzType . . .

Benefits of Kidztype Typing Games

KidzType offers a ton of resources, in addition to the typing games, like:

These tools make it really easy for her to practice particular areas of weakness and challenge herself as she improves. I love that their resources go from super-beginner to quite advanced.

Which reminds me . . .

Check Out TypeDojo for a Free Online Typing Test

If your kiddo has been typing a while and you're not sure what level they're on, check out KidzType's sister site, TypeDojo. You can have them take a short typing test to check their skills and help you pick suitable games, practices, and exercises for them on KidzType.

We have had so much fun with these websites since I discovered them! My daughter loves challenging me in the games. And I love that she is improving her typing skills with no lesson plans, no paying for access, and no whining about practicing.

Now, go bookmark KidzType and TypeDojo and check out the typing games while you're there. You will want to play them too!

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A Review of KidzType Typing Games | Mercer Homeschooling

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How important is it for your kids to learn touch typing? Well, consider this - the average person types at 38 to 40 words per minute (wpm). Doesn't sound too shabby, eh? But we speak in friendly conversation at 110-150 wpm. We can listen at 450 wpm.

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It's Time To Learn Typing The Right Way - With TypeDojo!

In today's ultra-digitized world, learning how to type is as essential as learning how to read, how to drive, or how to ride a bike. Here at TypeDojo, we make learning how to type simple, fast, and convenient. Whether you're an adult looking to learn all about touch typing, or searching for typing lessons for children, Type Dojo is here to help!
What Is Touch Typing?
Touch typing is a unique skill that requires a tremendous amount of muscle memory to ensure that you can type on a keyboard without having to constantly look down to verify the letters and keys that you're using.

Through the use of touch typing, you can learn how to type more efficiently.
For Work, School, or Personal Life!
If you type for work, if you're a student, or if you're simply interested in learning how to type, Type Dojo offers extensive typing lessons specifically designed to help you improve your typing skills quickly so that you can get back to work, get back in school, or begin writing your dream novel with ease.
Learning How To Type Is Easy When It's Free!
Best of all, TypeDojo offers 100% free typing lessons for our clients. Better yet, you don't even have to register an account with us. All you have to do is visit our site and begin typing with us today.
Questions? Contact Us Directly
If you have a question about TypeDojo, contact us directly. A member of our team would be more than happy to assist you.

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Typing Practice for Kids - Learn Touch Typing With TypeDojo

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TypeDojo provides typing practice for kids with our free Touch Typing Lessons & Tests. Find yourself Speeding up, getting certificates and experiencing much more!

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Ultrakey Online - A Typing Tutor for Students and Teachers

Ultrakey is a comprehensive typing tutor for everyone: students, teachers, individuals, adults and companies. Eight-year-olds and eighty-year-olds will all benefit.

When you are looking for special software to use with your literacy students, there are a few well-recognized programs that you can choose from. One product that often stands out is Ultrakey Online, a comprehensive tutor created by Bytes of Learning.

Learning Disabilities Online highly recommends this program as it was built with learning disabled students in mind. The following post is a review of Ultrakey Online and its features, various versions, pros and cons.

Note: Ultrakey has closed down its website and is longer in business. For alternatives, please browse top-rated typing tutors here or read our reviews of Typesy or KAZ Typing.

Ultrakey - Overview

Long history - Ultrakey is certainly one of the most popular tutors on the market. For almost 30 years, this program has been developed with literacy students in mind, providing the best of the best when it comes to typing education.

Educational - Children can develop and hone their typing skills and abilities through this success based typing tutor. Students can work on their skills through the program various lessons on building typing accuracy, increasing the speed of their typing, and instructions on proper ergonomics.

Ultrakey Online - Standard Features

Source: Bytes of Learning

The success of Ultrakey Online has prompted Bytes of Learning to customize the software in order to cater to the unique needs and budgets of a wide variety of users. Each of the different versions offers unique features that are specifically designed for individual users, for families, for businesses and for schools respectively.

This does not mean that some users do not have access to all the main features of Ultrakey. Most of the features related to learning how to type fast and accurately are standard to all the various versions. Important features of Ultrakey Online are:

Sound Instructional Design
Ultrakey was designed by educational experts and they used the very latest techniques in learning technology. This is why it is so successful and popular: You may start off by making conscious and isolated keystrokes but before you know it you will find yourself typing fluidly, almost without thinking about the keys. The way in which Ultrakey will help you to advance from a complete novice to an accomplished typist is almost magical, but this is what excellent instructional design is all about.

Initial Assessment
When you first start using Ultrakey you will be asked to agree to a skills assessment. This will allow the program to personalize the lessons and exercises to suit your current level of skill and to lead you forward from there. This assessment will also help you to set realistic goals for yourself.

Back to Basics
Before you progress to the lessons, you will learn how to maintain the correct posture and how to place your fingers on the keyboard. This will help you to type comfortably and without injury for longer periods of time. This is an important part of the training. You will be surprised how many wrist and back injuries are directly ascribed to adopting the wrong posture when typing for long periods!

Clear, Precise Instructions
Every lesson starts with a set of videos that clearly explain the objectives of the lesson and exactly how you will be achieving those objectives. As you tackle the exercises you can even have the content read out loud to you.

Self-Paced and Personalized
Ultrakey Online lets you progress at your own pace. If you want to repeat a lesson or exercise, you can do so as many times as you wish. After each exercise or drill, you will receive feedback and recommendations on how to proceed. This means that you will never be out of your depth.

Additional Exercises and the Game Zone
If you feel that you need extra practice, you can access additional drills and exercises at any time. There is even a game zone specifically designed to encourage younger users to practice and hone their new skills in a fun and interactive way.

Highly Effective Interface
Ultrakey's user interface is perhaps one of its strongest features. It is intuitive and no user, regardless of age or skill, should ever feel lost or unsure about how to proceed. You can change the interface in many ways and these changes are not just a matter of aesthetics. You can change the interface to suit your specific style of learning and your personal preferences. There are even interfaces specifically designed for users with disabilities, such as visual impairments.

Efficient use of Multimedia
Far too many educational programs use multimedia without any real purpose. In such cases, the video, sound or animation actually becomes a distraction, not a teaching aid. Ultrakey's use of graphics, video, sound and animation is purposeful and sensible. The media best suited to every specific task, lesson or exercise is used consistently and effectively.

Superior Management and Reporting Features
Every student and teacher/manager has access to Dashboard where they can keep track of the progress they or their students are making. (More about this in the discussion of the various versions.) Managers have access to the records and accounts of all the users but every individual user will only be able to see his or her own records and progress.

Comprehensive Support
You will never be left in the lurch with Ultrakey. If you have questions or if you need help, support is always available. The Ultrakey website is a valuable source of information with an extensive FAQ section where you will most probably find the answer to your question. You can also contact them directly from their website. They have pledged to answer queries promptly and fully.

Ultrakey Online and PC Versions

1. Ultrakey Online Personal

This version is accessed online and meant for individuals that want to learn how to type. It boasts all the standard features listed above. The price is quite affordable and you will get full access to Ultrakey Online for one year.

There is no limit to the number of times you are allowed to take a specific lesson or tackle specific exercises. You can renew your license after a year. Ultrakey operates in any browser and on any operating system.

Since it is meant for a single user, you will only be able to open one single user account. If your needs change, you can always upgrade to a multi-user version. All upgrades to Ultrakey Online are also included and will be instantly available.

Visit website for more details and product information.

2. Ultrakey Online Family Subscription

If more than one member of your family wants to learn, then the Family version is for you. You can purchase a license for use by three, five or eight different users. Of course, each user can still access Ultrakey Online from a variety of different devices.

Subscriptions are valid for one year but you can always renew your subscription. With this version, one user can act as a manager. This manager will have access to the records and accounts of all the other users for monitoring and reporting purposes. This benefit makes this version an excellent choice for those into homeschooling.

3. Ultrakey Online School Subscription

This is the version most suitable for schools and companies. Ultrakey Online School is an extremely cost effective way in which to allow larger numbers of users to receive professional typing instruction.

The price is based upon the number of user accounts needed and the number of years for which these accounts must be valid. If the needs of your school or company change, you can always purchase additional accounts. There is no limit to the number of users that can be licensed.

Dashboard - The Dashboard allows more than one manager account to be created. This makes things very easy for schools where different teachers will be supervising their classes. Each manager has access only to those student accounts registered under him/her.

Administration - With Ultrakey Online School, managers can generate a wide variety of reports on either individual users or even groups of users. Administrators can even import additional content for practice purposes. This is an extremely useful feature in learning environments where very specific terminology must be mastered.

A Multi-School adaptation is also available, where any number of schools can register as a group in order to ease administration and to save costs.

4. Ultrakey 6.0 Cloud (Desktop)

The Ultrakey 6.0 software can be downloaded but offers cloud features (see cloud concept below). Similar to the online editions, it does a very good job at separating the typing instruction into different sections.

Posture

Finger positions

Lessons

Skill Quizzes and Tests

Typing Forum

Posture - The first two sections, Posture and finger positions, serve as an introduction to the whole typing process, especially if the student is learning how to type for the first time. This section includes a special video of a person using the correct typing form and executing the correct posture for typing.

Lessons - The next session is the "Lessons" sections. This section is your typical set of training drills, except Ultrakey has found a fun twist to put on them. Ultrakey 6.0 actually will introduce the use of the 'Enter' or 'Return' key at the same instance that it introduces the keys on the home row. By doing this, Ultrakey 6.0 will have students get used to using the Enter key while they are practicing the other typing techniques that are currently learning.

Quizzes - After this section of the program is complete, students will then move on to "Skill Quizzes and Tests". It is here that students will be able to check and solidify everything that they have learned in the Lessons section.

5. Ultrakey Offline (Desktop)

This is the ideal version for those that do not have constant or reliable access to the internet. The software is installed on a single device. You may want to keep the following in mind:

This version will not give you access to automatic upgrades or online support.

You will need at least limited internet access to initially download the software.

There is also a family version available. This will allow you to install the software on up to three different machines for use by three different users.

Please note: This version is not available for use by schools or companies.

6. Ultrakey Cloud Concept

There are still many schools and companies that use desktop versions of Ultrakey. The main drawback of the desktop version is that users cannot access their records when they are not on site.

This is where the Ultrakey Cloud Concept comes in. It allows users of desktop versions to store their records in the cloud and to access it from anywhere.

The Ultrakey Cloud Concept should not be confused with the normal Ultrakey Cloud. All the records of users that subscribe to any of the online versions are stored in the cloud anyway. The Cloud Concept is specifically meant for users of desktop versions that cannot upgrade to online versions.

Pros and Cons of Ultrakey Online

Pro 1: Affordable. Ultrakey Online offers all users, young and old, individuals, families, businesses and schools the opportunity to learn how to type at a surprisingly low price.

Pro 2: Highly Effective. User feedback and reviewers agree that Ultrakey does exactly what it promises to do: it will teach you how to type faster and more accurately for longer periods. It works.

Pro 3: Reputable Vendor. Bytes of Learning is a reputable developer that has earned its enviable reputation on the back of a number of award-winning educational products. They do not take shortcuts.

Con: Not Enough Fun. Many educators argue that learning should be fun because it increases the motivation of the student. One or two reviewers have noted that the games in Ultrakey are very basic and really only suitable for young users.

Good to know: Also, the quality of the instructions and the user-face are not as high quality as in Typesy. As a result, it could be difficult at times for students or teachers to navigate from screen to screen.

Suitable alternatives: It is always good to suggest some alternatives of similar quality. Apart from Typesy, this would be KAZ Typing and Mavis Beacon.

Ultrakey Online Review: The Verdict

General - If you need to learn how to type faster and more accurately, Ultrakey Online is for you. Yes, there are other typing programs that are also effective. For this reviewer, the sound educational approach taken in the design of Ultrakey is an impressive plus. Educational programs need to be based on sound educational principles and sadly, so many simply do not make the grade. Do I recommend Ultrakey: definitely.

For teachers - If you are a teacher looking for a smart solution for your students, we can recommend to put this tutor on your shortlist. Ultrakey Online is a pretty good solution for typing education, particularly because it can be used by students of all ages. The efficiency and education progress the program offers competes well with many free and premium programs available on the market.

Ultrakey 6.0 supports Mac and Windows operating systems. It ships with a license for 3 computers and up to 8 users. An interesting feature is still the Typing Forum. After a lesson, students will be directed to a "Typing Forum", where they will be able to type whatever they would like in a Free Typing area. This section also includes some extra tests that the students can use to hone their typing skills and abilities.

Final Grade: ★★★★★☆ 5 stars (out of 6)

Further Reading: Keyboarding Online Activities

Have you tried Ultrakey Online or 6.0? Please let us know in the comments below. Please share this review.

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Ultrakey Online Review 2020 | Typing Lounge

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Ultrakey is a comprehensive typing tutor for everyone: students, teachers, individuals, adults and companies. Eight-year-olds and eighty-year-olds will all benefit. When you are looking for special software to use with your literacy students, there are a few well-recognized programs that you can choose from.