Practice Guide
How to get the most out of your typing practice with SplitWells.
Getting Started
Start small. Even 3-4 new characters is fine. The goal is to build muscle memory gradually—trying to learn too many keys at once leads to frustration and slow progress.
Once you're comfortable with a set of characters, add a few more. Over time, you'll build up to the full keyboard without ever feeling overwhelmed.
The Golden Rule
Don't force speed. Accuracy leads to speed.
If you're making a lot of mistakes, slow down—way down. Type each character mindfully. You'll find, surprisingly, that your speed doesn't decrease much when your accuracy improves. They're deeply linked.
Practice Modes
Mix up how you approach each string. Two techniques:
Burst Mode
When a string appears, pause. Look at the whole thing. Mentally prepare to type it all at once. Then go—type it in a single burst.
Sliding Window
Focus only on the current character and the next one. Type, advance, repeat. Don't look ahead—just flow through the string one character at a time.
Both techniques train different aspects of typing. Burst mode trains memory and planning; sliding window trains reactive typing for unfamiliar content.
When You Get Frustrated
It happens. Here's what to do:
- Slow down significantly. Mindfully type each character.
- Take a 1-minute break. Step away, breathe, come back fresh.
- Select fewer characters. If 10 keys feels like too many, drop to 5.
Frustration is a sign you're pushing too hard. Back off, and progress will come faster.
Microbreaks: The 10-Second Rule
Take 1-2 deep breaths every 30-60 seconds of practice.
Research shows that the brain consolidates learning during rest—not just during practice. Brief microbreaks dramatically improve skill acquisition.
SplitWells includes a stopwatch that resets after 10 seconds of inactivity. Use it:
- Practice for 30-60 seconds
- Stop typing and watch the stopwatch
- Take 1-2 deep breaths (eyes closed if you like)
- When the stopwatch resets, continue
Try both approaches: eyes closed with deep breathing, or eyes on the stopwatch. See what works best for you.
Practice What You Use
Focus on the characters and symbols you actually type at work. If you write Python all day, practice Python symbols. If you live in the terminal, practice Linux commands.
The presets (JavaScript, Python, Linux CLI, etc.) are a good starting point, but don't hesitate to create custom presets for your specific workflow.
Endurance Training
Most of the time, take those microbreaks. But occasionally—every 10 sessions or so—practice for 3-5 minutes straight without stopping.
This trains typing endurance. You'll notice fatigue setting in and accuracy dropping. That's okay. The goal is to build stamina for real-world extended typing sessions.
The Meditative State
Once you're comfortable with the characters you're practicing, something interesting happens: it starts to feel meditative.
You can listen to music, podcasts, or YouTube videos while you practice. As long as your fingers are moving, you're building muscle memory. The conscious mind can wander—the fingers remember.
TL;DR
- Start with 3-4 characters, add more gradually
- Accuracy first, speed follows
- Take microbreaks every 30-60 seconds
- Practice what you actually type
- When frustrated: slow down, break, or reduce
- As long as fingers are moving = good