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geekhack Community => Ergonomics => Topic started by: bjb39 on Mon, 02 November 2015, 10:13:20

Title: Finger strength training
Post by: bjb39 on Mon, 02 November 2015, 10:13:20
I just bought one of these (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OCGGEM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00)

(http://i.imgur.com/zYJhrX5.jpg)

to strengthen my fingers on my left hand for guitar playing, but I was thinking of switch-hitting it on both hands to train up to use MX Greens instead of Blues. Anyone have experience with finger strength training for using heavier switches?
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: absyrd on Mon, 02 November 2015, 10:14:21
The heavier actuation force switches are the training. You should have just bought greens to start out with. :p
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: bjb39 on Mon, 02 November 2015, 10:15:03
The heavier actuation force switches are the training. You should have just bought greens to start out with. :p

Ha! Good point. I almost did, but I was worried they'd be too heavy having only tested a single switch on a tester.
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: SamirD on Mon, 02 November 2015, 12:12:39
That's a great idea!  Those are great for guitar players.

I also use a stress ball and one of those forearm spring things.
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: 3K on Mon, 02 November 2015, 13:46:59
I just bought one of these (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OCGGEM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00)

Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/zYJhrX5.jpg)


to strengthen my fingers on my left hand for guitar playing, but I was thinking of switch-hitting it on both hands to train up to use MX Greens instead of Blues. Anyone have experience with finger strength training for using heavier switches?

Never tried to train for switches. I don't know how heavy the springs of this thingy are, but I guess one could just as good do pullups on some bar?
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: KnivesM on Mon, 02 November 2015, 14:13:49
I just bought one of these (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OCGGEM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00)

Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/zYJhrX5.jpg)


to strengthen my fingers on my left hand for guitar playing, but I was thinking of switch-hitting it on both hands to train up to use MX Greens instead of Blues. Anyone have experience with finger strength training for using heavier switches?

I have what looks to be the same one as you.
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: GL1TCH3D on Mon, 02 November 2015, 14:25:34
Get yourself 120g sprit springs =P
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: asdfjkl36 on Mon, 02 November 2015, 14:36:46
I never understood how people needed to adjust or work up to heavier switches like greens.

I typed on greens and tactile Greys with no problem at all.

Now 120g had a bit of adjusting to do, and then decided I'll stick to a bit less for now haha.
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: 1swt2gs on Mon, 02 November 2015, 14:42:56
I never understood how people needed to adjust or work up to heavier switches like greens.

I typed on greens and tactile Greys with no problem at all.

Now 120g had a bit of adjusting to do, and then decided I'll stick to a bit less for now haha.

Agreed. Heaviest switches I have are green, lightest switches are red.

I jump back and forth with no problems and really need no time to adjust to the new switch.
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: SamirD on Mon, 02 November 2015, 14:54:40
I don't necessarily have to adjust to a switch, but I do feel my hands to be 'tired' without some exercise other than typing.
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: inanis on Mon, 02 November 2015, 15:17:17
I concur with people saying they don't need to work up to a heavier switch. I can go between heavy and light switches without any trouble. I don't even really notice a difference. I want to be able to tell the differences between spring weights, but my fingers and brain just don't seem capable.

The only time I could really tell a difference was with Gateron Linears. I had 72g Spirt springs in for a while and I swapped them out for 65g. I like those better. But anything that has tactility, my brain just can't process the minute differences.

My husband has one of those grip strength things. He got it to improve his Softball skillz. I tried it, it just made my hand sore.  :-[
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: SamirD on Mon, 02 November 2015, 16:50:19
I tried it, it just made my hand sore.  :-[
I got sore the first few times I tried my squeeze ball and spring thingy.  But I kept them around the desk so in moment of stress I would use them. :D  That seemed to work.

Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: bjb39 on Mon, 02 November 2015, 16:59:36
Interesting! When I got my latest board I went with blues, but I was really conflicted about greens because I felt like the blues could use a little more weight. I read as much as I could find about them and I came to the conclusion that most people found them fatiguing after a full day of work. I'm a software engineer, so I'm more-or-less typing non-stop 8-5, and I didn't want to get something I would have to switch out after 5-6 hours.

Anyway, after using this bad-boy for a few weeks I'm sure it will be a non-issue  ;D
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: treefinger on Tue, 03 November 2015, 07:47:18
I never understood how people needed to adjust or work up to heavier switches like greens.

I typed on greens and tactile Greys with no problem at all.

Now 120g had a bit of adjusting to do, and then decided I'll stick to a bit less for now haha.


Agreed, I had a similar experience going to Blacks and then back to Reds. That being said, grip strength is a great thing to work on for keyboarding as well as other things...like a strong handshake and the ability to open that jar of jelly for your s/o.
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: SamirD on Tue, 03 November 2015, 11:43:25
...and the ability to open that jar of jelly for your s/o.

I actually came up with a method to do that without using your hand strength but your whole upper body, lol.  There's almost no jar I can't open now unless I can't get a grip on it. ;D

Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: xorian on Wed, 04 November 2015, 15:12:39
When I started getting into mechanical keyboards earlier this year, I tried MX browns on a borrowed Das and I didn't like how I constantly bottomed out on them and could barely feel the tactile bump.  I switched to MX clears on a used G80 which I liked much better, but I still found myself consistently bottoming out unless I concentrated on typing gently.  Also I couldn't really understand why some people said they found MX clears fatiguing.  Currently I'm using MX tactile greys and really enjoying them.  The heavier springs feel much more bouncy to me, more like a trampoline than like hitting a solid surface (what I feel when bottoming out on lighter switches).  To me, rebounding off the spring seems more ergonomic.

Several people have accused me of having freakish Hulk hands, but I suspect it has more to do with 20+ years of martial arts training (wrist grab escapes, staff spinning, sword cutting) and related fitness activities (free weights, gymnastic rings, pull-ups).  My point is that finger/forearm strength does seem, to me at least, to be related to how different switches feel.
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: rowdy on Wed, 04 November 2015, 19:57:35
Just do pushups on your finger tips :p
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: SamirD on Wed, 04 November 2015, 20:27:21
Just do pushups on your finger tips :p
I don't think many of us can do pushups, moreless on fingertips.  :-[

Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: rowdy on Wed, 04 November 2015, 23:07:05
Just do pushups on your finger tips :p

I don't think many of us can do pushups, moreless on fingertips.  :-[

Yes, that would be a problem :))
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: Connly33 on Wed, 30 December 2015, 15:14:25
When I started getting into mechanical keyboards earlier this year, I tried MX browns on a borrowed Das and I didn't like how I constantly bottomed out on them and could barely feel the tactile bump.  I switched to MX clears on a used G80 which I liked much better, but I still found myself consistently bottoming out unless I concentrated on typing gently.  Also I couldn't really understand why some people said they found MX clears fatiguing.  Currently I'm using MX tactile greys and really enjoying them.  The heavier springs feel much more bouncy to me, more like a trampoline than like hitting a solid surface (what I feel when bottoming out on lighter switches).  To me, rebounding off the spring seems more ergonomic.

Several people have accused me of having freakish Hulk hands, but I suspect it has more to do with 20+ years of martial arts training (wrist grab escapes, staff spinning, sword cutting) and related fitness activities (free weights, gymnastic rings, pull-ups).  My point is that finger/forearm strength does seem, to me at least, to be related to how different switches feel.
I had the same experience with blues, i really like them but i bottom out constantly, hearing the controversy over clears i tried them and i really like them for typing, i dont bottom out so much and my wrists dont get as tired. I do want to try the tactile greys though.
Title: Re: Finger strength training
Post by: OTD on Wed, 30 December 2015, 15:17:32
Get one of those gateron yellows.