Finger positioning for left hand

[megamale]

Hi Everyone,

This my very first time writing and I wanted to ask a your opinions on finger positioning for standard touchtyping layout for QUERTY. It was mentionned here before but it looks like, the right hand makes sense, but to hit the letters with left one, I would need to twist my wrist outwards.

Like many I find that I shifted shifted the bottom row leftwards, with index hitting C, ring middle hitting X and ring hitting Z. Such as here:
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=32836.0


However I am also wondering why not also shift rightwards the top row (Index on T, middle on R and ring on E. The only downside I see is that the pinky would have to cover Q,W,A but that's no more keys than the standard method and they are nearby. Also, like the right hand, now the fingers of the left hand don't have to move sideways, only up and down, and the wrist can rest at a natural position. I have searched but found nobody that uses this positioning.

Does this make sense? Anyone else using this positioning? Or is this completely wrong and will harm my future wpm?

[jeroplane]

First up, it probably won't harm your WPM. People have varying touch-typing styles and arguably none are "correct". A lot of the record-holding typists do not conform to proper touch-typing technique.

Shifting the top row and bottom row like that sounds like a lot of movement for your hand and particularly more wrist movement. I'm not sure if my technique is right, but I don't seem to have any of the problems you describe. My hands are actually slightly turned inward while typing, i.e. following the angle of my elbows to my wrists so that my wrist isn't strained. My wrist barely ever moves - it's just my fingers stretching or bending in to reach the keys.

For my left hand I actually use:
- Pinky on AZ, Shift
- Ring on QWSX
- Middle on ED
- Index on F

EC seem to be anomalies for me, and I vary between using ring/index for those letters depending on the word.

But this is all because I have quite large hands and broad shoulders, so it might be different for your particular situation.

[megamale]

First up, it probably won't harm your WPM. People have varying touch-typing styles and arguably none are "correct". A lot of the record-holding typists do not conform to proper touch-typing technique.

Shifting the top row and bottom row like that sounds like a lot of movement for your hand and particularly more wrist movement. I'm not sure if my technique is right, but I don't seem to have any of the problems you describe. My hands are actually slightly turned inward while typing, i.e. following the angle of my elbows to my wrists so that my wrist isn't strained. My wrist barely ever moves - it's just my fingers stretching or bending in to reach the keys.

For my left hand I actually use:
- Pinky on AZ, Shift
- Ring on QWSX
- Middle on ED
- Index on F

EC seem to be anomalies for me, and I vary between using ring/index for those letters depending on the word.

But this is all because I have quite large hands and broad shoulders, so it might be different for your particular situation.

I have large hands and borad shoulders too and I would descibe my hands are noticeably inverted inwards, and at the same angle. The right hand can easily use the standard positionning at that angle. On the left however,  If I were to try and press R with my index from the starting row I would find my middle finger in the way. I can definitely not hit the Y with the pinky without moving the whole hand.

I can probably keep the top row as standard but I would need to get my elbow closer which I find a bit akward and unconfortable.

[davkol]

There are two things that may help you: (1) wide layout mod, or (2) split (matrix) keyboard.

[oneproduct]

If you're this enthusiastic about it, you could also consider learning a different layout where the common keys are in better position, such as Colemak or Dvorak. In those layout the most common keys are right underneath your fingers on the homerow.