Colemak Updates
In case you're landing here...
I’m sharing updates on my journey switching keyboard layouts, from standard QWERTY to something called Colemak-dh which is designed with an optimal key layout based on the most popular words in English.
You can read more about it here.
Updates
October 19, 2025
- ironically, I’m stuck on R, S, T
- with every new key added, R is the first to dip…then R causes S to dip
- you can see the near 50% distribution of success/failures in the last image
- it takes almost 2-3 days to retrain a new letter and still maintain previous keys
- starting to see some cool 55wpm top speeds!
Data
October 14, 2025
- missed a week of practice and several screenshot due to a vacation
- this update represents about 3 weeks of 3-4 days/week - 30 min typing training
- switched the mode so that words and keys are limited to what is unlocked
- new mode is basically like starting over
- any previously unlocked key that slows below threshold will re-lock it AND all other keys after it until it is back above threshold again
- starting to see the progress slow WAY down as new keys are unlocked
- having to go back and repeat several keys that slow after other new ones
- accuracy still ok
Data
September 14, 2025
Data
September 07, 2025
- happy with some additional progress
- accuracy is good
Something to consider
At this point, I am ‘unlocking’ keys as I reach thresholds set (e.g. 20wpm, 25wpm, etc.)
This mode doesn’t limit the keys used in words or ignore if previously unlocked key-speeds start to slow down (below the threshold) as new keys are unlocked.
Spoiler alert: I later realize this and change it for better stacked learning - and not just key-by-key.
Data
From here on out, updates should be fairly simple, just screenshot with a summary of comments (above).
September 01, 2025
Initial Impressions
- surprised at how well the first 20 min and then first 1 hr tests went.
- impressed at the pace at which I was unlocking keys - easier to see in upcoming posts
- optimistic this experiment will go pretty well/quickly!
Baseline QWERTY
Without much effort at all, I could easily produce 80+ WPM at 95% accuracy…sustained over 2:00 minutes of typing.
First Tests With Colemak-dh
Here as some of the results from my first lessons / tests on Keybr.com .
Keybr Lessons
During this period, I habe Keybr configured to ony work with homerow keys.
New keys are only unlocked when the target speed is reached. Early on, I set the target speed to ~20 WPM… and only increased it after all letters were unlocked.
In these early tests, I did not capture the number of unlocked keys - in later tests you can see this better
Out of the gate NOT that terrible! …until you realize how SLOW 20 WPM really is. ha!
After about an hour of practice, I took this screenshot. That’s about a 50% increase in only an hour!
Spoiler alert: those kind of gains won’t stick around for long.
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