Introduction
Humans have a natural aversion to change and it makes adjusting daily routines difficult. A month ago, I embarked on a journey to overhaul my typing experience by learning not just a new keyboard layout but also a new type of keyboard altoghether. I restructured my experience from the ground up, and wrote this post to share my impressions after a month of using a split, ortholinear keyboard called the ZSA Voyager. I paired this with the Colemak-DH keyboard layout.
But why? — Why go through so much work? Will it make me type blazingly fast? Well, no, although I believe the ceiling has been raised inadvertently. I chose to refactor my workflow because of vast ergonomic benefit which promises to preserve my physical health. I did this for me ten years from now.
Adjustment: Rebuilding Muscle Memory
A lot of experts and articles will advise slowly adjusting to a new keyboard layout over time, perhaps adding in a small subsection of the keyboard each week. That’s lame and takes too long, so I erased my muscle memory in one go and just went for it. I unplugged my old keyboard and set up my Voyager. Split keyboard, blank keycaps, and an entirely new keyboard schema with a symbols layer.
After a month of practice, I’m now typing at ~70 wpm down from my previous average of ~125. I mapped my typing speed on a website and I see a clear linear trend, so it’s safe to say it’s only a matter of time.
Breaking Down the Changes
1. The Voyager Split Keyboard: Ergonomics First
The Voyager split keyboard is a revelation. My IQUNIX F97 Hitchhiker is an excellent pre-built keyboard, but the Voyager implements a handful of essential improvements. With the split design, my hands rest more naturally, and my shoulders are no longer pulled inward. This alignment improvement alone has made typing for extended periods significantly more comfortable and eased the constant, dull pain between my shoulder blades.
2. Ortholinear Keys: Stop Staggering!
Ortholinear keys, where keys are aligned in a grid rather than staggered, are simply better. The staggered design we’re all used to was born out of typewriter constraints, not ergonomics. With ortholinear keys, every finger’s movement feels more intentional and precise.
3. Proper 10-Finger Touch-Typing: Less Strain, More Gain
One of the biggest changes I’ve made is enforcing proper 10-finger touch-typing. Paired with the key layout of the Voyager, using all ten fingers has effectively eliminated moving my hand to reach for a key. Each finger is responsible for a column of keys on the keyboard. I also eliminated some of my bad habits! In the past, some fingers took on more responsibility than they ought to, and this fixed that.
4. Colemak-DH Layout: The Home Row Hero
Colemak-DH takes the already ergonomic Colemak layout and makes it even better by keeping your most-used keys on the home row. It’s designed to minimize finger movement and keep your hands comfortable while typing. For someone like me, who spends a significant amount of time programming, the inclusion of a symbol layer (where symbols are mapped to easily accessible keys) is revolutionary. The result? A layout that’s not only ergonomic but also extremely fast.
The Bigger Picture: Chairs, Posture, and Avoiding Upper Crossed Syndrome
While I’m optimizing my typing setup, it’s crucial not to overlook the importance of overall posture. After all, no keyboard layout can save you from the effects of poor posture. I’ve been paying close attention to my chair and how I sit while working. Ensuring that my chair supports a natural, upright posture is key to avoiding upper crossed syndrome — a condition where the muscles in the neck, shoulders, and chest become imbalanced due to poor posture. This syndrome can lead to neck pain, shoulder discomfort, and even headaches, which all suck.
A close friend of mine worked for years unguarded at a desk and it caused them to lose 67% of the natural curvature in their spine. The resulting chiropractic bills came to $4,500. That was a huge wake-up call for me and played a significant role in justifying the money I spent on this new ergonomic setup. Investing in good equipment now feels like a small price to pay for long-term health and comfort.
Conclusion: Embracing the Challenge
Adopting this new keyboard setup is a commitment, but it’s one I’m excited about. I’ve even gamified the process with a website that tracks my typing progress and gives me a bunch of stats and charts to geek out over. As someone who will be programming for many more years, this feels like a worthwhile investment in my professional workflow.
The journey is just beginning, and I look forward to seeing how much my typing speed and comfort improve over the coming months. Stay tuned for updates!