Finger drills specific to right hand pinkie and index finger?

I am a student at the 100-120 range, and I've kept a running log of my trouble spots since beginning Theory. My pinkie and ring finger of my RIGHT HAND is where I need a lot of work. I commonly mistroke periods (ex: FPL, not FPLT), commas (ex: RGB, not RGBS), and the number 9, especially at higher speeds. I hope to one day create these common misstrokes as alternative strokes in my dictionary (whenever I figure out how to do that!)... but in the meantime...

Is there anything I can do to strengthen those two fingers? I use Realtime Coach, so if anybody knows of any specific drills, that would work nicely. What about books, tapes and (preferably), videos/dictations from websites?

I think that strengthening those fingers might help with other words that I'm misstroking, and will probably serve me better in the future as speed progresses.

Thanks so much!  ~Jillian

Hey Jillian...I've been a reporter for 18 years and my right pinkie seems to do that a lot too...still!  I seem to unknowingly lift it up during periods, commas, answer bank, etc.  Honestly, I defined all of those misstrokes into my dictionary (which you will eventually learn how to do...it's VERY easy)!  As for the number 9, I write ALL of my numbers out.  I have never used the number bar once.  There's just too much room for error.  If you like the number bar and keep misstroking the number 9, maybe you should just start writing out that number (TPHAOEUPB).  Hope this helped!  Good luck!

Hi, Jillian.

You can get the Speed Teacher here:

http://courtreportinghelp.com/speedteacher.html

You might also look at the Fast Track book:

http://www.stenograph.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=1470001&subid=5190001&childid=5200001&prodid=38812

With this book, you basically pick any two colums, set your metronome appropriately, and drill.  The words are small, and deceptively easy ... until you start going faster.

BUT since you're having a specific right hand issue, look through the book for drills that focus on the right hand, and practice those drills.

Also, while I did link to the new version of the FT book, check the vendors and see if you can get a used copy.  You can probably get by without those CDs they're touting.

Finally, I also like Margaret's rubber band idea!  :o)  Think I'll have to adopt that one myself!

--gdw
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