How can you read at 3500 words per minute? Are you a sort of Kim Peak?
We should probably make a distinction between skimming and reading. I think reading familiar material involves a lot of skimming, at least when I do it. The information is already partly known, so it bypasses one of the major bottlenecks of reading speed (comprehension).
…along those lines…
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Hey Adrian,
Thank you so much for your time and effort on this detailed reply… and also saving me from buying Kwik’s course (I was so close to purchasing it!). Having an experienced person like yourself giving us reviews on the different techniques out there really helps beginners like us who are eager to improve streamline our efforts for efficiency. Yes, I am in the midst of going through Kump’s book now…
I have a few comments/questions to your reply!
- Jon Levi’s Udemy course does outline a daily drill to practice, however its not as detailed as Kump’s… what he recommends is to do saccadic reading at 5 different phases - 300 wpm, 350wpm, 500wpm, 700wpm, and lastly 1000wpm… To progress from phase to phase, you need to be able to remember about 70% of details before moving onto the next phase. His argument is that you should read fast and let your comprehension catch up later! Although Kump’s drills are slightly different I believe he also follows a similar method where he gets the reader to double/triple their rate whereby its quite impossible to understand anything at that point… That being said would Kump’s drills still be better?
Also, I was wondering if I should invest time in practicing saccadic reading… The method is essentially cutting the book in 2/3 vertical sections and focusing on the middle of each section to be able to “capture” a few words at once… what i found was that for easier reads, using saccades is faster than a visual pacer because the simple logic of the text allows one to group multiple words and still understand it… however for more complicated passages it seems like using a visual pacer at a quick pace is faster because I tend to make more sense of the passage reading word for word given its complexity. Perhaps there could be a hybrid of both (Using visual pacer while “capturing” multiple words at once) as well.
- My last qns is regarding visual markers and mind mapping! I am curious to know what is your mind mapping process like because 1.5 hours is truly impressive (I take days!)… also are you able to remember that mind map off the top of your head or have to rely on a software to map it out, and then review it from time to time to not forget?
For myself, what i am currently doing after having completed Jon’s course is to come up with detailed compound visual markers to encapsulate main ideas/examples in the book, and then try to put these images into the mindmap… however I am finding it difficult to remember the mind map offhand because there are too many details. Also, how does the visualization for a branch, sub branch and leaves look like? For example if I want to link a main idea (Branch) to its example (sub branch), do I simply take the compound marker for the main idea and draw a line to the compound marker for the example to show its relation?
P.S A compound marker is something like a visual image that explains a concept (i.e to represent global warming reduces fishes in the sea which upsets fishermen, I would imagine fishermen who are unhappy, catching up a net from a red hot ocean (to signify global warming) with many dead fish)… apparently it helps us remember these concepts more easily
Photoreading course sounds interesting, will check it out!!
Would appreciate any thoughts on this, thanks!! (:
Sammysolid,
Here are my answers:
Your words:
(saccadic reading at 5 different phases - 300 wpm, 350wpm, 500wpm, 700wpm, and lastly 1000wpm)
My thots: This method i think is helpful. It is always good to improve progressively.
Your words: (to be able to remember about 70% of details before moving onto the next phase.)
My thots: sorry, but I don’t understand this.
Your words: His argument is that you should read fast and let your comprehension catch up later!
My thots: i agree with this. Just practice the skills. comprehension will catch up later.
Your words: using saccades is faster than a visual pacer because the simple logic of the text allows one to group multiple words and still understand it…
My thots: using a visual pacer will help to speed up your reading. You can read in saccades with your finger too. Using finger to read really helps.
I have tried reading in saccades without visual pacer. And i wasn’t as quick as i would like to be.
Using visual pacer pushes your eyes to go faster. Visual pacer can be pen or just your fingers. I suggest using your fingers so u wont feel handicapped if you don’t have a pen.
Your words: for more complicated passages it seems like using a visual pacer at a quick pace is faster because I tend to make more sense of the passage reading word for word given its complexity.
My thots: with complicated passages, it does helps to read line by line.
When u talk about complicated passages, what comes to my mind are authors who use really long statements and big words which are hard to understand.
This was the case when i read this book:
AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley and the New World Order.
This book was abit tough to read for me cos alot of jargons.
The key to reading fast is this technique called :visual reading.
It is found in Peter Kump’s books. There are a no. of techniques in visual reading which were mentioned.
Basically for visual reading…u don’t read line by line.
U simply use your finger (or fingers) and u brush through the page with a few strokes.
(like the way windshield wiper is used to clean the rain from the cars)…
And yr eyes are able to actually see large blocks of words.
With visual reading…u can see entire large blocks of words (that fill up an entire page) in 2-4 seconds…
I have tried this…it is possible…
(the instructions are in Peter Kump’s book rapid reading.
It is simply a matter of practicing the skills everyday…it can be done.
U just have to invest 30min-1hour everyday.
I did this for over 3 months…just be patient…give yourself time. Don’t give up!
Your words: My last qns is regarding visual markers and mind mapping! I am curious to know what is your mind mapping process like because 1.5 hours is truly impressive (I take days!
My thots: some books are really thick and complicated. So it may take more than 1.5hours.
with most books…i can read in 30-45min (without mindmap or underlining…i just read and move on).
Then u can wake up the next day…give yourself time to sleep over it.
The next day, take 45min to mindmap…
The second method is this.
Read 45min once through…take a break.
Then mindmap for 45min.
Avoid reading and mindmapping at the same time…it is tough, bec your brain is still figuring out the contents…
Textbooks will take more time to read, and more time to mindmap.
We need to be reasonable…
the reason i can write fast i think…is bec i scribble…that means i am the only one who fully understands my words…hahaaa!
Sometime mindmap helps…sometimes just write key phrases…do whatever works…
Peter Kump has unique methods of notetaking…which i find really good…
Please read his book: Breakthrough Rapid Reading…
Blessings…
Adrian Hanz
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Hi Adrianhanz!
i picked up peter kump’s book based on your advice, and i truly appreciate it! thank you!
one problem i have with it: i do my reading mostly on a pc screen which is at least 60 cm away from me, making the finger pacing technique unusable.
Do you have any recomendations regarding speed reading for computer reading?
Thanks
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Hey @boomaye
Simply use your mouse cursor as a substitute for your finger. that will solve the problem.
For reading words on screen, try this app as an option.
https://www.spreeder.com/app.php
Paste your document inside.
Press the green button “spreed”
This will lead you to a new page.
Then go settings, and choose how many words you want to read per minute.
Then start reading.
Blessings
Adrian Hanz
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I have never felt the need to actually read faster than seems natural to me. Depending on the material and blitz 1K / min or 1/K per day. It all depends on the material. The bottle neck is comprehension and assimilation.
I am also waiting to hear from the thousands who got their Phd’s by age 14 because of speed reading. I haven’t seen any significant accomplishments based on this ability.
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Hey Adrian, can you suggest a method or book for improving memory and mind-mapping and subconscious mind
Hey Sunny,
Memory program:
Here is a free program from Kevin Trudeau.
That is the program my kid went thru.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aykfUGjJVcY&t=20s
Mindmap:
You don’t have to get any books. Books don’t do justice to this subject. Just visit youtube:
Note taking: Adam Khoo THIS IS MY FAVOURITE
Infographics template which you can use (gotta pay):
Useful for memory.
Apologize. i am not an expert in subconscious mind.
Regards.
Adrian Hanz
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If you’re looking for books, see also the FAQ on memory improvement books.
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Thank you so much Adrian. Immense respect for you.
Hey Adrian, one more request - could you suggest a book/link for Developing Organized Mindset
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Hey Sunny,
I don’t really get what you mean.
However,
i am currently going through this productivity system known as
How to Get Things Done by David Allen.
This might be what you are looking for.
Note: there is a later version. However, there have been complains that the later version is not as good as the old one.
Take note that this is a system. This is not a motivational huff and puff. It is being used in organizations and universities. So it is proven to work.
Also, there is a version for teenagers. I am about to go thru this teenager version with my kid. There istat least 1 adult who say that the teenager version is even better.
(u need to pay for it in kindle. But it is really cheap at $4.25usd)
You can download free kindle software for reading ebooks. It is free.
Blessings
Adrian Hanz
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Yes similar sort of thing. I have been looking for a book to get organized, productive and better at time management. I hope your recommended book helps.
Thanks friend.
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It’s $9.99 USD here in California. I wonder if they adjust the pricing per customer or country. Does anyone else see a different price?
I’m reading a paper copy of the regular edition at the moment. He mentions that the new version was updated to take into account the modern computerized world. I’m not very far into it yet though.
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i tried it.
good one. but such an Overestimated cost.
concentrated a lot about the Out of reading things: position of body position of the book the lighting deep breath blah blah blah, which non of it concern me
those not a different from what you’ll get on a youtube or a Google search.
maybe just more organized talking about
i was more concerned with the
so the only idea that i took from it. beside using ( pacer /pencil/pen /your finger or any)
that you read a book in 5 minute then stop and mark at the end of 5minute ,mark where you stopped.
then you reread the same text for 4min and stop and mark your finish place.
then reread for 3min ,and mark your end.
the reread for 2min and stop and mark your end.
then reread the text again for 1min and mark your end.
and your reading here would be for speed mostly not for comprehension
so his idea to practice for 10minate a day for 21days(21rule in psychology to learn anything blah blah ) and you’ll see the result
saying with practice and time you’ll develop speed.
beside that nothing big to mention .
Josh,
the price of $4.25usd is a kindle version, not a hard copy.
Blessings.
Adrian Hanz
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Thanks for bringing this to my attention!
Hopefully this message won’t be too long, definitely off topic but an extended answer to the question you asked.
Yes, I didn’t thought of it until you mentioned it! I just used the incognito mode in Chrome and cycled through my VPN servers. Definite price differences. Not big differences but still.
It reminded me of something I’ve been doing for ages and all the frequent fliers will definitely benefit from it. Never ever search for a flight you are planning to take if you are not in incognito mode! Search for the desired flight while using incognito mode and then only after you have found it, go back, log into your account and buy it. If you search for a flight and then go back later to buy the ticket, it is almost always more expensive.
Apologies for the off topic answer.
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It’s $9.99 for the Kindle version here. They must change the price depending on the country or person.
Also watch out for dynamic pricing if you use a Mac. Some of those sites will fingerprint your browser, so they will know your identity even if you use incognito mode with a VPN. The best defense against that that I know of is to disable most 3rd-party JavaScript by default with uMatrix on Firefox, though it might not work all of the time.
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