Train with the test
The test above works as a trainer. One set is five tries. The panel turns from red to green after a random wait of about 1.5 to 5 seconds, you click, tap or press Space, and the set ends with an average in milliseconds.
An early click cancels the try and it is repeated. That is useful in training, because it stops you from drifting into guessing.
A simple weekly routine
Use the same device all week.
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Monday | 3 sets. Note the panel average as your baseline for the week. |
| Tuesday | 3 sets. Focus on a relaxed hand, finger resting on the button. |
| Wednesday | Rest, or 1 easy set. |
| Thursday | 3 sets. Focus on waiting for green and not guessing. |
| Friday | 3 sets on the F1 lights version for variety. |
| Weekend | 1 check set when you are well rested. Compare it with Monday. |
Friday’s sets use the F1 reaction time test, which keeps its own history, so they will not disturb your main average.
Tracking the average
After every set, the Your scores panel updates. It shows your best set, the average of all your sets and the number of attempts, with a chart of recent results. The average is the figure to follow. Your best is partly luck, and it only ever moves one way.
Because the panel average covers your whole history, it changes slowly once you have many attempts. If you want a clean start for a new block of training, use Clear history in the panel. The dashboard shows the same numbers for every test on the site.
What training changes
Practice mainly improves consistency. Your slow tries become rarer, so your sets come out closer together and the average drops a little. Expect tens of milliseconds at most, not hundreds.
Sleep counts as well. Sleep loss slows reactions, so a week of short nights can hide any gain from practice.
Rules that keep the numbers honest
- Train on one device. Hardware typically adds 20 to 50 ms, and the amount differs between devices.
- Count every set, including the bad ones.
- Stop when your sets start getting slower. Tired sets only add noise to your average.
For drills away from the screen, see the best exercises for reaction time.