3. Glance back and forth to your left and right thumbs ten times without turning your head.
4. Repeat this three times each time you do the exercise.
Exercise 4 - Use a drawn shape
You can do this exercise using any shape, but the star works best because of the number of angles.
1. On a piece of paper, draw a star.
2. On each angle of the star, write a number from one to six.
3. Without moving your head, move your eyes around the numbers quickly from one to six.
4. Without moving your head, roll your eyes around the numbers backward from six to one.
Exercise 5 - Writing with your eyes
This will have your eyes moving in ways that differ from how you usually see. This exercises the extra-ocular muscles and increased the range of eye movement and the flexibility of the eye.
1. Look at a wall that is across the room from you (as far away as you can).
2. Now imagine that you are writing your name with your eyes on the wall.
3. Try it in cursive writing and block letters.
Exercise 6 - Hooded Eyes
Hooded means when your eyes are half-closed: this relaxes the eyes and is an excellent exercise to do a few times when your eyes need a bit of a break.
1. Close your eyes.
2. Concentrate on stopping the trembling of your eyelids.
3. Concentrating on the eyelids relaxes the eyes.
4. While your eyes are hooded, look at an object that is far
away, and you will find that the trembling of your eyes will stop.
Exercise 7 - Squeezing the eyes
Squeezing your eyes together relaxes your eyes, and makes the muscles of the eye a lot more flexible. When squeezing your eyes together, it increases oxygen and blood flow to both your eyes and your face, which improves their health. This exercise will take you around three minutes to complete.
1. While inhaling slowly and deeply, open your mouth and your eyes as wide as you can. This stretches all the facial muscles.
2. While exhaling, squeeze your eyes closed tightly as possible, and squeeze the other muscles of your face, head, and neck, and clench your jaw.
3. Continue to squeeze for 30 seconds while holding your breath.
4. Repeat the process another four times, take a brief break, and then complete a further five squeezing exercises.
Exercise 8 - Gazing at a clock
This is another excellent exercise for your eye muscles, and all you need is a chair and an imagination!
1. Sit in a chair with your back straight and both of your feet level on the floor.
2. Using your imagination, picture a very large clock fact about 12 inches in front of you.
3. Without moving your head, look at the number 12, then down to number 6.
4. Without moving your head, look up to number 1, then down to number 7.
5. Without moving your head, look up to number 2, then down to number 8.
6. Without moving your head, look up to number 3, then down to number 9.
7. Without moving your head, look down to number 4, then up to number 10.
8. Without moving your head, look down to number 5, then up to number 11.
9. Now rest your eyes by closing them or covering them.
Tips for Faster Reading Success
When you first start practicing faster reading, choose a wide variety of simple material for the first week. Something quite light to read and easy to understand. This will enable you to focus on the technique of speed reading without having to focus too much on comprehension.
From then on, begin to read books or materials that are more complex and challenging. You are still working on training your eyes without having to comprehend all that you are reading while you are practicing. Now you are starting to create a habit.
