It's normal. Since you never learn touch typing before, your finger strength need to be more balanced between fingers. It will take a month or two to train your pinky and ring fingers stronger.

That sounds like good advice to me.

My fingers felt totally unnatural when I started out touch typing.  I'd never had any finger ache before then.   Also the amount of initial practice was putting a burden on the fingers - that exacerbated the problem.

I'm finding it difficult to shed a few bad habits - and as a result my shoulders never feel totally relaxed - and I think that leads to some of my neck pain.

I'd seek out professional guidance from veteran typists if you possibly can.

@tony_vn, where did you get this advice?

I've searched high and low on the web for information on correct typing technique.  And asked here in the forum.  I was puzzled as to why no one was chiming in, but I have discovered that there seem to be many conflicting schools of thought on this.  That's not to say that your advice is wrong.

I've read anecdotes where users have said they prefer corner desk sitting, some prefer arm support, some like to rest their wrists when typing and some like to lay back in their chairs.

I personally have tried many different techniques.  The most comfortable posture I found for a long while was laying on my back typing - which sounds ridiculous - but personally I think the reclining position really suits me.  It's just a shame I don't have the cash to throw at a matching chair.  I've tried standing, changing the keyboard height, positive and negative inclines on the keyboard. Loads of things.

I figured the best people to ask for advice might be old school typists and/or pianists.  Even with the latter group - people's views on something like finger curvature widely differs.

The web being the web is full of too many people replicating information that they've read elsewhere - with no particular authority to do so.

When you aren't comfortable in a position, you feel like you have to fight to maintain it, and it feels somewhat unnatural.  Though - it is possible to get used to it.  The body is odd isn't it?  Some people suggest finding a position that _you_ are comfortable with - but I'm not so sure if this is good advice or not.  Is a comfortable slouch good for you in the long run?

As I've said in previous posts - touch typing has helped me pain wise in some areas - but hindered me in others.  I now get rustiness in the fingers and wrists that I never had before with my deranged free form typing style of old.  I currently suspect that it's my key striking that is at error.

Some days I'm totally happy and comfortable.  Other days I can't even sit in front of a computer and I curse the day I decided to touch type.

But perhaps I'm an edge case.  A computer addict.  Someone that could easily help himself by doing some exercise and spending less time in an unnatural human posture.  I'm also in a transition phase - I am still getting used to an alternative layout and touch typing (under a year).  And I was experiencing problems before I began.  Maybe if I'd touch typed from an early age - I wouldn't be where I am now - maybe it's all in my mind.

If I could afford it - I would get some professional advice.  I'm still at the point where I can't advocate 'touch typing' or even an alternative layout.  Though I'd like to.

It's interesting to see this passionate and active community - but why is there this desire to increasingly optimise layouts - or technique?  Is that just the human quest for perfection or a case of male obsession?  It seems to me that people are still dissatisfied and I'd wager that they aren't totally comfortable even with their favourite layout.

Perhaps it's my own fault for thinking a new layout and touch typing would be a magic bullet to all my ailments!  Maybe it is - and in a year I'll forget all this.

Sorry for rambling on - hope it's vaguely on topic.  I'm not wanting to discourage anyone from learning to touch type or try Colemak.

With reference to the picture above, would you say that they are too far away from the keyboard - are the elbows too far forward?