Need some advice for how to get faster.

Hey. I Just started cubing in october and can solve to cube and do F2L and whatever else i can do that i don't know that i can. My fastest time is 1'58"26 and average is 2'38"55. I was wondering about some tips faster than i am and what algorithms and stuff i should learn next. i posted a video on youtube of me solving a cube (2'01"96) so that you can see my habits and styles and junk. Thanks.
(Video might be still processing)
Here is the video

Practice.
kthnxbai.

try four look last layer with fridrich, then gradually learn full fridrich

Read the stickys.

In order of how quick I think you'll see returns:
1. Practice
2. Either intuitive F2L or for an easy to pick up quick speed boost, keyhole method.
3. 4 look last layer

Read stickies, wiki articles, etc for more info.

My order to improve will be:

1. Get good cube, set good tension and lubricate cube.
2. Insert edge-pair together in F2L.
3. Finger-tricks
4. OLL and PLL together
5. F2L from different angles, slots etc
6. Lookahead
7. Improved finger-tricks, algorithms and shortcuts etc
8. Watch some videos of experts doing it, realise you are still quite far and practice some more.
9. Go to step 7.

But it is jumping between the different steps.

I don't see any benefit in learning anything new right now. I'd wait (and I did wait, and past this) until you were under a minute with your LBL method until learning any new techniques. It builds familiarity with the cube and dexterity. Looking ahead is also much easier to learn with LBL than F2L. If you're able to look ahead with LBL, I think the transition to F2L will be much easier.
So, in conclusion, practice for a while.

rubiknewbie said:

My order to improve will be:

1. Get good cube, set good tension and lubricate cube.
2. Insert edge-pair together in F2L.
3. Finger-tricks
4. OLL and PLL together
5. F2L from different angles, slots etc
6. Lookahead
7. Improved finger-tricks, algorithms and shortcuts etc
8. Watch some videos of experts doing it, realise you are still quite far and practice some more.
9. Go to step 7.

But it is jumping between the different steps.

Click to expand...

I have to disagree, a good cube shouldnt be remotely needed until youve got fingertricks and average 2-3 TPS through the solve. If his cube sucks then he should lube it but thats about it. You have to remember hes an absolute beginner, F2L is gonna take a while to see a speed return - simple practice would be much more beneficial. With practice comes fingertricks and lookahead.

Practice makes perfect
shorten your last layer moves).

If you want to know what I did:
My first steps moving from beginner, to advanced.
1. Learnt F2L
2. [After orienting cross and permuting edges], I leart corner OLL algs, then corner PLL algs.

Then after that I learnt all PLL cases

Learn full zb, nuff said.

On a serious note, just practice turning ahead, and maybe learn 4 look last layer.

So, what do u actually do with ZB? hows it work?

ZB is very advanced technique to do last layer in one-step. But a lot of algorithms to memorise. Not for beginners.

My advice is to get a good cube (at least a DIY cube capable of finger tricks) and learn F2L, OLL and PLL early then practice from there. You don't have to be super fast with your fingers before learning new algorithms.

It comes from mistakes I made. I used a terrible store bought cube and practiced with it for a long time, then realised I have to re-adapt the turning to the DIY cube because it is so much faster. The practice time with the terrible cube is as good as wasted. Then again I practiced with the beginners' method for a long time, then realised I have to relearn everything with F2L, OLL and PLL. Therefore in order not to waste practice time I recommend to learn these early.

Another problem with practising too much with beginners' stuff is that much of that is non-optimal practice and the longer you practice with them the harder it is to get rid of the bad habit. Some of the beginner algorithms is still used in some of the more advanced algorithms but others may end up not being used at all. I am trying hard to replace the U perm I learn in beginners' method.

While I agree that one can practice beginner's method too much, I don't think that a few weeks at most (started in October) and only being down to 2 minutes is too much. If he's still using pure beginners method at 30-40 seconds then of course it is too much but it's not too much at 2 minutes, most people I know of get to 2 minutes in under 50 solves.

Rubixcubematt said:

Learn full zb, nuff said.

On a serious note, just practice turning ahead, and maybe learn 4 look last layer.

Click to expand...

YES YES YES.
ZB ZB ZB ZB.

But uh, don't do it, unless you have 8+ hours of free time a day like me.
(Except during chemistry lab days, and Wednesdays.)


ZB works like fridrich, until the last slot.
Then it orients all edges in 6-9 turns.
Then it solves the cube completely in an average of 12 turns.
But since, a lot of my algorithms arent optimal, it takes around 14-15 ish turns.

ZB also takes a lot of practice, and endurance.

Cubes=Life said:

Rubixcubematt said:

Learn full zb, nuff said.

On a serious note, just practice turning ahead, and maybe learn 4 look last layer.

Click to expand...

YES YES YES.
ZB ZB ZB ZB.

But uh, don't do it, unless you have 8+ hours of free time a day like me.
(Except during chemistry lab days, and Wednesdays.)


ZB works like fridrich, until the last slot.
Then it orients all edges in 6-9 turns.
Then it solves the cube completely in an average of 12 turns.
But since, a lot of my algorithms arent optimal, it takes around 14-15 ish turns.

ZB also takes a lot of practice, and endurance.

Click to expand...

I think i might learn some ZBLL algs for all the 2loll cases I come up with alot.

Lol, good luck Edward, you're going to need it. <
ZBLL will consume your time if you try.

Cubes=Life said:

Lol, good luck Edward, you're going to need it. <
ZBLL will consume your time if you try.

Click to expand...

I'm only learning a few, just for convenience when the case comes up. I'm definitely not learning full ZBLL.

I considered that too, but is it advisable? Because if you only learn partially, then you may have to pause to decide whether you should apply ZB or use normal method .

As Erik said, KISS.

rubiknewbie said:

I considered that too, but is it advisable? Because if you only learn partially, then you may have to pause to decide whether you should apply ZB or use normal method .

As Erik said, KISS.

Click to expand...

Kiss?
I haven't a clue.

Also, I'd advise against it.
unless you always had oriented edges, ZBLL isn't worth it.
I'm combining ZZ with ZBLL (ZZ-a?)
Works like a charm~

Erik said Keep It Simple Stupid