How to improve at solving many puzzles?

[brian724080]

Practice 3x3 first. Earlier this year, my 5x5 times dropped a whole minute even though I haven't even touched it for about 4 months.

 

[PJKCuber]

Practice 3x3 first. Earlier this year, my 5x5 times dropped a whole minute even though I haven't even touched it for about 4 months.

I will, but the only thing I need to get sub 20 now is Full PLL which I am learning. As for the other cubes, my times are so off par of my 3x3 times. I average 23 seconds on 3x3 but 11 on 2x2 and around 2:40 on 4x4. I also want to get into BLD but after getting sub 20 on 3x3, sub 6 on 2x2 and sub 1:30 on 4x4 which I don't think should take more than a month.
Here is my new timetable for practice : from August 1
Practice 4x4 and 3x3 For A Week and Learn Full PLL until I get a sub 22 Average of 100 and 4x4: Sub 2 Average of 25
Then, practice 3x3 and 2x2 for a week until I get a sub 21 or 20 Average and Seriously work on PBL on 2x2 and try to be sub 7 continously
Also, learn 3BLD and try to get a success. Practice until sub 5 minutes.
Then repeat the above, Aim for sub 3 3BLD.
then Sub 2
then Sub 1:30
and so on for the other cubes.
How do ya guys like it?

 

[goodatthis]

I think lookahead is something that IS learned, but not really specifically learned through training. It seems like something that naturally comes along as your current pair becomes muscle memory, you can naturally switch your focus to the next pair. The only training I've heard that kind of trains look ahead is blind solving pairs, but even that doesn't seem much better than just solving.

I do think you often come along with great points, DeeDubb, but I couldn't disagree more with this statement. Often times I will do poorly in solves because I am not consciously looking ahead. I was stuck at 26-27 seconds for a while about a month and a half ago, and since learning lookahead, and conciously using it in my solves, I have improved down to near sub-20. Lookahead was something that didn't just come naturally to me.

 

[Ollie]

 

[Chree]

I do think you often come along with great points, DeeDubb, but I couldn't disagree more with this statement. Often times I will do poorly in solves because I am not consciously looking ahead. I was stuck at 26-27 seconds for a while about a month and a half ago, and since learning lookahead, and conciously using it in my solves, I have improved down to near sub-20. Lookahead was something that didn't just come naturally to me.

I also agree with this. Lookahead was something that I had to force myself to do. Not just on 3x3... I have to engage in what feels like an entirely different brand of lookahead when performing redux on big cubes. Just like how an F2L pair eventually becomes muscle memory through practice, lookahead does eventually become a natural process, but only after lots of conscious effort. Doing Blind F2L pairs is just a way of assuring myself that I know how to solve that case if I weren't looking at the pieces. But knowing how to lookahead (and also, WHERE to lookahead) feels like a different process.

 

[tpt8899]

Thank you for posting this video. I think that it is very helpful!

 

[PJKCuber]

I have to admit, I am addicted to 4x4. I am not even sub 2 because I have only done 2 mo5 with Yau. I am gonna practice a ton of 4x4 now. Yau > Reduction. Thank you Robert Yau! This method suit me well as I use CFOP.