Do you practice algs you don't use?

stoic

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A few months ago, I became slightly obsessed with OLL 57 ("H" or "I" OLL) and ended up learning a bunch of ELLs and other random 1-look algs for it. Since then, it has become apparent that this was a pretty useless endeavour, as they hardly ever come up for me in speedsolves. The odd time they have I've tended to fluff them anyway.
The thing is, though, I still practice them so that I don't forget them. Typically I'll cycle thought them three or four times a week. It just seems like such a waste to let them go!
Anyone else do anything stupid like this?
 
Yeah, I know 8 Ua perms (7 if you count R2 U' S' U2 S U' R2 and R2 U' [F B'] R2 [F' B] U' R2 as the same alg) even though I only use two in 2H solves (MU) and two in OH solves (LU/RU, same thing). The other two are R U R' U' R' U2 R U R U' R2 U2 R and M2 u' M' u2 M' u' M2.
oh and I've probably learned on average 2 algs for each PLL even though I only use one in solves, but I still use them in untimed solves (e.g. RUD F perm, french Ga perm)
 
I definitely practice algs I never use.

Almost every right hand alg I know I practice the lefty mirror, even though I have a different alg I do that's right handed. Sometimes I'll even teach myself the F/B mirrors in case they turn out to be useful in actual solves. Same with some inverses, like the checkerboard OLL (MUsexyM2antifatsexy vs fatsexyM2antisexyU'M'). I know both... PRACTICE both... but only actually use the first (though I'm thinking of switching to the second). There are also several OLLs that I learned the inverse of just because they were already popular algs and figured: why not?

Also, many of the first OLL/PLL algs I learned have since been replaced, but I still drill the old alg if I'm just messing around. There's also a small group of algs I know I should switch to, but don't quite have as locked down in my muscle memory as my current main alg. So I drill those a lot as well. And occasionally it'll make it's way into my actual solves.

I find it's nice to know all these algs because many of them use different finger tricks, regrips, or sequences of notation that also show up my main algs. That make them worth practicing. I've also found that the more algs I know, the easier it is to learn new ones, strange as it seems.
 
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Yeah sometimes. I like to practice patterns and stuff, it's a nice break from hours pf practice. In particular checkerboard (M2' U2' u D M2') and dots (M E M' E') are really fun to practice.
 
Do you use them?

Only all the time.

No one should use this alg: R2' S2 U l2' U' l2' u R2 U' r2' F2
Or this alg: l' U2 R' u2 R B2 U2 R' u2 l U2 R
Or this alg: F R2 D R' U' R D' R' U2 R' U' R U' R' U' R U R' F'
Or this alg (unless you can do it fast like Thom): [[r' u: M2], U2]
Or this alg: R U R' F' R U R' U R U' R' U' R' F R2 U R' U' R U' R'
 
Only all the time.

No one should use this alg: R2' S2 U l2' U' l2' u R2 U' r2' F2

Gross.

Or this alg: l' U2 R' u2 R B2 U2 R' u2 l U2 R

Ugh... gross. Got any better ZBLL options for that case?

Or this alg: F R2 D R' U' R D' R' U2 R' U' R U' R' U' R U R' F'

Really, dude?

Or this alg (unless you can do it fast like Thom): [[r' u: M2], U2]

eeeeeeeh.

Or this alg: R U R' F' R U R' U R U' R' U' R' F R2 U R' U' R U' R'

That's... well... flows well. But compared to any of the more standard algs... yeah. I agree.
 
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