[Member Intro] HI - Im learning cubing for shallow pride reasons!

[hooperjaws]

Hi everyone.
Im old! I solved the cube in the mid 80's by an ancient book called "you can do the cube" - it didnt really teach me much other than how to solve the cube once without actually popping it. In the early-mid 90's a friend of mine taught me a method of actually solving the cube without a book. I've no idea what method but I recall it was about 2-3 algorithms to learn. I remembered that for a few months before I forgot it.
-- Years pass --
Some 13yr old girl comes into my school with a rubix cube. She can solve it regularly in 1min5secs, often in around 45secs. She uses a beginner method only, solving last layer F-sexy-F' for top cross, a sune (or 3) for corner orientation, then a position of corners algorithm, then rotate three top edges. How the heck she does this under 1 minute I dont know.

So my pride dented by getting outsmarted by a little girl, I bought a cube last month. Using her wizardry I can only manage about 1min50..

..doh!!

 

[joshsailscga]

Looks like you came to the right place! Take a look around here, you should be able to find all the info you need to improve. Ask questions if you can't find something you're looking for. Good luck!

Also, there's a thread that older (middle-aged I guess) cubers keep in touch on that usually pops up in the front page pretty regularly.

 

[Joel2274]

I would say to just practice the beginners method alot until you average around 1 min then try to go for cfop or roux, depending completely on your preferences.

 

[DeeDubb]

Hi everyone.
Im old! I solved the cube in the mid 80's by an ancient book called "you can do the cube" - it didnt really teach me much other than how to solve the cube once without actually popping it. In the early-mid 90's a friend of mine taught me a method of actually solving the cube without a book. I've no idea what method but I recall it was about 2-3 algorithms to learn. I remembered that for a few months before I forgot it.
-- Years pass --
Some 13yr old girl comes into my school with a rubix cube. She can solve it regularly in 1min5secs, often in around 45secs. She uses a beginner method only, solving last layer F-sexy-F' for top cross, a sune (or 3) for corner orientation, then a position of corners algorithm, then rotate three top edges. How the heck she does this under 1 minute I dont know.

So my pride dented by getting outsmarted by a little girl, I bought a cube last month. Using her wizardry I can only manage about 1min50..

..doh!!

As an older cuber (really not that old, I'm 32, and started at 30), I can tell you, it's hard to keep up with these kids. I'm a teacher and taught a few kids how to solve the cube, and some of them are now faster than me. Tons of them execute algorithms faster than me. They just learn so fast with their elasticy brains. However, you can still become quite fast with enough practice and an efficient method (I use Roux, but CFOP is the standard). Your hands don't have to be too fast to solve in under 30 seconds. It gets harder once you're under 20 though. Most of the older solvers here seem to be around the 18-25 second range.

Best of luck to you! Also, there is a thread dedicated to older cubers here.

 

[hooperjaws]

Hi and thanks for the welcomes. Deedubb I was just watching one of your videos actually, very well put together vids if I may say so.

I am currently learning roux, while also trying to get my beginner LBL a bit faster of course. I am mostly following Donovans Roux videos on youtube. I chose roux a few weeks ago because of a fellow britain call alexander lau who makes solving the cube look like brain-artwork rather than just blitz-of-moves.

The young lass I mentioned earlier has told me she has started to learn CFOP. This might turn into a year of in-school classic battle!

 

[SpeedCubeReview]

Welcome. I'm there with you... Except born in the 80s. Have fun. You may feel like you hit a wall once and awhile but there is always room to grow. It took me three months to get sub-1 minute. I started my site and YouTube page specifically for those just getting into it.

Beware, it can get addicting!

 

[joshsailscga]

I chose roux a few weeks ago because of a fellow britain call alexander lau who makes solving the cube look like brain-artwork rather than just blitz-of-moves.

Alex is cool that way
In my opinion I'm completely invested in CFOP at this point, but I sort of wish I had learned Roux instead for that reason.

 

[shadowslice e]

You met Alex? Considering you weren't really a well versed in cubing news, Alex is very well know in the community as he is still the fastest Roux user ever even though he doesn't practise anymore really (only at comps) and at one point he held the UWR for 3x3. He also held the second fastest official average at one point and could have given Feliks (Zemdegs) a race for quite a long time although he stopped practising. Incidentally, I think Britain also has the highest % of roux users in the world)

Also Roux FTW!!!!!

 

[asacuber]

I was once so desperate to get sub 20 that i started learning roux XD

 

[hooperjaws]

You met Alex? Considering you weren't really a well versed in cubing news, Alex is very well know in the community as he is still the fastest Roux user ever even though he doesn't practise anymore really (only at comps) and at one point he held the UWR for 3x3. He also held the second fastest official average at one point and could have given Feliks (Zemdegs) a race for quite a long time although he stopped practising. Incidentally, I think Britain also has the highest % of roux users in the world)

Also Roux FTW!!!!!

No I've not met Alex lau, I just noticed he is a cube whizz, a fellow Brit, and I got addicted to watching vids on YouTube. If I'd have been half decent at cubing I'd have gone to the nationals last week. But I was too shy as a complete beginner. I was following the results in the UK website though and noticed there were loads of really really fast cubers here.

 

[cmhardw]

Welcome to the forum! Roux is a great method and helps you to develop a "cubing sense" (like number sense) about how to block build, an essential skill for getting faster.

Having a set of goals helps keep cubing fun, especially with these impossibly fast younger cubers posting their insane times I'd say that sub-30 on average with Roux would be a pretty good medium to long term goal for you to try for based on your level of interest so far.

As for short term goals, definitely shoot for sub-1:30 average for an early milestone with sub-1:00 average not far behind it.

Noah Arthurs has a great video on how to improve where he stresses to balance learning with practice (too much of just one is not as helpful as a balance of both).

As for older fingers, there are a number of older cubers who are very fast ("decent" by the high standards of the younger, faster cubers) who have simply put in a lot of practice time. I don't think a loss of dexterity is much of a limiting factor as people age, at least in terms of cubing. Being fast at cubing, even to a sub-20 level, can be achieved by turning slower than your max speed for the entire solve and eliminating pauses between steps. It can also be achieved by turning really fast, so do what works for you.

Long message so I'll wrap up. Again, welcome to the forum!

 

[biscuit]

I love it when new people use Roux! I don't my self, but it's such a cool method, and there is huge potential for it to get fast.

 

[hooperjaws]

This evening will be my first roux solve. I hope! L6E here I come..

 

[newtonbase]

This evening will be my first roux solve. I hope! L6E here I come..

Good luck!

 

[hooperjaws]

stuck!

 

[shadowslice e]

stuck!View attachment 5668

try to create two bars

Spoiler: don't read unless you want the answer

U2 M U2 M2 U2 M I think but I'm need to see the other side.

 

[hooperjaws]

Ok so I got randomly through that one with frustration and blind luck, but thanks shadowslice. Then I re-watched the end of donovans roux tutorial and solved another finally, so then it was time to try a full solve timed.. lol (without stopping to re-watch a video mid-solve!!).

8mins 2 seconds... oops. thats slow. WOW!! AND there was a double skip in there too!!!! (didnt need to orient or permute the corners)
I suppose it can only get better...!

 

[shadowslice e]

Ok so I got randomly through that one with frustration and blind luck, but thanks shadowslice. Then I re-watched the end of donovans roux tutorial and solved another finally, so then it was time to try a full solve timed.. lol (without stopping to re-watch a video mid-solve!!).

8mins 2 seconds... oops. thats slow. WOW!! AND there was a double skip in there too!!!! (didnt need to orient or permute the corners)
I suppose it can only get better...!

View attachment 5669

nice! it only gets better from here!

 

[hooperjaws]

And the second solve... 9m53seconds. Ok something has still not clicked about the L6E... ...video time again! Its 00:46am and I refuse to go to bed until I can do this in at least sub 5 mins..

 

[hooperjaws]

So tired now its 1:15am but I can go to bed - much better on L6E. Full solve, no skips either - 3m46. Im a roux solver. Albeit a slow beginner one!