How to be sub 20

[XerNosam]

DON'T QUIT
just turn slower. counterintuitive, but it works

Okay I will try that thank you

 

[XerNosam]

Heck if I know yet as I'm only approaching sub 40 consistently. But do you record your solves and watch with an eye for what can be improved?

Yes I do sometimes. I look for mistakes but have trouble fixing them.

 

[The Blockhead]

Thank you very much. I have been searching for a very long time for something like this. It should help out a lot.

 

[Hogr]

I am a average 22.
avg of 12: 22.72

Time List:
1. 21.02 U F2 L D2 B U' R2 F' R' D2 L2 B2 R2 F2 U2 B2 D F2 B2 D B'
2. 24.22 L' U' D R2 B' U' L' F U R2 L2 U B2 U' F2 D2 L2 B2 R2 B
3. 20.75 B R' B2 R' D2 F2 U2 L B2 L R2 F2 U' F R2 D F L F U' B'
4. 25.48 R F2 U L2 F2 U' R2 B2 U2 L2 U' L' B F' L2 D B L' D2 L' R
5. 20.99 L2 F' U2 F L B2 L D B2 L B2 L D2 R' B2 L2 F2 U2 L2 F
6. 24.45 F' R2 U2 F2 U' L' D R' F2 U F R2 L2 B D2 F' D2 B R2 U2 F'
7. (28.22) F2 R' D2 U2 B2 L' D2 R F2 U2 R2 F' L' R U' R U' R2 D2 F
8. 20.70 L2 U B U F B2 D' R' B F2 U L2 F2 R2 F2 U R2 L2 F2 U2
9. 24.09 F' L U B' R F' D B2 R2 D' L2 U2 F' B2 R2 D2 B D2 F2 L2 U2
10. (20.35) B' R2 L2 F' D2 L' U L D' F2 R2 D L2 D' F2 R2 B2 L2 D2 F'
11. 22.71 B F2 R' D2 F2 L2 F2 R' B2 L D B2 U B' R2 D2 B2 F' D
12. 22.74 L2 F2 R' F2 R' F2 R D2 U2 F2 U2 B' L B2 U2 F' L2 U L' F2 D

I can finish cross and F2L at 14sec.
Should I concentrate on F2L and cross or LL?

 

[Rishi Rockzz]

try to get cross + f2l in 11 seconds,

thats what i tries when i had te same problem and now im average 17

concentrate on f2l

 

[Hogr]

try to get cross + f2l in 11 seconds,

thats what i tries when i had te same problem and now im average 17

concentrate on f2l

I just cannot get my cross+ F2L to 11 seconds. I have tried everything; reducing my tps to 1,2,3,and even 4. I just cannot get it to work.

 

[TDM]

I just cannot get my cross+ F2L to 11 seconds. I have tried everything; reducing my tps to 1,2,3,and even 4. I just cannot get it to work.

If 3 TPS isn't enough for an ~11 second F2L, your solutions may not be efficient enough. Take a look at reconstructions of people's solves on RCDB or looking at algorithms on AlgDB, and see if there are any solution to cases which are better than what you currently use.

 

[Friendly Cuber]

In order to become sub-20, you have to practice constantly (like almost everything in cubing) you don't need to know full PLL or OLL necessarily to become sub-20 (though it's very helpful). Imrpove your look ahead, fingertricks and efficiency and you will easily become sub-20.

 

[Cubed Cuber]

My cross takes me about 3 secs
my f2l takes me about 12 secs
my oll takes me about 4 secs
my pll takes me about 4
4+4+12+3=23 secs

 

[greentgoatgal]

What kind of cube? 2 look oll? What about pll? Intuitive or algorithmic f2l?

Keep practicing, do a lot of untimed solves.

 

[WombatWarrior17]

Focus on F2L lookahead, and make sure to plan your entire cross during inspection.
Also, drill your OLL and PLL algs and make sure you use good fingertricks.
Learn algs for tricky F2L cases.
And most importantly: practice!

 

[Cubed Cuber]

What kind of cube?

Gan SM

Intuitive or algorithmic f2l?

algorithmic f2l

2 look oll? What about pll?

2 look oll and 1 somtimes 2 look pll
(don't know full pll yet)

 

[kemuat]

Whoa work on your last layer. Full PLL is necessary for sub 20 imo.
My best advice to anyone that wants to improve but isn't improving is to take a break. Take your mind off of cubing for a week or so. I used to always think about cubing when I started (I make sound like it was so long ago when it hasn't even been a year yet lol). I used to practice non-stop for at least an hour every day. Then, when I was trying to be sub-20, I got so busy with work that I couldn't even practice. It was over two weeks when I finally had the time to cube again. I started timing myself to find that I barely was averaging 26. It took a while to get back to speed, but I realized that I was improving again. Now I use breaks whenever I feel that my growth is slowing down. So yeah, got a bit off topic, but seriously, taking a break pushed me way further than I would have if I practiced with the same intensity.

 

[Cubed Cuber]

Some people recommend me to practice my f2l lookahead / fluency by slowly doing solves.

 

[greentgoatgal]

Do untimed solves instead of slow solves.

 

[CarterK]

One thing that should help is understanding why your F2L algs do what they do.

 

[Mr.DudeCubing]

I am constantly averaging 17 and the biggest tip is to learn full pll (it will only cut down about 1-2 seconds.)and work on your f2l lookahead. Sub 20 is the stage where lookahead really matters. Do 5 slow solves and then do 5 solves at your regular pace and see how that helps.

 

[CLL Smooth]

When I was close to sub-20 I kept that constant for a long long time. I think the trick was not practicing very much. And definitely not doing any targeted practice.

I’m sorry, don’t mind me. I’m only amusing myself

 

[Competition Cuber]

My cross takes me about 3 secs
my f2l takes me about 12 secs
my oll takes me about 4 secs
my pll takes me about 4
4+4+12+3=23 secs

Get your F2L down to 9 seconds, and you entire LL down to 6 seconds. If your cross stays the same, the 9+6+3 = 18 seconds.

 

[Cubed Cuber]

One thing that should help is understanding why your F2L algs do what they do.

I do.

Get your F2L down to 9 seconds, and you entire LL down to 6 seconds. If your cross stays the same, the 9+6+3 = 18 seconds.

My f2l is about 10 -11 secs! yay!
(bad ones are about 12-14 secs)