Older cubers discussions

[pglewis]

Well, I know who I'll be going to when I first take up 4bld . (It has been on my "maybe" list for 2018)

 

[pglewis]

Weird oddity: between multi-blind, pushed memo practice, and today just a bunch of untimed 3bld I've been getting a LOT of scrambles in csTimer where my corner buffer is already solve or twisted in place. I do OP so I'm doing lots of corner memos that start with P.

 

[Old Tom]

I forgot about “k” because that never happens with M2... tried it. It worked.


I’m mentally tired from just that. I can’t imagine doing a full attempt at this point.

Just remember, "Tired is happy."

 

[SpartanSailor]

Not the most impressive 3BLD practice tonite... started with a 3:36–happy with that for now. Then, a string of 6 DNFs in a row... then success at 3:14. A couple of those DNFs were slow too. Difficult memos. The rest were simple execution or memo errros (like putting the edge in flipped, or skipping a corner all together—tracing error). The one tracing error, however, was a 2:35 DNF (1:25/1:10).

 

[pglewis]

The one tracing error, however, was a 2:35 DNF (1:25/1:10).

You have like 20 seconds on me on execution. I just did a couple here to check and I can just barely beat your execution... with memo jotted down and reading it.

 

[SpartanSailor]

You have like 20 seconds on me on execution. I just did a couple here to check and I can just barely beat your execution... with memo jotted down and reading it.

There is still plenty of improvement in execution too. I still have several pauses... by this time next year hopefully I’ll be headed to US Nationals with a strong low 2 consistent 3BLD. once I get over those pauses and cut my memo down... I’ll be hauling! (When compared to my today)

 

[Selkie]

Thanks @Mike Hughey . I get an awful lot of motivation from Ron and quite honored that he admits he gets a lot from me. He freely admits he practiced little other than 4x4 for a long while. Our friendly race to sub 1:40 at 5x5 in comp got him motivated and now he is no longer a board member he has more time. He very nearly took the over 40's 6x6 mean from me at Euros last weekend and was only 0.3s short!

If he does well in a round in comp he will message me and we chat a lot online. He is practicing daily and when Ron practices, he has great improvement.

Ron and I are to be co-organising a comp in the near future. Watch this space

 

[newtonbase]

I made a mistake even writing it down trying

Tracing the wings is very hard to start with. There are things you can do to help (counting letters, starting cycles on set stickers) but nothing beats lots of practice.

 

[SpartanSailor]

Tracing the wings is very hard to start with. There are things you can do to help (counting letters, starting cycles on set stickers) but nothing beats lots of practice.

I have go—to cycle starts with 3BLD... that helps. I’ll definitely include that as I practice and get more comfortable. The first step is just working all the setups for centres and getting the l/r slice algs down for wings.

 

[40yearstosolve]

So, thoughts on my first competition:

Would I do it again? Alas, yes.

Especially if it is an occasion of meeting you guys. First, I want to cut a minute or so off my times, that might happen soon enough, we will see. I set the bar really low. (Or, the times really high.)

@40yearstosolve: I did it. Now your turn.

Amazing Tom congratulations this is amazing w00000000t

Totally inspired me now. My son and I both have created WCA accounts in readiness!

Imagine my surprise when a friends older son babysat for us at the weekend and he also speed cubes! It was a great coming together of minds. The three of us geeking out whilst my wife dragged me out of the house

I also have new news! I just managed not only a sub-2 minute but actually now have beaten my previous best of 1:38 with a slick 1:31! And it wasn’t a terribly easy solve either! I am flabbergasted! It came out of nowhere, especially when I consider recently that I have only been doing one or two solves a day and had my first day off yesterday. It seems the brain continues to bury the knowledge deeper and more firmly with time even when you’re not practising.

 

[40yearstosolve]

Congrats on your milestone, I know you've put a lot of work into learning and practice to get there! It took me a couple months to get sub 2 mins and that was also about the point where I started to see how a much faster solve might happen even though I had a long way to go. With four pairs, every second you save per F2L pair on average will be multiplied by 4. I suggest recording a typical solve and watching it back, no one but you needs to ever see it . It should show you that you don't have to rush or turn faster to make big improvements, just cutting down on the length of pauses where you're not turning.



I've been through this process with F2L about 3 or 4 times now, each time working on more specific cases and generalizing less. Now I'm digging into being more efficient specifically when taking a piece out of an incorrect slot. I'll probably still be working on that for months to come.



Since you already plan to drill your cases and sub-cases I suggest adding a drill to practice solving those without looking. If you're comfortable doing that then you can be scanning for what else is out there instead of following the pair all the way into the slot.

[Edit to add: lookahead is still an elusive fairy that arrives when it wants to, I have little command over it sometimes. It's often the difference between a 20.x solve and a 27.x solve for me. When it's clicking it's kind of a misnomer because I'm not "looking" for anything, I just magically see stuff.]

Thank you pglewis that is a great idea to film myself for my eyes only, I’ll do that. I just posted re my new record of 1:31, we are only our holidays soon so I have been preparing for this for a while (as you know) and armed with F2L and my now familiarity and ease with it my goal is to literally sit in the sun and instead of reading a book practise my cubing day in, day out, to achieve a sub-1 minute.

 

[h2f]

If I was to give specifics for the more mature cuber I would say do some sessions of the highest TPS you can, the times will be bad but in time it will help, we older folk have a natural tenancy to turn slower and this is on top of being told to slow down and lookahead. We really do turn slower than we can. If you have not done anything on X --> 1st Pair that will net you loads of improvement. I do some casual solves where I may inspect for >1m even if just trying to predict where one corner will end up. Loads of exploratory solves where time is not important looking for where you might rotate where you don't need to. Explore some COLL and WV even if you don't learn the all the algs.

That's very helpfull and intersting. Thanks a lot for sharing it.

 

[Old Tom]

Amazing Tom congratulations this is amazing w00000000t

Totally inspired me now. My son and I both have created WCA accounts in readiness!

Imagine my surprise when a friends older son babysat for us at the weekend and he also speed cubes! It was a great coming together of minds. The three of us geeking out whilst my wife dragged me out of the house

I also have new news! I just managed not only a sub-2 minute but actually now have beaten my previous best of 1:38 with a slick 1:31! And it wasn’t a terribly easy solve either! I am flabbergasted! It came out of nowhere, especially when I consider recently that I have only been doing one or two solves a day and had my first day off yesterday. It seems the brain continues to bury the knowledge deeper and more firmly with time even when you’re not practising.

Hey, great! I am also now getting a few sub-2s at home also (best = 1:51) and am consistently sub-3 (except when I mess up completely, which does happen). But I am doing lots of untimed solves and drills also. I am not trying to memorize algs, instead (within F2L): find pair, recognize the case it is, see the logical approach (such as "make joined pair), execute that. Do it slow first, then faster, then concentrate on turning speed once it is automatic. And just recently: stay slow but try to look ahead for the next pair. This last is still very tough.

Be warned: when you do get to a comp, there will be the anxiety that comes with any new thing. Only way to get over that is to just do it. I "lost it" on my second solve for a DNF, could not afford another (else, no official average). So, just went deliberately slow and took what came.

 

[40yearstosolve]

Hey, great! I am also now getting a few sub-2s at home also (best = 1:51) and am consistently sub-3 (except when I mess up completely, which does happen). But I am doing lots of untimed solves and drills also. I am not trying to memorize algs, instead (within F2L): find pair, recognize the case it is, see the logical approach (such as "make joined pair), execute that. Do it slow first, then faster, then concentrate on turning speed once it is automatic. And just recently: stay slow but try to look ahead for the next pair. This last is still very tough.

Be warned: when you do get to a comp, there will be the anxiety that comes with any new thing. Only way to get over that is to just do it. I "lost it" on my second solve for a DNF, could not afford another (else, no official average). So, just went deliberately slow and took what came.

That’s great advice, I can imagine being very panicked so will focus us all on finish rather than ‘win’
What were your completion times?

 

[Old Tom]

That's very helpfull and intersting. Thanks a lot for sharing it.

Re TPS and the "mature cuber", otherwise known as "geezer", I qualify:

We all do slow down with age, even our fingers. Some of it is injuries, conditions, surgeries (I've had/have all of those), some of it is just plain age. So be it.

I tried timing purely random turns, while counting, fast as I could, can get barely over 2 TPS. My average turn count for a solve is I think around 60. Do the math, then add hesitations and a few cube rotations, but eliminate mistakes. The result is what it is.

So, my personal, long range goal is to get under a minute. Most of you young whippersnappers are already doing way better! I am not discouraged, just inspired.

 

[Old Tom]

That’s great advice, I can imagine being very panicked so will focus us all on finish rather than ‘win’
What were your completion times?

You can find them on the WCA site. Off the top of my head: one DNF, best 2:30, average 3:19. Not thrilled, but content for now. The experience was great though, as I mentioned in earlier posts.

 

[40yearstosolve]

Re TPS and the "mature cuber", otherwise known as "geezer", I qualify:

We all do slow down with age, even our fingers. Some of it is injuries, conditions, surgeries (I've had/have all of those), some of it is just plain age. So be it.

I tried timing purely random turns, while counting, fast as I could, can get barely over 2 TPS. My average turn count for a solve is I think around 60. Do the math, then add hesitations and a few cube rotations, but eliminate mistakes. The result is what it is.

So, my personal, long range goal is to get under a minute. Mosy of you young whippersnappers are already doing way better! I am not discouraged, just inspired.

Me too, and it’s well documented here that it comes from you Tom! Both age and approach.
<insert clapping emoji>

 

[40yearstosolve]

You can find them on the WCA site. Off the top of my head: one DNF, best 2:30, average 3:19. Not thrilled, but content for now. The experience was great though, as I mentioned in earlier posts.

Ye just to get those official entries is awesome well done again.

 

[pglewis]

Be warned: when you do get to a comp, there will be the anxiety that comes with any new thing. Only way to get over that is to just do it. I "lost it" on my second solve for a DNF, could not afford another (else, no official average). So, just went deliberately slow and took what came.

Some people thrive with the adrenaline, time kinda slows down and if you can keep your head and not suffer alg amnesia the times might be faster than expected. I'm not there yet, I averaged DNF at my first comp and my first two solves last time were over a minute and :52 (I average comfortably under 30 at home)... my final solve once I'd calmed down was a low :22, which would be a decent time even at home. I had fair luck fighting it at one comp where I went outside right before my heat, sang to myself to get my mind off the anxiety and ran the steps a few laps to burn some adrenaline.

 

[Old Tom]

Some people thrive with the adrenaline, time kinda slows down and if you can keep your head and not suffer alg amnesia the times might be faster than expected. I'm not there yet, I averaged DNF at my first comp and my first two solves last time were over a minute and :52 (I average comfortably under 30 at home)... my final solve once I'd calmed down was a low :22, which would be a decent time even at home. I had fair luck fighting it at one comp where I went outside right before my heat, sang to myself to get my mind off the anxiety and ran the steps a few laps to burn some adrenaline.

When I was younger, I was always at my best in the examination room, which is a "do something within x time" situation, but never as good in a "do something as fast as you can" case, which a Rubik's comp is. Made me try to go faster than I can = mistakes. But I am learning how to handle that with home solves against the clock.