Hello all. I just recently purchased a 3x3x3 Rubik's cube and I really enjoy solving the puzzle. I'm still solving using a beginner's method that comes with the cube, and i've yet to memorize those algorithms, but I will. anyway, I'm really fascinated by all of the speedsolving I see and hear about, and I aspire to one day be able to have good times. However, I think I have thick or fat fingers lol. I notice when I try practicing finger tricks, the sides sometimes hit my fingers. Is that natural, or is it because I have larger fingers than needed? Furthermore,if my fingers are too thick or fat, I take it that i'll never amount to anything regarding fast solves. I'm not looking to become world champion, I was just hoping to get around 40 seconds or something. I get real discouraged over the smallest things, which prompted me to ask this question. Finally, I'm amazed at the cubing community on the internet and beyond. I honestly never knew that such enthusiasm existed.
Finger Size Question
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Gparker
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welcome! we'll all be glad to help, but remember to use that search bar at the top right. i dont think anyone has really big fingers for solveing a rubiks cube. it may just all be so new to you with the fingertricks it will feel different. ive never had any problems and i have really big hands. i think youll just get used to it and getting good times isnt that hard, it just comes with practice and effort
(X)
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ANYONE can get an average of 40 seconds
Pietersmieters
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First of all, welcome to the forum!
If you practice your fingertricks you will get 40 seconds in no time (and switch to fridrich method?)
Don't worry at all!
If you practice your fingertricks you will get 40 seconds in no time (and switch to fridrich method?)
Don't worry at all!
Kian
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40 seconds will be absolutely no problem with a bit of practice and a switch to a faster method. don't be discouraged.
Pietersmieters
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MichaelErskine
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Hi there,
you've made the right move! I like the method on the little pamphlet that comes with the Rubik's Cube although I'm sure you'll soon get frustrated with the last stage which is the R'D'RD marathon! Those algorithms shouldn't take too long to learn: I think it took me a few days to memorise them (I'm not a quick learner) by writing them down many times and making bizarre mental associations for the patterns - y'know, FURU'R'F ("fur" "earth") and FRUR'U'F' ("through", "ruff") !
Hehehe - I'm sure you'll get used to it. I get discouraged too: I've been solving since June and most new starters sail past me in a few weeks! I fully expect you to be beating my times in a couple of months
TurbulentTurtle
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Eh, I have pretty thick and fat fingers too, but you learn to adapt to the general fingertricks. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
D
Deleted member 2864
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Hi there,
you've made the right move! I like the method on the little pamphlet that comes with the Rubik's Cube although I'm sure you'll soon get frustrated with the last stage which is the R'D'RD marathon! Those algorithms shouldn't take too long to learn: I think it took me a few days to memorise them (I'm not a quick learner) by writing them down many times and making bizarre mental associations for the patterns - y'know, FURU'R'F ("fur" "earth") and FRUR'U'F' ("through", "ruff") !
Hehehe - I'm sure you'll get used to it. I get discouraged too: I've been solving since June and most new starters sail past me in a few weeks! I fully expect you to be beating my times in a couple of months
I memorize most of my algs that way... either that or I come up with something else clever. I meorized FRUR'U'F' by thinking "do the dog!" Fru Ruff!!! lol
anyway, to answer the question, no, it's not that hard even if you have bigger fingers. It's actually not that big of a disadvatage... in fact in some cases it is a positive.
TheBB
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I have long spindly fingers, and while I'm better than you at the moment, I've been stagnating at 20s for years now. There are plenty of people better than me and I think I would've noticed if they all had even longer and more spindly fingers than me...
I actually thought about this when I watched that young japanese kid solve in Budapest in 07. The cube was almost bigger than him, let alone his fingers, but he was really fast. Faster than me.
I actually thought about this when I watched that young japanese kid solve in Budapest in 07. The cube was almost bigger than him, let alone his fingers, but he was really fast. Faster than me.
EmersonHerrmann
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You should talk to Dan Cohen about big fingers 
I'm sure you can get down to sub-20 and below Just practice! You'll get used to it.
I'm sure you can get down to sub-20 and below
Just practice! You'll get used to it.
Chuberchuckee
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That's a really inefficient way of memorizing algorithms. It's more effective if you get it into muscle memory instead of memorizing the notation.Hi there,
you've made the right move! I like the method on the little pamphlet that comes with the Rubik's Cube although I'm sure you'll soon get frustrated with the last stage which is the R'D'RD marathon! Those algorithms shouldn't take too long to learn: I think it took me a few days to memorise them (I'm not a quick learner) by writing them down many times and making bizarre mental associations for the patterns - y'know, FURU'R'F ("fur" "earth") and FRUR'U'F' ("through", "ruff") !
Hehehe - I'm sure you'll get used to it. I get discouraged too: I've been solving since June and most new starters sail past me in a few weeks! I fully expect you to be beating my times in a couple of months
I memorize most of my algs that way... either that or I come up with something else clever. I meorized FRUR'U'F' by thinking "do the dog!" Fru Ruff!!! lol
anyway, to answer the question, no, it's not that hard even if you have bigger fingers. It's actually not that big of a disadvatage... in fact in some cases it is a positive.
MichaelErskine
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I don't think we're too concerned with efficiency here: the context is an early beginners' method and merely being able to remember the algorithm required for a situation. Muscle memory requires lots of repetition and in the early days it may take some time to even get the cube into a state to try out the move. At that stage the beginner is in no place to develop muscle memory for a technique. I'm in the process of teaching quite a few beginners and I remember these early days myself.
TheBB
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I learned all of Fridrich LL before I learned a single finger trick. Fun.
Poke
Regular
I am a large person, but my finger are not huge for my size... They are actually kind of Thin... but not much, because I am still large boned. I hardly know any fingertricks, although I am trying a few to speed up the layer method in the little pamphlet.
I am still having a big problem with normal sized fingers, so you are not alone.
I am still having a big problem with normal sized fingers, so you are not alone.
MichaelErskine
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It's worth noting also that my muscle-memory-learned OLL and PLL algorithms are practically useless when doing feet solving, as I discovered the weekend! I also have a bad time applying muscle-memory 3x3x3 algorithms on the 7x7x7 because it's so big (e.g as compared to the ES 4x4x4 and 5x5x5 which are very similar in size to the 3x3x3).
