My times don't really seem to be improving...

[Zarxrax]

My time is currently averaging around 1:20. I do fridrich f2l with 4 look last layer. I've been at around this same point for about a month now (2 months if you count from when I was just using the beginner method). I only practice between 30 minutes to an hour each day, but I would think even with that I should at least be seeing some improvements here!

My cross usually takes me 10-15 seconds, and my f2l varies quite a bit depending on how easy the cases I get are, but it generally seems to be around 30-40 seconds. I think my main problem is my last layer, which is taking me about 30 seconds!

The thing is, I don't really know what is causing my last layer to be so slow. I know my algorithms by heart, and it usually takes me only about 1 second to recognize each case and start executing it. I think I'm doing my algorithms pretty fast, but how long should it take me to do my last layer with 4 look LL?

 

[byu]

Your problem is not your LL. Although this can be a problem later on, learning full PLL might help there. Your problem is your F2L, and you are coming to the point that every fridrich user has had to do, constant practice of F2L, practicing look-ahead, doing pairs correctly and efficiently, etc.

Practice F2L, watch badmephisto's F2L videos, and work on look ahead during F2L. Speed up your F2L. I promise you it will help, maybe not at first, but eventually it will.

 

[Jokerman5656]

you should really practice more than that, take it to school or with you when you go to dinner when you do. it should always be in your hands or within reach.

 

[4Chan]

Getting new cubes seems to lower my times.

Try it!

 

[byu]

Getting new cubes seems to lower my times.

Try it!

I wouldn't rely on that.

Getting a DIY perhaps sped me up by two seconds, three seconds at most, but that was when I was still averaging 40 seconds and it might just have been my F2L getting faster.

 

[Jokerman5656]

Getting a DIY perhaps sped me up by two seconds, three seconds at most, but that was when I was still averaging 40 seconds and it might just have been my F2L getting faster.

i agree, i was stuck at 30 second range and then i got a DIY and jumped down to 25 seconds

 

[moogra]

I've been stuck at 18-21 seconds for 1.5 years now. I don't practice 3x3. Maybe that's why.

 

[Tortin]

Your LL is not the problem...well, I guess sort of is, but it's more your cross and F2L. I would recommend taking a look at Macky's site (www.cubefreak.net). That helped me out a lot when I was trying to improve my times. I really wouldn't worry about PLL. I think you should spend more time working on your F2L.

And new cubes don't help that much. I don't think your times would change much--at all if you were to buy a DIY

 

[Spyyder]

basically your practicing enough to not get slower, been stuck at ~30 for about 2 months cuz I only do like an avg of 12 a day, if that, but about a month ago I managed to get some sub-30 avgs because i practiced for a few hours a day.

Practice by just solving the cube, practice your cross(try doing your cross with your eyes closed after inspecting the cube), and practice just doing your algs and try to get them fast, if you cant you may need new ones.

 

[pinoycuber]

wow that was me 2 weeks ago 1:20! but hey? think possitve! now im sub-40! cross? try practice random solves.. F2L dont look ahead at this time.. try to recognize pair faster and perform the algo 70% accuracy.. about LL? i use 2 Look and complete PLL but i got 29.6 ecs luckily without lookahead .

 

[Zarxrax]

Alright, I guess I'll just keep working on my F2L and cross then.

 

[JL58]

10-15 for the cross can be improved. Just do the cross over and over, forcing you to: 1. find a 7 move maximum solution (feasible is most cases) and 2. once the solution is identified do it with your eyes closed. You should reach a 5 sec average really quickly.

At this point you should try to get under a minute with:
5 sec cross
30 sec F2L (excl. cross)
25 sec 4LLL

 

[soccerking813]

Just keep practicing, sooner or later it will click. In the past week it has seriously clicked for me. A week ago I had a 55 second pb or something, and just a couple of seconds ago I got a 31.08 solve. It will come.

 

[brunson]

You might try more focused practice. Don't just solve, pick one aspect of the solve and work on it for that for half an hour a day.

• Practice cross by planning it and doing it with your eyes closed.
• Practice F2L slowly working on your look ahead.
• Pick one PLL or OLL a day and do it over and over and over and over.
• Practice PLL recognition by stopping after OLL and trying to figure out the case by looking at the three U layer faces you can see.

I can commiserate with you, I've been stuck between 35 and 30 seconds for months and months. I seem to get asymptotically closer to 30 seconds without actually breaking it.

 

[soccerking813]

Try using a metronome on your f2l, moving once for each beat. I think there is one a www.metronome.com or something.

 

[jonny guitar]

For cross and f2l practice I believe that the best way to get effective improvement is to get another cube and remove the stickers from the last layer (including side colours) so that you only have a face plus two rows. I found my understanding of the f2l movement and look ahead recognition improved dramatically once I devoted a cube to just this. You should very easily get both your cross and f2l down if you devote practice sessions to just this.

LL is just a matter of speed so it takes far less time to get fast at....very fast is another matter of course but you will improve steadily as you get the algos under your fingers.

Aimlessly solving the cube will lead to slow improvement so practice certain things with the time you have. When you practice, practice just the cross for 5 minutes; just f2l for 15; just ll algos for 5-10 and then the whole cube for the rest. Understanding what is behind the moves you are making is the key to getting good at the cross and LL so spending time alone on each is very effective. Don't worry about times for a couple of weeks and then check and you will be surprised. Lastly LL algos don't need much visual attention so repeat them over and over when you are doing other things like watching tv.

You'll be sub 30 in no time at all.

 

[Zarxrax]

For cross and f2l practice I believe that the best way to get effective improvement is to get another cube and remove the stickers from the last layer (including side colours) so that you only have a face plus two rows. I found my understanding of the f2l movement and look ahead recognition improved dramatically once I devoted a cube to just this. You should very easily get both your cross and f2l down if you devote practice sessions to just this.

Wow that sounds like a good idea. I think I'll try that.

 

[abr71310]

jonny guitar is absolutely right, and I'm going to build on what he has said as well...

I taught my brother (who uses Dan Brown, but LOVES Roux and wants to switch) the U-perm to correct stuff he can't usually fix with Roux (neither of us know the M U style of U-perm), and when I did, he literally sat in the car for 2 and a half hours practicing it.

It wasn't until the day after the next day that he got it so fast and memorized that he's actually faster than me with it (I average about 1.95 with U-perm, he gets 1.5s now).

Practicing ONE specific LL (OLL or PLL) alg per day will guarantee you a fast memo and fast time, since I sort of proved it with me as well -- I practiced OH Anti-Sune and got it under 1.5s (WOOT), but so far that is my only LL alg I can sub-5.

for F2L practice I like to actually scramble 4 or 5 cubes the same way and do a "plan-your-own-FMC-contest", trying to find the most optimal ways to solve F2L pairs in relation to one another (by making one easier to solve by taking a sub-optimal route for another pair). I found that I could cut F2L down significantly by tracking other pairs (specifically the ones that seem to be the farthest away from being solved), as well as finding some finger-trick-friendly routes that are always helpful (and cuts down on cube rotations, too!).

 

[franklooi96]

It seems like intuitive is easier and faster than the algorithm F2L..
But one thing is im still not master on it.. need time to execute and recall..
Btw, Zarxrax, try to practice finger trick and make them fast..

 

[rjohnson_8ball]

Don't forget you have up to 15 seconds to inspect before starting the solve. If you use the inspection time wisely, your cross can go very fast.