Advanced Fingertricks/Execution?

[Guoguodi]

I'm averaging around 30 seconds right now, and aside from the usual working on F2L look-ahead (side note: begun replacing some intuitive F2L cases with the faster, optimal versions) ... and I notice many inefficiencies in my technique, especially in terms of fingertricks. My PLL, OLL and alg execution in general could be ... faster. At the moment, some parts of my technique are still very beginner-ish. For example, I'm only now changing to use ring fingers to do D moves! Similarly, up till now I've been using my left index finger to do F', which is kind of slow for a lot of PLL/OLL. I see most of the Japanese crew use their right thumbs. Does anyone use left index for F'?

You know it's great to watch all the top cubers and study their techniques. There's the king of F2L Harris Chan, with the "elegant", smooth and non-stop turning. Very beautiful. Then there's the master of LL, Yu Nakajima, with his "choppy" (as Harris calls it), explosive turning style ..and Eduoard Chambon takes "smooth" style to the extreme! etc, etc. Everyone has different techniques and fingertricks, and it's interesting enough just studying that aspect of it!

 

[Lofty]

Hmm for me it is very natural to use my thumb to do F' and my index to F (both on my right hand). If you want to get faster on the PLL's just practice them over and over and over...
What finger did you used to use for D moves? I don't really use them but the natural feeling is to use ring or middle finger.

 

[Guoguodi]

What finger did you used to use for D moves? I don't really use them but the natural feeling is to use ring or middle finger.

I'm slightly ashamed to admit that I was using my entire right hand for D moves. But, it's not too hard to eliminate that habit and rely on the ring fingers on both hands, which I've pretty much switched to now. The only remaining trouble is integrating right thumb for F', which I'm still struggling to do so that it is fast and flows smoothly. Well, it's not like left index finger for F' is any faster.

To go on with this discussion, how do people like to do M? M' is nice, but I find M moves require an awkward poking motion with either ring finger, and it just isn't fast enough. May have to avoid M moves altogether and stick with 2-gen algs in that case...

 

[malcolm]

I use left thumb push for M, but try to avoid it mostly. I only use it in one alg, one of my U perms. The other I use the RU version, because I can't do U' turns with M moves

 

[Lucas Garron]

To go on with this discussion, how do people like to do M? M' is nice, but I find M moves require an awkward poking motion with either ring finger, and it just isn't fast enough. May have to avoid M moves altogether and stick with 2-gen algs in that case...

r'R / Rr' / lL' / L'l

As in r2R2'URr'U2rR'Ur2R2' .

 

[fanwuq]

I do M by reaching back with right index and pull. It's a little awkward. Half the time I do r'R.
Perhaps, Erik should answer, since he uses the MU U perm.

 

[Jai]

For M, I either use my right thumb, put it on the F sticker of the FD edge, and push down, or use my right index finger (or sometimes left) (if I'm doing M U, I use left index for M, so I can do U with my right index; vice-versa for M U'), put it on the B sticker of the UB edge, and push down. Which one I use, depends on the context (whichever one flows better in the algorithm I'm doing). Both of these aren't that awkward.