Why I am now Color Netural

[teller]

Cubers adopt a new algorithm or even a whole new system from time to time, but few of us can stomach the setback that color neutral imposes on our familiar and comfortable speedsolve. It wrecks it, and it doesn't get better for a quite a while, and for what? That period of discomfort is why people so often never stick with a diet or exercise regimen. It's why I have had such a hard time quitting smoking.

The neurons in your brain are a lot like roads. If a road is frequently traveled, it widens and becomes a cleared path, the path of least resistance. If it is not used, brush grows over and in some places it does not even visibly connect anymore. A well traveled road is like a familiar algorithm--you don't even have to think about it anymore--your brain knows the way.

At the bowling alley or on the golf course as in cubing, practice can only get you so far before you need to make some upgrades, and this means uncomfortable change. Learning a new golf swing isn't something you master in a single day; after doing things a certain way for years, change feels awkward and unfamiliar, and if you were placed in a tournament you would likely be wise to fall back on your old dependable ways. But if you really want to go to the next level, you'd get back into training mode and eat the discomfort until it became comfortable.

I hated L turns, but I forced myself to eat them. It took a long time, but now they're a fun variation. Now I'm forcing the issue with the S slice. Backhand flicks felt weird for the longest time, but now they are standard and my options during F2L have expanded greatly. One-handed cubing is the most awkward, horrible thing when you first try it, but once you get over that wall, it's fine.

Color neutral was the worst, and it taunted me. Only by doing it could I make it familiar and comfortable, so I just ate the extra 5-10 seconds and figured it would come up to par eventually, and it almost has.

You don't have to be born color-neutral. You just have to get over the wall.

And it doesn't just yield a great cross every solve--it also juices your recognition. Your brain was only looking for a certain set of colors before, and now it's looking for something different. Those neurons are NEW, and the more connections you make, the quicker and more completely you can grasp a situation. A busy town has lots of roads leading to it and leaving from it, like an F2L pair. It's pure win.

It's worth it. I think Rowe would agree.

 

[ianography]

Okay, I think this has now inspired me to become color neutral. But how should I go about making this drastic change?

 

[Hershey]

Just force yourself to be color neutral, try to find crosses that are easier to make.

 

[teller]

Okay, I think this has now inspired me to become color neutral. But how should I go about making this drastic change?

You dive into the deep end and just swear off your primary color for a month during practice. Or, you can adopt just ONE new color and get to know it's environment.

I did the latter, and then I learned a second new color, and then I finally dove into the deep end because there were wasn't much left.

Pick your poison. The key is to expose your brain to it. Treat it like a brand new puzzle, a fun diversion with a pot of gold at the end.

 

[RNewms27]

Slow solves with every color cross until they reach about the same recognition imo.

 

[teller]

Slow solves with every color cross until they reach about the same recognition imo.

Yes. Forget the timer for awhile and just learn.

 

[TheZenith27]

This is profound. I'll practice color neutral now.

 

[Vinny]

I never really switched, because I was always color neutral, but I can logically say that you should NOT avoid doing your normal cross solves if you see a nice cross. You should just be looking for the easiest cross, whether it be on your normal cross color or a different color.

I'm not really sure how not being color neutral works, but if you rely on the fact that "if white is on bottom, then that means red is to the right of blue," I'm assuming you would just have to learn to stop relying on that during F2L.

I'm pretty sure that maybe a week or two of practice could make somebody color neutral if they practice enough.

 

[ianography]

You dive into the deep end and just swear off your primary color for a month during practice. Or, you can adopt just ONE new color and get to know it's environment.

I did the latter, and then I learned a second new color, and then I finally dove into the deep end because there were wasn't much left.

Pick your poison. The key is to expose your brain to it. Treat it like a brand new puzzle, a fun diversion with a pot of gold at the end.

Thanks. I've decided to do the latter too; I've just done an average of 12 with green cross that was at 22.73. I think I'm just going to do a normal average of 12 with white cross and then a green cross average every day and see how that goes

 

[teller]

I never really switched, because I was always color neutral, but I can logically say that you should NOT avoid doing your normal cross solves if you see a nice cross. You should just be looking for the easiest cross, whether it be on your normal cross color or a different color.

I'm not really sure how not being color neutral works, but if you rely on the fact that "if white is on bottom, then that means red is to the right of blue," I'm assuming you would just have to learn to stop relying on that during F2L.

I'm pretty sure that maybe a week or two of practice could make somebody color neutral if they practice enough.

A week or two is not long enough. If it was, more people would do it.

Avoiding the familiar color is not the end game; you do want to learn to optimize. But you have 5 other colors to choose from, and that's more than enough. Avoid your primary (white usually) for a time to break out of the box. You will eventually include it again, but not at the beginning. You must learn the not-doing of white.

 

[teller]

Thanks. I've decided to do the latter too; I've just done an average of 12 with green cross that was at 22.73. I think I'm just going to do a normal average of 12 with white cross and then a green cross average every day and see how that goes

That's perfect. There is a difference between knowing the path, and walking the path. You are taking steps walking.

 

[JyH]

Great read, Teller! I completely agree with what you said. I forced my friend to learn Petrus when he started cubing, and he's already color neutral (not really sure if Petrus helps with CN). I really hope this helps him out when he gets a lot faster (he averages ~50 right now).

 

[teller]

Great read, Teller! I completely agree with what you said. I forced my friend to learn Petrus when he started cubing, and he's already color neutral (not really sure if Petrus helps with CN). I really hope this helps him out when he gets a lot faster (he averages ~50 right now).

Wow, yes. I didn't even mention blockbuilding, but it's another first-class edge. I nudged my best student to be color neutral even though I wasn't, and he is like a fish in water with an orange cross. Good spawn!

 

[Edward]

Great read, Teller! I completely agree with what you said. I forced my friend to learn Petrus when he started cubing, and he's already color neutral (not really sure if Petrus helps with CN). I really hope this helps him out when he gets a lot faster (he averages ~50 right now).

Lol it's the other way around. CN helps Petrus A LOT, so it was probably just natural he went with it.

I found it wasn't too much of a struggle for me to switch to CN. I just kind of... did it.
(RIP Orange cross)

 

[teller]

E

Lol it's the other way around. CN helps Petrus A LOT, so it was probably just natural he went with it.

I found it wasn't too much of a struggle for me to switch to CN. I just kind of... did it.
(RIP Orange cross)

Edward! You were one of the people who encouraged me to take the leap. I did!

 

[bwronski]

Yes. Forget the timer for awhile and just learn.

that is the best thing to do with the cube, you can learn and practice simple actions that grow and develop into your own skills and styles


@topic: I just started doing other colored cross solves, I find it really easy to do color neutral after deciding to switch..its nothing that people make it out to be. But with roux i am only oposite block neutral, I think full CN would be too much to process.

 

[teller]

that is the best thing to do with the cube, you can learn and practice simple actions that grow and develop into your own skills and styles


@topic: I just started doing other colored cross solves, I find it really easy to do color neutral after deciding to switch..its nothing that people make it out to be. But with roux i am only oposite block neutral, I think full CN would be too much to process.

You! I am watching you! Eat more, harder! Faster, more! With red cross!

 

[CRO]

@teller

What was your avg when you switched?

 

[teller]

@teller

What was your avg when you switched?

About 17.xx. Now I have to race to sub-20 again!

 

[DaKrazedKyubizt]

I tried switching to color neutrality and was, for the most part, successful. If I'm actually focusing on neutrality, my averages are pretty close to my usual averages. I used to be w/y semi-color neutral, so sometimes, I'm still in the habit of looking immediately for white or yellow if I'm not paying attention, but you're right, when I remember when I switch to color neutrality, all of the sudden my brain started doing trippy things, and I was improvising all kinds of weird little solving techniques on the spot.