Training Schedule?

[anthonyB]

Hello, this is my first post on the forum and I have a question about your training schedule and 3x3 progression timeline from when you were a beginner.

I've started to cube around 2 months ago after my I bought a Rubik's Cube off my friend for 2$ and ever since then I have been hooked and have been extensively training ever since I found out that US Nationals are being held in my city which is a 15 minute drive.

I'm down to a 33 average and my best single is a 27.33, but I seem to not be progressing profusely as before.

Back on topic, I wanted to ask how fast did you progress as a beginner towards your current self, how often did you train, and what did you train, in order(Cross, F2L, PLL, COLL, etc).

This is just something to keep in mind as I wanted to optimize my training for August.

I've read other threads, but I'm interested in hearing how you trained.

 

[blackzabbathfan]

I've been speedcubing for about 1 1/2 years. It took me 14 months to get sub-20. What I did was learn intuitive F2L and 4LLL. Then I practiced F2L and got to around mid-30s. I just practiced from there. I learned full PLL and got down to about 23. I'm at about half of the OLLs now. I currently only practice about 30 minutes a day and with time I got sub-20.

 

[anthonyB]

I've been speedcubing for about 1 1/2 years. It took me 14 months to get sub-20. What I did was learn intuitive F2L and 4LLL. Then I practiced F2L and got to around mid-30s. I just practiced from there. I learned full PLL and got down to about 23. I'm at about half of the OLLs now. I currently only practice about 30 minutes a day and with time I got sub-20.

That's still impressive to me, anything below 20 is an accomplishment.

But, do you think there are certain algorithms that are necessary to learn for intuitive?

 

[jeff081692]

Well the faster you get the harder it is to improve at the rate you did when you first started cubing so that is why you don't feel the same level of progression as before.
My progress has been kind of slow compared to a lot of people for numerous reasons so I won't go into detail but for training I just did lots of solves with the goal of sub 20. Eventually I got it and then took a break from cubing and now I am back and can get sub 15 averages and that came from doing 100 solves each day and then coming back later working on whatever I felt like whether it be LL training or looking at reconstructions of better cubers and whatnot.
But if you are looking for a training schedule just try doing 100 solves straight each day and stick with it for a month and see if you improved from when you first started. The most important thing you can do is practice and the best practice that combines F2L PLL and finger tricks is just doing regular solves. Yu Nakajima said something similar once.
Also to warm up I try to sub 2 all of my PLLs. Eventually I want to get to the point where I can sub 1 all my PLL as a warm up.

 

[anthonyB]

Well the faster you get the harder it is to improve at the rate you did when you first started cubing so that is why you don't feel the same level of progression as before.
My progress has been kind of slow compared to a lot of people for numerous reasons so I won't go into detail but for training I just did lots of solves with the goal of sub 20. Eventually I got it and then took a break from cubing and now I am back and can get sub 15 averages and that came from doing 100 solves each day and then coming back later working on whatever I felt like whether it be LL training or looking at reconstructions of better cubers and whatnot.
But if you are looking for a training schedule just try doing 100 solves straight each day and stick with it for a month and see if you improved from when you first started. The most important thing you can do is practice and the best practice that combines F2L PLL and finger tricks is just doing regular solves. Yu Nakajima said something similar once.
Also to warm up I try to sub 2 all of my PLLs. Eventually I want to get to the point where I can sub 1 all my PLL as a warm up.

Thanks for your input!

I'm focusing on learning my PLLs, I'm only half done, but I can sub 2 all of them.

and I need to brush up on my finger tricks, I still have bad habits from my Rubik's Cube.

100 solves seems like a lot, but I'll try to include this.

I have a DaYan GuHong v2 now

 

[jeff081692]

100 solves seems like a lot, but I'll try to include this.

Yea It actually takes me quite a while to finish and the faster you are the easier it is to do, but If you have enough time go for it and stick with it for a month and I would be surprised if you didn't feel at least a little faster in the end it is the simplest thing to do. You could also try going for 50 solves if 100 proves to be too much but I would try to make it a goal to eventually be able to do daily averages of 100. I'm considering making my training to be 300 solves a day for this summer to see how that works out.

 

[anthonyB]

Yea It actually takes me quite a while to finish and the faster you are the easier it is to do, but If you have enough time go for it and stick with it for a month and I would be surprised if you didn't feel at least a little faster in the end it is the simplest thing to do. You could also try going for 50 solves if 100 proves to be too much but I would try to make it a goal to eventually be able to do daily averages of 100. I'm considering making my training to be 300 solves a day for this summer to see how that works out.

Yeah, I'm going to try for 100 since I only do about 20-40 solves a day and that's being casual for me.

I've reached my plateau at 30-35 and I would like to know if knowing algorithms for F2L would be optimal?

 

[Riley]

I've been cubing for about 1 year now. I don't really count 4 years back, when I used a Rubik's brand using LBL for a few months. (I was 9-10 yrs old) Sub 20 took 4 months. Sub 15 took another 4 months. Now, 4 months later I average 12-13 secs. Honestly, I didn't train specific steps at all really. I just did solves everyday. Try to be consistent in how much you practice, such as 100 solves daily, or 50 for the morning, 50 for the after noon, 50 at night. A few months ago, I attempted the 10,000 cube relay over a month (check forum competitions) and that really helped me break the sub 15/sub 14ish barrier relatively quickly. Don't strain yourself. Also, I used a guhong about 2 weeks after I got into cubing again and it really helped me.

 

[anthonyB]

I've been cubing for about 1 year now. I don't really count 4 years back, when I used a Rubik's brand using LBL for a few months. (I was 9-10 yrs old) Sub 20 took 4 months. Sub 15 took another 4 months. Now, 4 months later I average 12-13 secs. Honestly, I didn't train specific steps at all really. I just did solves everyday. Try to be consistent in how much you practice, such as 100 solves daily, or 50 for the morning, 50 for the after noon, 50 at night. A few months ago, I attempted the 10,000 cube relay over a month (check forum competitions) and that really helped me break the sub 15/sub 14ish barrier relatively quickly. Don't strain yourself. Also, I used a guhong about 2 weeks after I got into cubing again and it really helped me.

So only doing gratuitous amount of solves is the way to train correctly?

I've never done 100 in a day, but seeing as I'm at my plateau, I'll have to push myself a bit harder.

Thanks for the information

 

[emolover]

It took me about a year to reach sub 20 on 3x3, it took me another 15 months to be sub 15, and now after 3 years I am at about 12. This is not fast improvement and that is because of a lack of practice. I rarely practice during the weekdays besides a dozen or so casual solves that are untimed and on weekends I only do about an hour total. I really do regret no practicing during the time people are usually super motivated to get good.

So at the rate I am going, I am getting steadily but slowly better through little practice. This is true for most every puzzle I own.

 

[cubingawsumness]

I'm not a lot faster than you, but so far, I really just do a lot of solves. I bring my cubes everywhere; to school (a lot of my teachers don't mind me, but some are just annoyed), to restaurants, on trips. Most of my solves are actually untimed. Currently, I'm still using 4lll. I'll probably learn full PLL during summer break. My advice is just practice. You'll be consistently sub-30 soon. Good luck!

 

[Riley]

So only doing gratuitous amount of solves is the way to train correctly?

I've never done 100 in a day, but seeing as I'm at my plateau, I'll have to push myself a bit harder.

Thanks for the information

I don't think there is a correct way to train, everyone has different strategies. That is just what I've done/am still doing. It may help to breakdown your solves like cross - 5 secs, F2L - 10 seconds, LL - 10 seconds, and then post that in the One Answer Question Thread asking what you should improve on. Then practice that step for a little and you'll see improvement. Once you've reached ~16 secs, I, myself, think that the best way now to train is to do solves. And don't forget slow solving with no pauses.

 

[anthonyB]

I'm not a lot faster than you, but so far, I really just do a lot of solves. I bring my cubes everywhere; to school (a lot of my teachers don't mind me, but some are just annoyed), to restaurants, on trips. Most of my solves are actually untimed. Currently, I'm still using 4lll. I'll probably learn full PLL during summer break. My advice is just practice. You'll be consistently sub-30 soon. Good luck!

Yeah, I bring mine to school and usually they attract attention.

I really carry it around everywhere so I can train when I get the chance.

I don't think there is a correct way to train, everyone has different strategies. That is just what I've done/am still doing. It may help to breakdown your solves like cross - 5 secs, F2L - 10 seconds, LL - 10 seconds, and then post that in the One Answer Question Thread asking what you should improve on. Then practice that step for a little and you'll see improvement. Once you've reached ~16 secs, I, myself, think that the best way now to train is to do solves. And don't forget slow solving with no pauses.

My Cross is done in about 2-4 secs and my LL takes about 5-15 secs (depending if I get a PLL case that I know of)

Only real problem I have is my F2L which is considerably slower than the other steps and I don't know that many optimum ways of handling most of the cases.

I'm practicing look ahead however and that's helping me a lot, but I still need to know some algorithms.


Also, I never slow solve, I'll try that. Thanks

 

[god of rubic 2]

When I averaged sub 30 was not that long ago (a few months ago?), I start cubing around 10 months ago in July. After I got around 1 min 25 average on 3x3 using beginner, I started learning fridrich. My times reached a minute and from then kept going down quite rapidly until when I consistently averaged sub 40. What I did then was buy a new cube (preferably a DIY) and kept practising my F2L, OLL and PLL. Back then I knew intuitive F2L, about 7 OLL (just EO) and about 12 PLL. My times crawled down to about 26, 27, 28 seconds and I also got my first non lucky solve sub 20 (19.99). I then learnt the rest of the PLL algs, some more of the OLL and algs for F2L stuck pieces which helped a LOT. Then I started to average 22,23,24 seconds. Then I bought a Guhong and Zhanchi, which I think were the reason I got sub 20 about 50% of the time. Currently I suppose I average sub 20 70-80% of the time. (I use a Zhanchi and Guhong as my mains)

The major points which are very important are:

Get your cross under 5 seconds all the time
Learn F2L for stuck pieces (shotcuts and stuff)
Learn at least 7 OLL
Learn ALL 21 PLL, helps a lot.

After that make sure you perform a PLL alg under about 3 seconds and practise your F2L a lot.

Thats about it.. Practise and happy cubing

 

[JianhanC]

I started during early 2009, had exams and messed with BLD a bit, and I had my first sub 20 solve about a year later (early 2010). I've been cubing casually, getting into Megaminx and big cubes throughout 2010, and by the end of that I was around 17s average. I had exams again during 2011, got a Guhong but it wasn't that suitable for me and progress was very slow. I was cubing once again during late 2011 and was about 15s average. Got a Zhanchi this February, and progress was much faster. I'm now averaging around 13s. You'll pick up tips, blockbuilding, manipulative algs throughout cubing, don't worry about it. Just remember to lookahead during solves and develop the habit of doing so.

 

[pi.cubed]

These threads have advice on practice.
Especially Dominate's posts in the 1st and last threads.

 

[balloon6610]

I started cubing on the beginning of this year and took 3 months to get down 18 seconds I memorized 1-2 algorithms a day don't memorize too much in 1 day or you will mess your algorithm. For practice just do a slow casual solve practice look-ahead and try things out, You don't need to plan to practice like 100 solves a day that will make you stress and will dissapoint when your time doesn't improve much,Just practice whenever you want to

 

[insane569]

About 2 years to get sub 20. A little more to sub 30 OH. But for awhile I practiced doing around 100+ solves on both OH and 2H. Then school started to fail me so I backed down alittle. Take it slow. Don't expect results the next day.

 

[sneaklyfox]

I started off knowing beginner's method from when I learned it a couple decades ago (yeah, I'm old) and averaged about 1min 15s. I was doing top-down LBL. I wasn't so much into speed because when you're a kid it's a big thing just being able to solve it. Then 6 months ago, started Fridrich with sub-30 goal. Learned full PLL and 2LOLL. Would solve cube top-down but turn it over for LL and immediately already cut my time in half... maybe about 40s solve. Learned F2L but was slow at first. Might average 48s for solve. Learned full OLL while practicing F2L. Went from 48s to 36s average in a couple months. Improvement was fast back then and I was just using my storebought. Then bought Guhong 2.5mo ago. Now improvement seems slower. Reached sub-30 goal and now have sub-20 goal. Now I am ~23s average.

Not sure how much I practiced. Maybe anywhere from 30-90mins. Some timed and some untimed. I think at first you don't need any specific program to improve but if you want to get really good you probably have to be a bit more intentional about what you're practicing and focus on the individual steps.

 

[blackzabbathfan]

That's still impressive to me, anything below 20 is an accomplishment.

But, do you think there are certain algorithms that are necessary to learn for intuitive?

I think there are only a few. They are when the corner is inserted correctly and the edge needs to go in, when both are inserted but the edge needs flipping, and when the whole pair needs to be flipped. Other than that you're good I think.