Maybe try to learn full PLL. It's not really hard and pretty easy to practice. I even could do it :D
I started with all PLL except for the G-perms. I used A and U-perms when i got a G-perm :)
Nice ... Still working on the sub 35 times myself. I mostly do slow solves now and practice lookahead (very slow btw). And started to practice the cross blinded so i can improve that too.
I'm very new at 4x4. Doing it for like 3 weeks now. I'm using a yuxin blue and my best solve is 2:53 or something. But my yuxin seems to pop quite allot. Had like 4 pops today alone (and i'm not a fast turner as u can see by my PB). If i tighten the tension it becomes very sluggish. Anyone a...
I also started directly with yau for 4x4x4. Have it for like a week or so and still messing things up quite easily :)
Also just learned about half centers and it also did wonders for me. Was averaging like 7 min before half centers and now like 5:30 mins. Still very slow i know, but comming from...
I do use Yau atm. Didn't bother to learn the reduction method :)
And indeed, i seem to have the most problems with the centers. I somehow keep messing up the partial cross or messing up the color scheme. But that must be the noob-factor i guess :p
Damn, got my first 4x4 yesterday and did a couple of solves on it. Slowly getting some more inside in what to do, but i expected to get like 4/5 mins solves ... again damn ... it's harder then i thought. Doing like 7 - 10 min solves :/
Guess practice is what needs to be done :)