[Help Thread] 3x3 beginner asking advice

[Suysf509522]

Hey my names Frank and I would like to ask some advice from some more experienced speed solvers.

I did my first solve on a rubies cube a month ago but after about 10 solves I was looking to go faster and tried CFOP , I sucked at f2L and a cube took 7 min to complete. after a few practice sessions I got the basics of CFOP down and could solve it under 2 min. after practice I got it down to 1 20,1 10 I also got the occasional sub 1 min .then a few days ago I learned 4 look last layer, now my times are around the 1 minute mark consistently. After researching on youtube I found that alot of people said that when ur beginners method is under 1 30 u kinda maxed it out (not really but I mean its time to go for something else).I never really got remotely close to that time and I hear that with 4Look last layer u can get under 30 seconds but my F2L is way to bad, my cross often takes 5 - 10 seconds to complete then around 30-50 seconds for F2L I never really timed OLL and PLL but I think around 10 sec because my recognition is slow. My question is should I go back and drill beginners method to get that around the 1 30 mark. its just that I find the Second layer part very tedious because it often requires a piece swap and then an insert. I would use my 4 look algorithms instead of th normal beginners method though

TLDR; I jumped to fast to CFOP from beginners method now my times are around 1 minute with 5-10 second cross 30-50 second F2L and I think around 10 sec PLL and OLL ( I use 4 look last layer) should I practice my F2L or should I revisit beginners method and get that under 1 30 consistently?

Thanks in advance

Frank

 

[Solvador Cubi]

I would guess that most people would say to stick with improving your F2L (intuitively and/or algorithmically)
That's generally going to be the slowest part of your solves, but that is building and finishing 2/3rds of the cube.

I've never learned much more than intuitive F2L and 4LLL and was able to get consistently sub-minute without an exorbitant amount of practice.
After that, I enjoyed learning different puzzles (2x2, Kilominx, Tower) and different methods (CF, Roux) then assembling ways to help other beginners.

So you can expand you knowledge down many different avenues, whichever way you enjoy.
A cubing goal doesn't have to be sub 10 3x3.


-= Solvador Cubi

 

[Suysf509522]

thank you for the feedback, i set a goal to myself that I want to be able to solve sub 20 on a 3x3 ( I know it is going to take time) I see that for that goal I need to improve on F2L by alot. I decided that I wil learn blind cross and F2L, I am also going to work on smoothening out my 4LLL algorithms because I timed myself and my LL was around 15 - 20 seconds.

 

[CarterK]

There's no real reason to use the beginners method imo, because you should be practicing what you need to improve on. Do untimed solves, where you try to find a way to put a pair in a slot in only 2 triggers(This is almost always possible) to practice efficiency. Also, do your algs a bunch of times in a row to get the right fingertricks for them. It might also help to look at example solves by some people to see what they would do for the cross and f2l.

 

[Suysf509522]

Thank you for youre advice

 

[cubing247]

Since you're still fairly new to CFOP, I would STRONGLY suggest you take things nice and slow to not develop any bad habits.

Some tips I can give you right away are:
1. Don't bother timing your solves
1.5 Do SLOW SOLVES. Slow enough to where you don't pause in between pairs.
2. Solve your cross on the bottom
3. Learn F2L intuitively and try and understand where the pieces go when you do moves.
4. Learn 4LLL (4 Look Last Layer)
5. Watch example solves

Sign up for cubeskills and take your time with the tutorials in the intermediate section.

 

[Suysf509522]

I am doing blind cross and slow solves now but I have problems with looking ahead to the next pair because I am stil focussing on what im doing, do you think it would be good to first practice F2L blind, so u see 2 pieces then close eyes match and insert them then open eyes again and repeat ?

 

[Think It's Impossible?]

I am doing blind cross and slow solves now but I have problems with looking ahead to the next pair because I am stil focussing on what im doing, do you think it would be good to first practice F2L blind, so u see 2 pieces then close eyes match and insert them then open eyes again and repeat ?

I would drop the whole blind thing since it tends to produce the opposite of the intended effect (improved look ahead) by forcing you into a kind of tunnel vision that only leads to more pauses. For example there would be no point in doing blind cross since when you open your eyes you have no idea what the cube state is which will cause a needless pause.

But anyway the most important thing for a beginner to start doing is relaxing, any tension you have in your hands will slow you down.
This will be hard at first but just like about anything in cubing the longer you do it the more natural it gets so start early and you won't regret it (a good way to do this is right before you pick up a cube shake out your hands and try and maintain the minimum about of force to hold it).

Another thing that goes along with this is making your turns as accurate as possible, this means every time you do a U or U2 or any move the cube should line up properly after it (this will prevent most lockups if done right).

I think these things are the most important because you can always learn a different alg for a case or insert something differently but what you can't change is the muscle memory you've developed over 1000s of solves, this isn't often talked about since any lockups people have nowadays are attributed to the cube not the cuber but this is often a mistake. Other that boring stuff as the other guy said said just solve and watch walk through solves.