A Week of Resting Results In Faster Times?

[dChan]

Has anyone tried to force themself not to cube for at least a week and as soon as the week is over you started cubing? My real question is: does resting for a week or so help your times? Does it let you see things better or is it some kind of magical way to get better ro more consistent times? I havn't touched my cube for about three days now and will resume cubing on Monday(I can't really go any longer than that without cubing because the next competition in California is on April 19 next Saturday) but I was just wondering if anyone has already tried this? I stopped because of an incident a few days ago where I was cubing and I got a bit dizzy but also my fingers were starting to hurt a bit later on when I do normal two-handed solves.

 

[shelley]

I've had it happen. I've also slowed down after a break, which is to be expected. Really, it can go either way.

But yeah, if you're feeling dizzy or having physical pains from cubing, taking a break is a very good idea.

 

[dChan]

Yeah, it was starting to become a pretty normal thing where my ring finger and my index figer were starting to hurt after a few solves into practicing so I decided it might be good to take a little break. I also know how your times can balloon as well after a break because I took like half a year off from cubing and my times were very inconsistent. But I don't know whether that strictly has to do with using an inefficient method or what. I am pretty sure thoguh that it stemmed from such a long gap of not cubing.

Was the decrease in time significant or maybe only around 1-2 seconds after you took a break?

 

[ExoCorsair]

Psychological, probably.

 

[Lt-UnReaL]

Before, I averaged around 20.5-21.5 seconds. I stopped for about 4-5 days. When I came back, I did 15 solves, and the last 12 averaged 18.74. First sub-20 and even sub-19. :O

 

[dChan]

Eh, I came back from my break on Monday and I have to say that I really did not see much improvement in my times unless you count my OH progression but that has been going down and down ever since I hit sub-45 so that doesn't really count. My regular average though went from 22 to 21 so I don't know if that matters. I have to say that, for me, practice is the only way to decrease your times. It is nice to take a break but it won't help much it seems.