AndrewKimmey
Regular
Hey everyone!
This is literally my first post here, but I've lurked and used the forums as a source of information for a long time now.
This is just background info about me (I couldn't find a different forum to introduce myself in, so please redirect me if there is such a proper location), so skip below if this doesn't interest you (I won't be offended, I promise). I started cubing in the summer of 2008ish, taking a 6 year break between 2010 and 2016. Way back then I started out on a Dayan God knows what, the Linghui something or other? The one that had that double anchor corner design that you could like pull out halfway for a funny lookin' cube? My internet's acting up, so I can't be bothered to find the real name, you know what I'm talking about
During this time I used the beginner method for well over a year, I think my times averaged around 50 seconds? Literally no idea nowadays. anyway. I learned CFOP next with a 3LLL and somewhere along the line I switched to a Zhanchi (I'm 95% sure I never learned 2-look PLL, because I remember thinking to myself from the beginning "You know what? Screw 2-look PLL. Go big or go home."), and my times averaged about 35 seconds I think. Then the huge break came. I picked up cubing again while I was studying abroad in Spain (I'm a Master's student, fluent in English and Spanish), and got a Thunderclap v2, then a Gans Air which I now plan on magnetizing and keeping as my main for a long time. During my 9 month stay in Spain I relearned full PLL, learned full OLL, and learned about half of COLL, and relearned and improved my f2l greatly, leaving me with times that averaged 23 seconds, being dual color neutral between white and yellow. I went to my first competition in Spain and got a 22.21 3x3 average, which I was really happy about. Not much has changed in the months since then, except learning more COLLs (now I know them all except for the sunes, which I plan on getting to soon [inb4 OMG BRO WHY LEARN SUNE COLLS SUNE IS SUCH A FAST ALG AS IS, DONT WASTE YOUR TIME MAKING IT MORE COMPLEX {To counter your statement: Sune COLL + EPLL skip > Sune + G perm}]) wow I have no idea when the last time I used 3 layers of parenthesis was. What was I saying? Oh yeah. On top of learning more COLLs I've also become completely color neutral, which at first was pretty hard, and my times averaged closer to 28-30 seconds.
Well, anyway. I just wanted to share my experiences, let me know what you think!
This is literally my first post here, but I've lurked and used the forums as a source of information for a long time now.
This is just background info about me (I couldn't find a different forum to introduce myself in, so please redirect me if there is such a proper location), so skip below if this doesn't interest you (I won't be offended, I promise). I started cubing in the summer of 2008ish, taking a 6 year break between 2010 and 2016. Way back then I started out on a Dayan God knows what, the Linghui something or other? The one that had that double anchor corner design that you could like pull out halfway for a funny lookin' cube? My internet's acting up, so I can't be bothered to find the real name, you know what I'm talking about
During this time I used the beginner method for well over a year, I think my times averaged around 50 seconds? Literally no idea nowadays. anyway. I learned CFOP next with a 3LLL and somewhere along the line I switched to a Zhanchi (I'm 95% sure I never learned 2-look PLL, because I remember thinking to myself from the beginning "You know what? Screw 2-look PLL. Go big or go home."), and my times averaged about 35 seconds I think. Then the huge break came. I picked up cubing again while I was studying abroad in Spain (I'm a Master's student, fluent in English and Spanish), and got a Thunderclap v2, then a Gans Air which I now plan on magnetizing and keeping as my main for a long time. During my 9 month stay in Spain I relearned full PLL, learned full OLL, and learned about half of COLL, and relearned and improved my f2l greatly, leaving me with times that averaged 23 seconds, being dual color neutral between white and yellow. I went to my first competition in Spain and got a 22.21 3x3 average, which I was really happy about. Not much has changed in the months since then, except learning more COLLs (now I know them all except for the sunes, which I plan on getting to soon [inb4 OMG BRO WHY LEARN SUNE COLLS SUNE IS SUCH A FAST ALG AS IS, DONT WASTE YOUR TIME MAKING IT MORE COMPLEX {To counter your statement: Sune COLL + EPLL skip > Sune + G perm}]) wow I have no idea when the last time I used 3 layers of parenthesis was. What was I saying? Oh yeah. On top of learning more COLLs I've also become completely color neutral, which at first was pretty hard, and my times averaged closer to 28-30 seconds.MAIN POINT OF THE POST HERE
After becoming fully color neutral, my times obviously went up. And now, after a few months of practice, my times are finally returning to 23 seconds (my at home average was ~23 when I got the 22.21 average at the comp) But you know what's weird? My single times still suck xD before switching to being color neutral, my 23 second Ao100 was compiled of times ranging from 14 to 30 seconds, which all averaged to 23. And now being color neutral, my average is back to normal, but the times that compose that average range from 18-24 normally. So technically, on average, I'm just as fast as I was 3 months ago, but I don't feel as accomplished now because those 14-17 second solves that used to feel like really good solves don't happen as often now, kind of a bummer haha. I know that I'll get back down with more practice (mainly slower turning during f2l), but I just think it's curious that a person's averages can be the same although their singles vary greatly. Has anyone else run into a situation like this? And if anyone reading this is on the fence about becoming CN, just do it. Totally worth it. I very very very rarely do x-crosses, which is the big benefits of being CN, but even without it, it's still really handy to reliably solve the cube starting on any face.Well, anyway. I just wanted to share my experiences, let me know what you think!
