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[Cubing World] How to Get Fast

Tim Major

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Aren't you the same age as Drew Brads? I think he is at least being considered for pyraminx, although I have no clue.

Even if they're the same age, Drew acts and seems about 5 years older.

Are the other videos so long/"newb" friendly? This is a how to get fast series, I stopped watching Ranzha's because it's very beginner oriented. Even from 9:17 onwards...
 
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Noahaha

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Are the other videos so long/"newb" friendly? This is a how to get fast series, I stopped watching Ranzha's because it's very beginner oriented. Even from 9:17 onwards...

Most of the videos are longer than this one. They are supposed to get more advanced the further into the video you get. There are time stamps in all of the descriptions for easy navigation.

I think that it's hard for these videos not to be mostly "newb" friendly because an advanced cuber usually knows how to get fast. These videos are not so much for extremely specific tips/tricks/techniques, but for explaining the general progression that one can take with an event.

That being said, the videos vary a lot depending on what each person wanted to do. Some of the videos will only be helpful to people who are intermediates or worse, whereas others will be helpful to people who are already world class.

EDIT: I don't know why you would complain about length, because it is actually the longer videos that tend to have more of the advanced stuff. You can always skip the beginner things.
 
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Tim Major

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I think that it's hard for these videos not to be mostly "newb" friendly because an advanced cuber usually knows how to get fast. These videos are not so much for extremely specific tips/tricks/techniques, but for explaining the general progression that one can take with an event

Overall I can understand where you're coming from but I disagree with this part. I feel there are certain speeds that you won't get much faster at for each puzzle without a change in practise. I'm probably quite a lazy practicer, or a very efficient one, depending on your point of view. When I'm getting into a new event, I rarely just solve. I constantly evaluate "what is x doing better than me". On my Pyraminx binge a couple of months ago, I rarely did more than 15 minutes of solving in a day (50 solves). Yet I got from 6s average to low 4 very quickly. I've seen other people do several hundred a day and take months to average that fast. What I did differently to most was constant changes in how I practised. First, I saw a video by Odder. He said using one flip he always predicts "this much" at least. I then did lots of untimed solves so I could do the same. I got faster then watched lots of fast people. I saw many did tips whilst recognizing a certain step. Again, I got faster.

If I had no internet it would've taken far longer to go from 6.xy to my official 3.74 average. I reached the top 100 by just practicing. I then went from "good" to "top 10" by learning indirectly how to practise thanks to faster people.

I don't think people NEED a video from slow->decent. That can be achieved by just practising with no guidance. But decent->world class? That's where HOW you practise really comes into it.

Which is why I feel like the majority of each video should be advanced, not a small section.

My only source for this is the fact I seem to get to a competitive speed much faster than a lot of other people. Overall I've been cubing since 2009. But when I care about an event I seem to go from bad to x in a couple hundred solves whilst others take far longer. I'm not trying to sound arrogant but as an example, I started averaging sub 10 at Skewb a couple of days after it became official, yet I've since seen people doing thousands of solves sup10
 
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I'm not trying to sound arrogant but as an example, I started averaging sub 10 at Skewb a couple of days after it became official, yet I've since seen people doing thousands of solves sup10

Didn't you say that you already did lots of Skewb before it was decided to become official.

I seem to be quite the opposite from you. I just get lazy to learn stuff and analyze, so I just do a ton of solves.
 

Noahaha

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Overall I can understand where you're coming from but I disagree with this part. I feel there are certain speeds that you won't get much faster at for each puzzle without a change in practise. I'm probably quite a lazy practicer, or a very efficient one, depending on your point of view. When I'm getting into a new event, I rarely just solve. I constantly evaluate "what is x doing better than me". On my Pyraminx binge a couple of months ago, I rarely did more than 15 minutes of solving in a day (50 solves). Yet I got from 6s average to low 4 very quickly. I've seen other people do several hundred a day and take months to average that fast. What I did differently to most was constant changes in how I practised. First, I saw a video by Odder. He said using one flip he always predicts "this much" at least. I then did lots of untimed solves so I could do the same. I got faster then watched lots of fast people. I saw many did tips whilst recognizing a certain step. Again, I got faster.

If I had no internet it would've taken far longer to go from 6.xy to my official 3.74 average. I reached the top 100 by just practicing. I then went from "good" to "top 10" by learning indirectly how to practise thanks to faster people.

I don't think people NEED a video from slow->decent. That can be achieved by just practising with no guidance. But decent->world class? That's where HOW you practise really comes into it.

Which is why I feel like the majority of each video should be advanced, not a small section.

My only source for this is the fact I seem to get to a competitive speed much faster than a lot of other people. Overall I've been cubing since 2009. But when I care about an event I seem to go from bad to x in a couple hundred solves whilst others take far longer. I'm not trying to sound arrogant but as an example, I started averaging sub 10 at Skewb a couple of days after it became official, yet I've since seen people doing thousands of solves sup10


I did not give a ton of requirements for the making of these videos, but one of them was that each one had to talk about how to practice effectively, so I don't think you will be disappointed in that respect.

The videos are almost all made, so it's too late, but I will explain the reasoning for the series being the way it is: the series is for the most part not directed at people who are already "fast" or in the top 100 in the world. The series is specifically for people who want to learn more about events that they are relatively new to. The series is definitely not aimed at people like you and me who have a lot of cubing knowledge and know how to find the resources necessary for getting good.

So while it would be more beneficial for you if each video spent a majority of its time focusing on very advanced stuff, it would probably alienate a good percentage of our audience. The series you describe would be called "How to Get World-Class".

That being said, the Skewb video is not a perfect sample. Other videos are longer and spend more time in more advanced territory.

I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it's really impossible to please everyone. Cubing World's regular videos contain a more balanced mixture of beginner, intermediate and advanced content. Season 5 in particular will have a good number of pyra videos, so perhaps you will find what you are looking for there. :)
 

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I was going to post saying I agree with Tim, but it looks like Noah already got his response in so there isn't much point.

Honestly though, while I do appreciate Ranzha giving the time to make that video and I do think it's something good for complete beginners to watch, I didn't at all feel like it should have a "How to get fast" label on it; a lot of it had nothing to do with speed at all. I could easily just be biased due to already being a decent cuber overall, but having spent a grand total of three days learning to solve / practicing skewb and not being very good at it, that video still didn't teach me anything. (My main hope was something of actual demonstration/tips on how to turn fast, since I expect that TPS will be the one big thing that hinders people from getting fast since turning the puzzle is so different from anything; I for one have no clue whatsoever how to turn the thing quickly)

But you say that other videos are longer, etc. so I'll just wait to see what else you have.
 

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As someone who has not even seen how a skewb is turned, I learned a lot about the puzzle itself and the variety of methods. That said this seems like it would be a good introduction video for a how to be sub x series as it gives an overview of the methods and the general progression to getting faster but it felt like an overview/intro to skewb more than a tutorial on how to get fast which is the purpose of the series. I'm not saying there weren't any tips at all but the how to get fast part of the video was only the last 3 minutes and I would have preferred 12 minutes of talking about the mistakes you see in other people's solves and what practice techniques you have done to correct those mistakes yourself if you had nothing other than that 3 minutes of how to get fast.
When you say for sub 8 and sub 6 that it is self directed I would have liked to hear if nothing else what were obstacles you ran into and how did you fix them. I know people say when you get so fast you just know what you need to work on but hearing how about how different cubers worked through different weaknesses has always opened up new ideas to apply to my personal situation.

I did like the video though I just felt that there was too much time taken introducing the puzzle and whatnot.

Edit: After reading who the demo for the series is "people who want to learn more about events that they are relatively new to. " I say this video did it's job. But upon first hearing of this series I thought it would be a how to be world class type of thing since the title was how to get fast and each event has a top cuber at that event give tips.
 
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Tim Major

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Season 5 in particular will have a good number of pyra videos, so perhaps you will find what you are looking for there. :)

I was using Pyra as an example as it's the only puzzle I'm "up there" at. I wanted all the OTHER videos to show a similar model. I achieved what I wanted with Pyra, and have no need for Pyraminx videos, that's not what I was looking for. I was just looking for videos in the structure I described for OTHER puzzles. I think the series is a good idea, and executed/organised well. I was just hoping for a different structure, as there are plenty of tutorial videos out there. I don't think someone needs a video for how to get from slow to->30 seconds at 3x3, or even a little faster. I feel "how to get fast videos" should be geared towards intermediates to advanced solvers, as I believe that's the barrier where you won't progress much by just rote-learning (rote-practising?).

You have a different goal to what I want, so that's fine. I'm not one to tell you what to do, they were just my suggestions.


Didn't you say that you already did lots of Skewb before it was decided to become official.

I seem to be quite the opposite from you. I just get lazy to learn stuff and analyze, so I just do a ton of solves.

Yes and no. I did "lots" of Skewb before it was official in regards to an unofficial puzzle. It wasn't really much practise. When it because official I was barely sub 15. Got from 14-15 to 8-10 in a few days.
Also I guess I don't like cubing enough to dedicate an hour to practise a day. I probably spend an hours on the forums, but on a TYPICAL DAY I spend 15 minutes or so.
 

Noahaha

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You guys are making very valid complaints. My one hope is that you don't judge the whole series based on the first video.

Here is the next one:


CONTENTS:
0:12 - Introduction
0:40 - What is 3BLD?
1:18 - Method Progression
4:49 - Memo Method
7:00 - Execution Techniques
11:27 - Memo Techniques
14:58 - Turning Speed
16:30 - Think Ahead
17:43 - Practicing Effectively

Enjoy!
 
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Noahaha

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CONTENTS:
0:28 - Methods
1:30 - Centers
2:50 - Edges
5:40 - 3x3 Stage
6:30 - Reduction Variations
6:54 - Conclusion
 
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