General help to improve time needed

[nobodynowhere]

I've been solving the cube for about 2 years and I started with Dan Brown's method with all of the R'D'RD and I inevitably progressed to intuitive F2L, and 3 Look LL...But still my time sucks... I average 40 seconds...
I have practiced all of the cases, have a good cube, tried just about every Fridrich tip there is... Can you please give me some general tips how to improve my time??? I feel as though CFOP is a waste on me...

 

[vcuber13]

the way to get faster is to practice

 

[Coke]

Look ahead in f2l pairs, PRACTICE A LOT, plan out the cross in your head. Do the cross on the bottom.

And you shouldn't have to know all of the cases, how fast is your f2l?
Is your recognition of cases good?

Because those are some major factors.

 

[gundamslicer]

Don't just learn stuff whenever you just learned something new on a cube. Practice until you get a better avg and then learn new tips and tricks

 

[Systemdertoten]

Check this out.

 

[Ranzha]

First off, nice thread title.
Actually, that's the kind of thing we want to avoid here on the forums, just letting you know. It would have been better is possibly a more...specific?...thread title was submitted. =)

Secondly, your times as they are depend on a lot of factors. Seeing as that you are a proclaimed CFOP user, but at forty seconds, just practise. Practising will make your times lower over time. Additionally, this depends on what cube you're using. If you're using a Rubik's storebought, you can either a) stick with it, b) stick with it and make the cube better, or c) buy a new cube online at a cube shop (more details on this one in the Hardware Area).
My first non-Rubik's brand that I used as a speedcube was a white C4Y NIB. It sucked, but it got my times from 45 to just edging on sub-30. It was better than my storebought could have ever been. But the cube still sucked, so I progressed to a Type A-I. The Type A-I is the cube I will recommend to you. I believe that a person's cubing style develops over time, and that the quality and speed of cubes used should gradually progress (which is why I'm not telling you to go buy an F-II, a GuHong, a HaiYan, etc.). The A-I is a great cube for cubers from 60 seconds to 30 seconds, in my opinion.
Next, here are some basic tips:
- Optimal cross : Try solving cross in the least number of moves. You DON'T have to solve cross on D to be fast. I solve cross on F, U, and B usually, just from the overall "How can I do these moves from a good angle?" standpoint. I never do cross on D, however. I average 16-17, so non-cross-on-D is perfectly okay.
- PLL : I'm sure you know it by now, but if you happen to not know it (or if you want to check out my algs for the cases), here's my PLL page on my website.
- F2L : Intuitive F2L will help bunches. It was so difficult for me to get accustomed to it, but over time (and with practice), it became easier and easier. Jason Baum has a good F2L site. Clicky clicky!
- Practise
- Practise
- Practise
- Practise
- Practise
- Practise
- Practise