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good at OH, bad with two hands. what now?

ravenguild08

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//instant edit
I hope some of my questions won't come off as inane. I did use the search bar liberally. I have good algs for my finger tricks, practice them a ton, do my F2L reasonably slowly, try to do the cross blindfolded, and do by best to avoid the common pitfalls. My point with mentioning my good OH is that I feel I _should_ be faster than I am now but am growing increasingly frustrated from not knowing why. kthx
//edit

Following advice, I'm starting a thread here regarding myself. It's sort of a generic how-to-get better thread, but I feel I'm sort of an exceptional case. I'm nearly sub20 with two hands. However, my OH average is currently 25.1x (of ~1000 solves). Really! Even though I have tried to push down my two-handed time, I can't figure out why I can't improve.
Thus, I'm looking for some advice. Troubleshooting, so to speak. Where can my problems come from if they only manifest themselves in TH? (Of course TH isn't really a term, but I'll use it liberally here.) And, equivalently, what should I look to improve? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. A list of facts about my cubing and speculation on where I'm going wrong follows:

I started cubing/speedcubing in 2007 when I taught myself intuitive F2L (back when I didn't know what it was) and compiled my own list of sort of crappy OLL and PLL algs (when speedy lists were uncommon) and learned them all. In 2008, I was at 20.xx TH and 31.xx OH, but after coming to college, I stopped for two years. Recently, I have resumed and, realizing that I favored OH so much more, I focused on it.
I do OH with my right hand. I am right-handed, so I do the normal left-holding scheme in TH. This is mostly because my right hand is absurdly stronger than my left. I can OH with my left, but I just can't do the triggers and pushes as well. Lots of drops happen as well.
It follows that, yes, I have mirrored all of my algorithms. Actually, I know a lot exclusively for OH that I have relative difficulty executing efficiently in TH. I know a lot of algs: the primarily OH ones, reflected everythings, and unreflected everythings too. It's maybe like 35 PLLs and 95 OLLs counting significantly different executions of algs separately.
I believe my splits for OH end up around C: 3.5; F: 11, O: 5; P: 6. My std is relatively small, mostly contingent on easy/difficult crosses and locks in the LL; solves over 30 are uncommon.
My splits for TH might be C+F: 11; O: 4; P: 5. Bad solves are really, really common when I screw up the cross or F2L.
I do white/yellow cross, intuitive F2L with a few special algs, 2-look LL.
I learned everything on a 2007 Rubik's DIY, recently have been using a Maru DIY, and recently obtained a GuHong. I can solve big cubes, do 3x3 BLD, have tried the Petrus method (Fridrich works better for me), and am proficient with cube theory and thus can teach beginners fairly well.

So where might I be going wrong?

Firstly, which part of my TH split looks the worst? LL or F2L? What splits should I be aiming for?

Lack of finger tricks: I have few. Mostly all my left hand does is hang out and do U' when needed. In fact, most of my finger tricks were index finger combos... (As an aside, I vaguely remember that this is Hardwick's influence.)
I see my left hand thumb is at about the 7 o'clock position on the front face. Is that okay, or should I aim for like 8:30? I have a feeling that this is bad posture. I've sort of tried changing it to enable D with a ring-finger.
I've had trouble doing ambidextrous F2L, so I fill in left side pairs by doing z then inserting. (Note how this is standard procedure in OH) That is inadvisable, right?
How much should I try using right index pushes for counter-clockwise turns? Heck, what finger tricks are possible that I should aim to incorporate?

Cross: Because OH is limited to so few turn executions, I'm accustomed to forming my cross on top. Additionally, I'm not really sure why, but I have a stupidly high failure rate in forming the cross; lots of the time I switch two opposite edges. I also have (what I think is) a bad habit of keeping track of the edges as they move around the cube, thus making looking ahead hard. I also have trouble tracking the centers to line up in the end. That all being said, I can usually see the <8turn solution with ease. Now I'm working on solving it with the cross on D, but ring finger D/D' triggers and u/u' triggers are not coming easily.
How do I improve the cross? Practice resolving it with eyes closed? Or just focus on the looking ahead via corner-tracking or something?

F2L: I can look ahead okay, but once I try to up my turn speed, I can't anymore. (Note how this doesn't come into play in OH where turn speed is the limiting factor.) How do you move faster while still managing to look ahead? Talent?

LL: I know my algs and I'm relearning new ones now, but how do you make them faster? Sure, practice, but that can't be it. Try as I might, I can't even get Uperms under like 2.5. The worst ones, F and E (not the Hessler E) I can't get under 4.5. WHYYYYYY.
Is it a matter of turn speed? How do you up your turn speed, anyway? Turn your wrist faster and push with more ferocity? I just lock when I try that.
I'm under the impression that I memorize algs by their turn compositions instead of strictly hand movements, i.e. I do the first three moves for those two Gperms on L or R, do Jperms from two directions. Bad?
If bad, how do you account for AUF? Several of my algs (Y, 2 Gs, E, 2 Ns, 1 R) don't end up with U on top anymore. Also, I rely a lot on lining up the significant blocks for faster recognition, so most of the time I just do y, y', or y2 for AUF. How in the world do those of you with color-neutral solves do it?!

That is enough from me. Let me know if additional info would be helpful for suggestions. Even if advice isn't your thing, I hope my case was an interesting read. Yay, thanks.

//edit 11/19/10
For the curious, I've timed my PLLs (and recorded my current algs for good measure).

2H PLLs 11/19/10 averages of 12
starting with ideal hand positioning, no AUF, starting/stopping timer by dropping hands on keyboard,
parens breaks correspond to regrips of either hand, i.e. releasing of thumb+mid/ring grip
Ua: 2.30 (R2 U' R' U' R U R) (U R U' R) --
Ub: 2.20 (R' U R' U' R' U') (R' U R) (U R2) --
Z: 3.02 (R' U' R U' R) (U R U' R' U R) (U R2 U' R') --
H: 2.28 (M2' U' M2' U2 M2' U' M2') -- right ring+pinky trigger
Aa: 2.37 x (R' U R') (D2' R U' R' D2' R2) -- right ring+pinky trigger
Ab: 2.55 x (R2 D2' R U R' D2' R U' R) -- right ring+pinky trigger; left index push for U
E: 2.87 x (U R' U') (L U R U' r2' U' R U) (L U' R' U) -- old; right hand drag on final U
Ja: 2.30 (R U' r' F l') z (R2 U R' U') (R2 U) -- weird notation for ordinary alg
Jb: 2.49 x' (R' F r U' R) z (R2 U' R U R2 U') --
Na: 3.59 (R U' L U2 R') (U L') (R U' L U2 R') (U L') -- being replaced right now
Nb: 3.62 z (D' R U') (R2 D R' U D' R U') (R2 D R' U) -- new; ring triggers for D/D'
Ra: 3.05 (R U2' R' U2 R B') (R' U' R U R B R2') -- thumb push on B'
Rb: 2.99 (R' U2 R U2') (R' F R U R' U') (R' F' R2) -- thumb pull on F'
T: 2.29 (R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U' R) (U R' F') --
F: 3.45 (R' U2 R' U') y (R' F' R2 U' R' U R' F R U') F -- thumb pull on F'
Y: 2.42 (R2 U' R' U R U') x'z' (L' U' R U' R' U' r B) -- no right regrip at transition; thumb on that U'
V: 2.77 (R' U R' U') y (R' F' R2 U' R' U R' F) (R F) -- left thumb pull on last F
Ga: 2.62 (R2 u) (R' U R' U' R u' R2) y' (R' U R) --
Gb: 2.58 (R' U' R) y (R2 u R' U) (R U' R u' R2') -- right hand drag on U; thumb on U'
Gc: 2.87 (R2' u' R U' R U R') (u R2) y (R U' R') --
Gd: 3.05 (R U R') y' (R2 u') (R U' R' U R') (u R2) --

OH PLLs 11/19/10 averages of 12
starting with cube in hand, no AUF, starting/stopping timer with other hand
parens indicate exceptions where U / L aren't being turned by index / ring/pinky respectively
UU indicate double index trigger. U2 indicates index+middle trigger
Ua: 2.44 z' U L' U L U L U L' U' L' U2 --
Ub: 2.47 L' U L' U' L' U' L' U L U L2' --
Z: 3.72 L U L' U L' U' L' U (L U') L' U' L2' U L --
H: 3.68 z' UU L2' U L2' UU L2' UU L2' U L2' U2 --
Aa: 3.01 x UU L2' z' L' (U' L) D2' L' U L' --
Ab: 3.13 x L2' UU z U (L U') R2 U L' U --
E: 4.57 x' U L' U L' z L' U l' xz L' U L' U' L' D' L U L' --
Ja: 2.81 z' (D L') (U' L) D' L2' U L' U' L2' U --
Jb: 2.98 z' (U' L) (D L') U L2' z L' U L U2 L' --
Na: 3.74 z' (D L') U L2' (D' L D') U' L' U L2' z L' U l' --
Nb: 3.99 z' (U' L) D' L2' U L' U' (D L D') L2' U L' u --
Ra: 4.15 z' U L' U' L' U L U (R U') L' U l' xz L' U2 L' --
Rb: 3.60 L' U L U L' U' L' (D' L) U L' u z'x' U L2' U --
T: 4.21 L' U' L U L2' (D' L) U L U L' U' z UU (L U') --
F: 4.78 z' (U' L) U L' U2 x'z L' U' L U x U (L U') L' U2 --
Y: 3.69 L2' U L U L' U x- U z U L' U L U R' U' --
V: 4.18 z' U L' U L x U z' (U' L) U L2 x' U L U' L' U' --
Ga: 3.45 L2' u L' U L' (U' L) D' x' UU l' U l --
Gb: 4.41 L' (U' L) z'x UU l (U' L) U L' U l' U2 --
Gc: 3.44 z' U2 l' U L' U (L U') R y' L2' u L' u' --
Gd: 3.90 L U L' y' L2' u' (L U') L' U L' u L2' --

Convert to right hand algs here if you'd like.

//edit
 
Last edited:

FatBoyXPC

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Wow, this is honestly probably the best post I've seen about asking help to get faster, excellent self-diagnosis by the way. First things first, 2H is the common abbreviation around here for Two Handed solving (but it's assumed to be 2H if you don't specify OH).

Alright so let's look at your issues. First of all, a 12s or better Cross + F2L should give you a sub20 time. I take this because your OLL is easily sub1.5-able for almost all of the cases, and recognition should generally be one second or less. With PLL shoot for all of them to be sub3, but eventually you do want them to all be sub2. The only two ways (I repeat the only two ways) you will improve your LL is by flat out practice and finding better algorithms. Depending on what you use for your U perms, they're sub1-able (both the M/U and R/U U perms have been sub1'd on video by multiple people. Same with H, Z, Jb, Rb, etc. In fact, a lot of the top cubers can do most PLLs in sub1 or awful close to it, and consistently).

Tips for practicing PLL: Do an average of 12 with all your PLLs, find the average 10 of 12 (removing fastest and slowest times), record this (and your best single if you so choose). All of the PLLs that aren't sub3, work on them one at a time. I generally would do each G perm on all 4 sides of the cube, then go onto the next G perm until I've done all 4 G perms. G perms were the worst ones for me, they were around 4s a piece back in August, I'm fairly consistent at sub2 G perms now. If you spend an hour of practice a day doing PLL practice, you'll improve quick. Remember to focus on doing a lot of one PLL at a time (You can do more than one PLL in that hour, though), because the more you do the algorithm, the better it sits in your muscle memory. This is why I recommend doing one for a bit then moving on, instead of doing all of them back to back.

Tips for OLL: Rowan gave me a tip to force yourself to recognize OLL without AUFing first, only AUF once you are ready to execute the algorithm. I'm unsure if this is an issue for you though, since you are decent with it for OLL. Timing yourself with all OLLs would be a lengthy process, since there are 57 of them, but if you are fairly confident that your average OLL time spent is 4s, then you definitely need to work on that. 4s OLL is actually pretty slow for 2LOLL with doing the F SM F' f SM f' then one of the OCLLs. Since both those EO algs are sub1, and all 7 OCLLs are sub1able, I think you can see how spending 4s on something that only requires less than 3 seconds would be considered slow (I didn't take recognition into aco**** because when I did 2LOLL I was more than able to know which EO case in sub0.5 and the OCLL was sub0.5 recognition as well). Now compare that to know all 57 OLL algorithms, sub1 for recall and 1.5ish execution average (for me anyhow) and you now you see that 4s is quite a bit more time (comparitively).

I suggest you do actual breakdowns just to see how close you have rated yourself. Also recording some solves on video couldn't hurt. I know you can do breakdowns with CCT, ctimer.co.uk, and I'm unsure about qqtimer (mzrg.com/qqtimer). Also, work on your cross, just do it BLD until you get a good success rate, and try to start doing it on bottom. It really does help, or you could do as some people do and build most of it on top but find a move (such as R2) and instead do a wide turn to do the equivalent to a cube rotation (such as doing l2 instead of R2). Also, all "standard" PLLs are sub2-able with practice, so it's definitely possible!

Good luck!
 
Last edited:

Godmil

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Incidently, what algs are you using for F and E?

but how do you make them faster?
You can take this with a grain of salf, cause you're way faster than I am, but I know from other activities (such as playing the guitar) that the best way to do learn how to speed up PLL's will be to do them very slowly and concentrate on economy of motion. Try to be very smooth and precice, and avoid all unwanted movements, You'll quickly pick up speed doing this without even thinking about it. One of the worst things to do is to go full blast all the time and end up learning a sloppy technique.
 
Last edited:

abctoshiro

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I am also nearly sub-20 with two hands (19-22 ave.) and with the Roux method. It is a bit harder to look ahead with Roux, but I, myself, take that as a challenge. I can only give you advice on your F2L, sadly. Roux and CFOP are a bit apart.

Turn Speed vs. Move Count vs. Look Ahead: I personally perform only about 2-3 TPS during blockbuilding, and I suggest that you do the same. However, you would also need to cut down your F2L move count to 30 moves and below to achieve a sub-15 F2L. You could do F2L drills for a while, turning only about 2-3 TPS and NO pausing. This "drill" may slow you down for a while, but it could improve your look ahead. Once you are good with 2-3 TPS F2L, you can even increase turn speed to 4, then 5, then 6, then...profit. And strictly no pauses during F2L. But that could take months or even years to achieve.

With 30 moves F2L as a base (and assume you turn x moves per second),

2 TPS: 15s
3: 10s
4: 7.5s
5: 6s
6: 5s

That includes cross.

The relationship between turn speed, move count, look-ahead and time is while turn speed rises, the other three tend to worsen, and vice-versa.

Blockbuilding: It can also help, however, in CFOP, in a different case. If you learn this and even improve this aspect of F2L, you can intuitively multislot, easily preserve pairs, reduce move count, and do x-cross easily. You could learn some techniques in Lars Petrus's page.

OLL and PLL: Get new algs, also learn algs from other angles. Execute them fast, and real nice.

I used CFOP for some time also, and I'm sharing you my F-perm that I'm using for that while: R' U' F' Tperm then insert back pair differently and intuitively.


Also, if you ask, my breakdowns for Roux:
First Block: 5s --------->can do 2s if done perfectly
Second Block: 5s -------->can rise up to 7s
CMLL: 5s ------->trouble for me, I still use two look.
LSE: 5s --------->feels right but not

Yeah that's it, criticize me for my advice, I'm just trying to help. Thanks.
 

ravenguild08

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...2H is the common abbreviation around here...

The only two ways (I repeat the only two ways) you will improve your LL is by flat out practice and finding better algorithms. Depending on what you use for your U perms, they're sub1-able (both the M/U and R/U U perms have been sub1'd on video by multiple people.

Tips for practicing PLL: Do an average of 12 with all your PLLs, find the average 10 of 12 (removing fastest and slowest times), record this (and your best single if you so choose). All of the PLLs that aren't sub3, work on them one at a time... Remember to focus on doing a lot of one PLL at a time (You can do more than one PLL in that hour, though), because the more you do the algorithm, the better it sits in your muscle memory.

Tips for OLL: Rowan gave me a tip to force yourself to recognize OLL without AUFing first, only AUF once you are ready to execute the algorithm. I'm unsure if this is an issue for you though, since you are decent with it for OLL. Timing yourself with all OLLs would be a lengthy process, since there are 57 of them, but if you are fairly confident that your average OLL time spent is 4s, then you definitely need to work on that. 4s OLL is actually pretty slow for 2LOLL with doing the F SM F' f SM f' then one of the OCLLs. Since both those EO algs are sub1, and all 7 OCLLs are sub1able,...

Right, 2H, not TH. Now I remember... thanks.
Practice advice duly noted. I just can't figure out why my execution of algs is so slow. I do practice, but it seems I am missing some fundamental skill or something.
True, I haven't actually timed any of my LL algs explicitly, but I'm fairly confident in my splits. I usually peek at the timer during OLL alg execution and it's usually 12 or 13.

Incidently, what algs are you using for F and E?
You can take this with a grain of salf, cause you're way faster than I am, but I know from other activities (such as playing the guitar) that the best way to do learn how to speed up PLL's will be to do them very slowly and concentrate on economy of motion. Try to be very smooth and precice, and avoid all unwanted movements, You'll quickly pick up speed doing this without even thinking about it. One of the worst things to do is to go full blast all the time and end up learning a sloppy technique.

True that. I should check if there are any unwanted movements in my algs, but I sort of doubt it.
Fperm: (U) R'URU'R2' y' R'URU' xz' RU'RU'R2, learning now R'U2R2U' y R'F'R2U' R'UR'FRU'F, which is Vperm-like.
Eperm: something retarded like x'UR'U'LURU'r2'U'RULU'R'U. Can't do the Hessler E properly.
Actually, forgot about the Ns too, where I use (LU'RU2'L'R')^2 and mirror. I had spotted a pair of nicer ones, but I don't remember where now. Time to go searching again...

[abc]toshiro;487848 said:
Turn Speed vs. Move Count vs. Look Ahead: I personally perform only about 2-3 TPS during blockbuilding, and I suggest that you do the same. However, you would also need to cut down your F2L move count to 30 moves and below to achieve a sub-15 F2L. You could do F2L drills for a while, turning only about 2-3 TPS and NO pausing. This "drill" may slow you down for a while, but it could improve your look ahead. Once you are good with 2-3 TPS F2L, you can even increase turn speed to 4, then 5, then 6, then...profit. And strictly no pauses during F2L. But that could take months or even years to achieve.

Blockbuilding: It can also help, however, in CFOP, in a different case. If you learn this and even improve this aspect of F2L, you can intuitively multislot, easily preserve pairs, reduce move count, and do x-cross easily. You could learn some techniques in Lars Petrus's page.

OLL and PLL: Get new algs, also learn algs from other angles. Execute them fast, and real nice.

Any advice is welcome! Especially since you do Roux, the insight is even more important.
Yep, when I do F2L slowly, i have no problem not pausing; I believe this is why it doesn't limit my OH, where TPS is necessarily low.
As for average turn count, I estimate an average speedsolve Cross+F2L count is maybe 35ish? Actually, I am rather good at chaining together pair/block forming. Given enough time, I can, say, see how to insert a block while setting up another one (e.g. U2RU2R' or R'FRF' instead of U'RUR'). I practiced a lot of fewest moves back in the day.
But you hypothesize that just by experience, F2L TPS and overall speed will improve? I thought that would hold true too, but it isn't happening, so I wonder what aspect actually improves with experience? Speedy case spotting while moving, I suspect.
Nonetheless, what I gather is that directly trying to turn faster in F2L is not the solution; rather letting habituation run its course is.
 

Godmil

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For your N Perms try doing a z rotation, then it's all on the U R and D, which I find to be really nice (Nb is one of my fastest perms (but still only 2.5 - 3 seconds)
 

CharlesOBlack

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Looking at your N perm/E perm/F perm algs....

Learn new algs. Seriously. at the wiki we have a page made up of only the PLLs, and each one has several different algs. I suggest looking at it and seeing which one fits you best.
 

FatBoyXPC

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When Godmill said practice slowly the algorithms slowly, I'm not sure how he much he realizes that is such a good thing to do with cubing as well. You will learn how to flow the algorithm better, you'll learn how to minimize regrips, and most importantly: go for smoothness! You'll ALWAYS be faster doing a smooth PLL than a locky one, so practice for smoothness and slowly amp up the TPS.

Na: (R U R' U) R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F' R2 U' R' U2 R U' R' - this can be looked at as R U R' U' - Jb perm - U' R U' R' but since the last move of Jb is U' you can go straight into a U2, but that's assuming you use the Jb that is the "inverted T perm" since Jb has the R U R' F' at the beginning instead of the end.

Nb: R' U R U' R' F' U' F R U R' F R' F' R U' R

Those worked out much better for me.
 
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Mike Hughey

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I see, but he got it wrong. At least I think he did. It looks like the corrected algorithm is:

(R U R' U) R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U2 R U' R'

And I don't care how finger-friendly the algorithm is - I can't see myself ever being happy with a 21-move algorithm. Even using the 18-move F perm from a T perm bugs me. (But I do use it.)
 

FatBoyXPC

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Oh whoops, sorry about that! I forgot to put an inverse in there :p Yeah Mike, that's the corrected one :p Yeah it's 21 moves but it was much faster for me than the one I was using. The one I had just felt so awkward, this is the one that I have trouble keeping sub2 though, it often is not (only because I need to get more used to the RUR'U' RUR'F', once I get those a bit less awkward I should be able to sub2 this at least as much as my G perms. The rest of the alg after those two bits fly for me). I edited my post from earlier to correct it, even though you provided the correct one for us :p Thanks to Rowan for both of those PLLs, actually.
 

Tim Major

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True, I haven't actually timed any of my LL algs explicitly, but I'm fairly confident in my splits. I usually peek at the timer during OLL alg execution and it's usually 12 or 13.
Fperm: (U) R'URU'R2' y' R'URU' xz' RU'RU'R2, learning now R'U2R2U' y R'F'R2U' R'UR'FRU'F, which is Vperm-like.
Eperm: something retarded like x'UR'U'LURU'r2'U'RULU'R'U. Can't do the Hessler E properly.
Actually, forgot about the Ns too, where I use (LU'RU2'L'R')^2 and mirror. I had spotted a pair of nicer ones, but I don't remember where now. Time to go searching again...
Try this Fperm: M' U2 Rw U' x' R U2 Rw' U Rw' R2 U2 R2
I was trying to get all my PLLs sub 2, and the only ones I had trouble with were R(a), the N which I use the same conjugated Jperm for, Fperm and Eperm. So I learnt new algs for all bar the Rperm and the Nperm, for which I just practised. I suggest you try PLL time attacks (executing all PLLs in a row, try writing them down, and timing them). Also, executing each PLL individually, and writing down the best/average you get with each PLL. Notice which are your slowest, and practise, and try to find better fingertricks for them. (by the way, when I was practising to get all PLLs sub 2, that was starting with the cube in my hands). You'll prolly find it very hard to get sub 2 on all PLLs, starting with the cube on the table. In solves, you don't need to pick up the cube for PLL, so why pick it up when timing? You can try the same techniques for OLL. Any cases that you're really struggling to get under 3, 2.5, or even 2s, check the wiki on this site, to see if there are some algs you like more.
Just find out your bad steps, and practise them.
 

ravenguild08

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Try this Fperm: M' U2 Rw U' x' R U2 Rw' U Rw' R2 U2 R2
I was trying to get all my PLLs sub 2, and the only ones I had trouble with were R(a), the N which I use the same conjugated Jperm for, Fperm and Eperm.
Just find out your bad steps, and practise them.

Goodness, sub-2 PLLs seem like such an impossibility, and simply practicing seems not to be helping much. One issue might be that I make an effort to be able to initialize them from many directions and also to be able to account for AUF resolution at the end. Maybe I should focus on one execution per and force myself to execute that exact sequence every time.
Also, the F perm you mention is pretty cool. I might try it.

After reevaluating my Nperms, I came up with (not knowing which is Na and Nb)
z (D' R U') (R2 D R' U D' R U') (R2 D R' U R*)
z (D R' U) (R2' D' R U' D R' U R2) (D' R U' R*)
with D as left ring trigger and D' as right ring trigger. They seem to work fairly well for my current finger tricks.

General consensus seems to be that I should find an updated and suitable LL alg library and practice them until death. Practicing techniques I've taken note of; do slow, remember hand motions, and do many in a row until fast.
Still, I am wary of what "practice" actually means. I do feel I am missing something fundamental in 2H cubing... wrist turns? Even my friend who doesn't cube commented that when I do 2H, I look much less coordinated. Any tips of what to think of while wrist turning? How stationary does the left hand stay? For example, when executing R, should I aim for half R, half Lw in absolute space?
 

Rpotts

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god your making it so complicated. Turn faster, look ahead during f2l more, practice all your last layer algs and get good at recognizing them (however works for you)
 

Godmil

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@Ravenguild, yep that's what I use exactly, it seems to work really well, particularly since you can regrip with the right hand while the left hand is doing the U or D moves, and there is a U + D moves that can be done at the same time with the right hand in the middle. I just timed myself for the first time with it - generally my PLL's are 3-3.25 seconds, but that Nb (the one that starts on the D) is consistently 2.5 - 2.6s. I thought the conjugated Jperm was sooo cool when I first saw it, but in practice to be able to get that kind of times I'd need to be doing 8.5tps which is way beyond me.

EDIT: Also for F perms, Breandan just posted two on his YouTube channel that he says can be sub-1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLhR_tuLAV8
 
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ravenguild08

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god your making it so complicated. Turn faster, look ahead during f2l more, practice all your last layer algs and get good at recognizing them (however works for you)

Haha, I couldn't agree more that I am making it more complicated than necessary. However, experience has taught me that bad practicing is worth less than no practicing at all, so I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask here for insight.


Also, thank you all for all the alg suggestions. I'm on the hunt myself on the forums and the internet for replacements for my slow or inconsistent ones. If you're interested, the first post now has all 42 of my PLL algs and times.
Man, even though I should, I'm really not in the mood to do the same for OLL...
 
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