Hand and finger technique problems

[loqueelviento]

Hi all,

I've got a cube for my 47th birthday. Better late than never.

I've started to learn the basic CFOP steps (intuitive F2L, it's quite fun, though I'm very slow) and the 2-look PLL/OLL. I'm trying to be "smooth" on the moves, but I struggle on a few things for the technical part

• pair insertions from the back face (UBU'B' / BUB' for the back right slot). I can't find a way that I would say, "OK I lack a bit of fine motor control there, but I feel I'll be able to make it flow with practice." I need an "operational pause" during the algorithm to reposition hand/fingers. The only imperfect solution I have is
  • I can always turn the cube, but I'm trying not to, as advised, and keeping the unsolved slots in the front is probably a good idea.
• pair insertions from the front face (U'F'UF / F'U'F). Unsure if practice will heal it or if I've got a fatal flow in the handling of the cube for this. I have a partial solution (joint pair only):
  • insertion FR'F'R flows naturally (is there a reason it's not in basic F2L tutorials?)
• I get almost all of the last layer algorithms flowing, but the 3-way edge permutations (R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R2 and its inverse) feel absolutely awkward because the 4 Rs make it to "twisty" to execute in a single go. A few solutions I can see
  • put the R face up, then it flows (R → U and U → L, then the L's balance the Ls so it's not "twisty").
  • learn how to reposition hands and fingers fast.
  • use the middle slice(s) to move the edges around. While M' is fine, it needs at least an M that is awkward (I do r'R at the moment) but it feels like pinky/ring finger dexterity might make it happen with training.

There are a lot of tutorials about finger tricks, but in the big forest I have trouble to find the right tree. Any specific tips?

(PS: sorry if I mix up some moves and their ' versions, I still have to think about it.)

 

[Vinayak_009044]

Hi all,

I've got a cube for my 47th birthday. Better late than never.

I've started to learn the basic CFOP steps (intuitive F2L, it's quite fun, though I'm very slow) and the 2-look PLL/OLL. I'm trying to be "smooth" on the moves, but I struggle on a few things for the technical part

• pair insertions from the back face (UBU'B' / BUB' for the back right slot). I can't find a way that I would say, "OK I lack a bit of fine motor control there, but I feel I'll be able to make it flow with practice." I need an "operational pause" during the algorithm to reposition hand/fingers. The only imperfect solution I have is
  • I can always turn the cube, but I'm trying not to, as advised, and keeping the unsolved slots in the front is probably a good idea.
• pair insertions from the front face (U'F'UF / F'U'F). Unsure if practice will heal it or if I've got a fatal flow in the handling of the cube for this. I have a partial solution (joint pair only):
  • insertion FR'F'R flows naturally (is there a reason it's not in basic F2L tutorials?)
• I get almost all of the last layer algorithms flowing, but the 3-way edge permutations (R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R2 and its inverse) feel absolutely awkward because the 4 Rs make it to "twisty" to execute in a single go. A few solutions I can see
  • put the R face up, then it flows (R → U and U → L, then the L's balance the Ls so it's not "twisty").
  • learn how to reposition hands and fingers fast.
  • use the middle slice(s) to move the edges around. While M' is fine, it needs at least an M that is awkward (I do r'R at the moment) but it feels like pinky/ring finger dexterity might make it happen with training.

There are a lot of tutorials about finger tricks, but in the big forest I have trouble to find the right tree. Any specific tips?

(PS: sorry if I mix up some moves and their ' versions, I still have to think about it.)

1. Avoid B/B' moves. Your solves should contain max to max 2 B moves and that as well should be during the cross.

2. Instead of doing U'F'UF / F'U'F, do a rotation and do a normal insert i.e. R U' R' / L' U L.

3. Those 3 edge permutations are called U perms (Just for knowledge). And it's no problem if you can't do them in a single go. Even I can't do them in a single go but I execute them in 1.1 - 1.2s. Even world's fastest speedcubers don't execute U perms in one go. And yeah don't do these "solutions" that you created, that'll make you slower.

4. That r' R is okay but sometimes M moves are necessary.

5. MOST IMPORTANT!!!!! PRACTICE!!!

 

[JohnnyReggae]

For your last layer ags I would suggest breaking them up into more readable pieces grouping common moves, eg: R U R' U' ... R' F R F' ... R U R' U ... etc

Using the alg you posted as an eg. R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R2

I would do this ... (R U') (R U R U) (R U') (R' U') R2

This should help you remember them more easily.

Turning and finger tricks come with more practice, when you're not thinking too consciencely about the algs you're executing

 

[loqueelviento]

Thanks for your replies.

Memorising the move set is not very difficult (repeat slowly until the hands get it) but making the mental connection between the pattern on the cube and the right alg is a bit harder (my eye-hand coordination in ball sports suck, so I guess there is something there).

I practice daily, I guess it should get better.