Help with getting faster

[abr71310]

I've been cubing since around April of 2008 (that's... 8 months ago??) -- and I've been looking around as to how to get faster.

I originally bought a cube from Wal-Mart for 10 dollars and lubed it using Vaseline (heheh); recently I just ordered a DIY Black (d) cube 3x3x3 from cube4you.com and hopefully that should come in a few weeks... Anybody know if that helps??

Besides that, my progression went from around 1:52 to 1:45 to 1:35 to 1:20 to 1:05 to my current standing at 58 - 1:02 (some days I get 1:08 averages, horrible!!).

I use Fridrich F2L for the most part (for some reason when I use Keyhole I can get single solves of sub-45...), getting lucky solves of maybe 48, I just want to know how people are able to "intuitively" see and improve F2L times (I use the basic beginners PLL THEN OLL, but I've learned the ELL permutations to mastery, literally), since it usually takes me anywhere from 30 to 40 seconds to complete them....

2nd EDIT: In terms of Finger Tricks, I use the basic up-down layer tricks with my index/ring finger, as well as the S and M layers with my middle and index (reach over, usually right hand)... The theory is understandable, especially in terms of hand placement and moving quickly from edge-pair to edge-pair... but I guess it's that either I can't see it immediately or I don't recognize how to solve it, screw it up, then have to go back and redo it...

It's frustrating because (Well, first off, I'm 17) younger students in my school have averages of sub-30 and sub-25, and they use the BEGINNERS METHOD (I'm quite serious, these are some serious fast turners - they also use Wal-Mart Rubik's Cubes) -- how is that even humanly possible?!?!

I understand I still have a lot to learn (I've been watching Badmephisto, frk17 (Erik A) and Yu Nakajima's videos for "help" -- favouriting a lot of demos to help me improve, etc...), especially in LL, but I just want help in trying to figure out how the heck to solve F2L in sub-30...

The sad part is, my little brother gets 36 second single solves (lucky, 1:10 unlucky), using beginner's method, and he started cubing three weeks ago.

Is it just me, or do some people pick this thing up faster than others? :\\

EDIT: Ugh, I fail at math -- I've been struggling @ sub-60 and even sub-70 second solves for literally 4 months now (since Sept. 08)... Not impressive, since I haven't "improved" as most sources would say I should...

And I sacrifice schoolwork (I know I shouldn't) for cubing - I practice at least 2 hours a day, and then some more at school (PLL, OLL cases I learn at school while I'm walking around or at lunch)...

Am I just retarded or do I have to learn some great secret that professional cubists know that I don't?

 

[Sa967St]

I've been cubing since around April of 2008 (that's... 4 months ago??)

12-4=8, I think you mean 8 months ago

younger students in my school have averages of sub-30 and sub-25, and they use the BEGINNERS METHOD (I'm quite serious, these are some serious fast turners - they also use Wal-Mart Rubik's Cubes) -- how is that even humanly possible?!?!

Wal Mart cubes aren't too bad once they are broken in

 

[ImNOTnoob]

Some people may get lucky with wal-mart cubes (assuming you mean storeboughts). They might get an extremely loose one that is almost (or better) than a DIY kit. But the chances you might get them is like 1 out of 20.

Sub 30 is possible with beginners methods.

You really need to work on F2L. Try to minimise pauses in between F2L pairs, and memorise algs to 'muscle memory', so you don't have to think when executing algs. I think lookahead is not very important yet.

Lastly, learn finger tricks. Look for youtube tutorials to see how to hold a cube for maximum speed. You will get used to it..

 

[not_kevin]

...You really need to work on F2L. Try to minimise pauses in between F2L pairs, and memorise algs to 'muscle memory', so you don't have to think when executing algs. I think lookahead is not very important yet....

Umm... have I been misunderstanding lookahead for the past few years, or is the minimization of pauses due to a magical new idea other than looking for what you need ahead of when you need to do it?

 

[Ellis]

The theory is understandable, especially in terms of hand placement and moving quickly from edge-pair to edge-pair... but I guess it's that either I can't see it immediately or I don't recognize how to solve it, screw it up, then have to go back and redo it...

This is referring exclusively to F2L?

It's extremely important that you understand intuitively how F2L works. you say its understandable, but does that mean that you fully understand it? The reason why everyone says look ahead for F2L is so great is because its a 4 look step. What I mean by that is you should be able to take one look after you finish the cross, then close your eyes and solve a corner-edge pair, look again and then solve another pair with closed eyes and so on. Not that you should do that, but you should be able to do that without much effort.

I'm sure you've heard this but its important that you really understand it. There are only 3 basic cases for F2L, so if you see some weird case you don't know how to solve, it can usually be broken down into a basic case in 3 moves. Know the basic cases and practice getting to those from sticky situations. Also never bring anything solved into the top layer whether it be a solved pair or a solved edge from the cross, in other words you will only be bringing up empty F2L slots to the top.

I know that wasn't the first time you've heard this but it bears repeating and repeating until you can confidently say that you are comfortable with F2L. After that then you can go on to looking ahead.

 

[ImNOTnoob]

...You really need to work on F2L. Try to minimise pauses in between F2L pairs, and memorise algs to 'muscle memory', so you don't have to think when executing algs. I think lookahead is not very important yet....

Umm... have I been misunderstanding lookahead for the past few years, or is the minimization of pauses due to a magical new idea other than looking for what you need ahead of when you need to do it?

No, i meant when F2l is first learnt (and algs are to muscle memory), minimising pauses is most important, as it is that part that slows down most people. (I could take almost 5 seconds trying to look for an F2L piece earlier this year)
Then, you can eliminate the pauses (almost) completely once you learn how to look ahead. (Looking for F2L pieces = less than a split second, as you have already found them while doing the previous F2L)

So basically, you have to MINIMISE pauses before ELIMINATING them.

 

[UFO]

Im the same way ive been cubing for 3 months and get around 1:30's
f2l takes too long for me, looking ahead is my problem, keep working on your F2L

 

[cwdana]

@ UFO - another Dallasite - alright! Time to host a comp here.

@abr71310 -

I started "cubing" Jan '08. By May '08 I was just hitting under 1 minute. I remember how excited I was. And that's approx 4/5 months of cubing to get there!

After modifying my method with different algs when I felt comfortable, I reached avg 42 by around August '08. And breaking that was a BIG hurtle for me.

Now I avg about 33s with fastest singles in the 23s. That's 11 mos. of cubing.

here's why

a. Each cuber is different. I haven't spent hardly any time memo. algs aside from a handful post-learning F2L (I've just started on the 21 PLLs)

b. I have a job and hence, it is tough to commit too much time to it.

c. I like to take my time. I feel every day I learn something about the cube and the way I solve it that can improve my times. It's small stuff, but 1 second faster can make the difference.

d. I am super slow at look-ahead on F2L. I feel like if I practiced hard on that alone, I could shave 5 seconds or more off my time.

best of luck

 

[a small kitten]

I use the basic beginners PLL THEN OLL

It's easier to see if you do OLL first.

 

[Lord Voldemort]

Badmephisto's tutorial helped me out A LOT.
I was F2L impaired before, but that helped me get it.

I suggest that after you remember the stuff he tells you, just solve the cross, and just look at the cube a a while. Look for the best ways to solve things, and just go slow. Spend more time looking than turning. For a while, I tried to go for time right after I learned F2L, I suggest not doing that. Not only is it discouraging, but it makes you sort of default to your previous method when you can't find anything to do, and you don't learn or speed up from that.

I learned last Saturday. I'm not an expert of F2Ls, but I sped a hell of a lot time practicing (more than I should... I have a B+ ) and I can usually do the F2L is 25 seconds or better.

By the way, I also use a Vaselinated Wal Mart cube... But I'm considering a DIY...

 

[abr71310]

Badmephisto's tutorial helped me out A LOT.
I was F2L impaired before, but that helped me get it.

I suggest that after you remember the stuff he tells you, just solve the cross, and just look at the cube a a while. Look for the best ways to solve things, and just go slow. Spend more time looking than turning. For a while, I tried to go for time right after I learned F2L, I suggest not doing that. Not only is it discouraging, but it makes you sort of default to your previous method when you can't find anything to do, and you don't learn or speed up from that.

I learned last Saturday. I'm not an expert of F2Ls, but I sped a hell of a lot time practicing (more than I should... I have a B+ ) and I can usually do the F2L is 25 seconds or better.

By the way, I also use a Vaselinated Wal Mart cube... But I'm considering a DIY...

I too, use a Vaseline-edited store-bought cube - as I said earlier, I purchased a Type-D cube from Cube4You.com (no idea when it's getting here...), and it's starting to die on me (the stickers are totally destroyed).

I still believe I'm F2L-impaired; and I practice ~3 hours per day trying to see faster ways of solving it...

My problem seems to be on the last two edge-pair combos -- I end up getting move sequences (or making, rather) of 10-12 or higher, and I can't visualize it until about 5 seconds after I've found the two that are supposed to go together.

I've also watched Badmephisto's F2L videos, but it only slightly helped -- All day today and yesterday I've been getting solve times anywhere from 48.2 seconds to 1:20.53 (which is quite stupid, since I messed up an F2L pair in the 1:20, but got perfect OLL/PLL, and on the 48.2 I messed up an OLL alg, but got a PLL skip -_-)...

I know that a DIY cube is better for cutting corners (Which would help me, since I can never turn the cube fast enough around those pesky corners...), so I figured getting one might speed up my times a little... but I know that practice makes perfect -- just... how long??

 

[ImNOTnoob]

You might want to learn the algs, to get faster on the last slot. Or just look through it and learn the harder cases.
By now, a Diy will be useful for decreasing your times.

 

[abr71310]

Roflmao, as of right now, the center sticker cover on my cube on the blue face has completely come off, and now it is extremely awkward to hold it...

I hope that Cube4You.com thing comes before Xmas, or else I'll die of boredom on my road trip down south :||

anyway, back to the topic at hand.

After not cubing for 3 days (I tried to do this out of sheer force of will), I got the following times (Av. of 5, essentially):

10: 00:50.99
9: 01:20.70
8: 00:53.01
7: 01:13.07
6: 01:04.40

(Other 5 were there from the last time)

As you can see, I just did absolutely horribly, yet I saw everything I was supposed to... has my TPS just decreased or am I really a hopeless speedcuber??