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How fast should I be at this point?

Prismatic

Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2013
Messages
20
Location
New York
I've only been speed cubing for about a month or a little less. I average about a minute and a slightly less for a 3x3. So, as you can see, I'm a beginner. I mastered the beginners method in 2 days or so. And right now, I use F2L and a little bit of 2 Look OLL.

I just wanted to know based on others that have been speed cubing for quite some time, am I slow for a beginner? Or am I on a good track and with more practice, I'll get better? Also I want to know (if you remember) what was your average when you speed solved for a month.
 

Logical101

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Joined
Jul 28, 2013
Messages
221
Location
Canberra Australia
I'm around that point too but I've been cubing for about 2 months and I'm using the biginers method mashed with keyhole f2l, and funnily I'm going to the Australian nationals in September lol
 

CADcubing1

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Joined
Jul 14, 2013
Messages
14
Location
A home
I feel like I'm the worst cuber ever! I continue to practice and I dropped my times down to around 40 seconds but i still get 50-60 second solves. My averages are always different. Just yesterday actually I was looking through my times on 5Timer cube timing app for apple products and I had a 35 second solve (PB), 56 second solve, 40 second solve, and all these other random solves between 35 sec- 1 minute. What am I doing wrong! How come my range of solve times can still be as high as my solves from 2 months ago!
 

Prismatic

Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2013
Messages
20
Location
New York
I feel like I'm the worst cuber ever! I continue to practice and I dropped my times down to around 40 seconds but i still get 50-60 second solves. My averages are always different. Just yesterday actually I was looking through my times on 5Timer cube timing app for apple products and I had a 35 second solve (PB), 56 second solve, 40 second solve, and all these other random solves between 35 sec- 1 minute. What am I doing wrong! How come my range of solve times can still be as high as my solves from 2 months ago!

Well, I can't speak from great experience since I am a beginner, myself. But I'm guessing that you mess up sometimes, or you do better according to whatever case it may be. Or it could be how fast you are going, slow down so that your solves are smoother.
 

pkvk9122

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Messages
128
It was very frustrating to break the 45 second barrier when i was cubing... I seeked help from the pros (I was travelling and attended comps) and they suggested to just stick to the beginner method and just practice till you reach 40 seconds average. and THEN they'd say to switch to f2l or something more complex. It took me a LONG TIME... and an even longer time to break 15 seconds...

So dont feel bad at your times... I've been cubing for like 6 years? Compared to Felix who only has a couple years if I'm not mistaken...
 

CADcubing1

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2013
Messages
14
Location
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It was very frustrating to break the 45 second barrier when i was cubing... I seeked help from the pros (I was travelling and attended comps) and they suggested to just stick to the beginner method and just practice till you reach 40 seconds average. and THEN they'd say to switch to f2l or something more complex. It took me a LONG TIME... and an even longer time to break 15 seconds...

So dont feel bad at your times... I've been cubing for like 6 years? Compared to Felix who only has a couple years if I'm not mistaken...

Thank you for the support. I might just try that out and it seems that I have broke the 45 second barrier but still get solves over that, then which I guess isn't breaking the barrier. HA! :D
 

pipkiksass

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Jan 1, 2013
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Thank you for the support. I might just try that out and it seems that I have broke the 45 second barrier but still get solves over that, then which I guess isn't breaking the barrier. HA! :D

This is why averages are so much more important than single solves. You will always get the occasional solve that is way higher than your current average, but you will also get the occasional solve that is way lower.

Don't expect to suddenly stop doing slower solves - just look at the world championship results - there were sub 10 cubers doing the occasional 12 second solve. DO, however, expect to become more consistent. As your F2L cases become more familiar, your crosses become more consistent, and your last layer algs become more muscle-memory than actual recall, the variation of your times (standard deviation) will reduce.

Let's say you currently average 45 seconds, but occasionally you have 1 minute solves, and occasionally 30-something solves. This is entirely 'normal', mathematically speaking - it's what you would expect. Breaking the barrier is about making your AVERAGE under 45 seconds.
 

MWilson

Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Messages
288
It was very frustrating to break the 45 second barrier when i was cubing... I seeked help from the pros (I was travelling and attended comps) and they suggested to just stick to the beginner method and just practice till you reach 40 seconds average. and THEN they'd say to switch to f2l or something more complex. It took me a LONG TIME... and an even longer time to break 15 seconds...

So dont feel bad at your times... I've been cubing for like 6 years? Compared to Felix who only has a couple years if I'm not mistaken...

His first video was posted a little over five years ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OudEW-D9B6c
 

DaveyCow

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Jun 16, 2011
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418
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2012WING01
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Just be as fast as you are and keep improving and that's all that really matters.

I 100% fully second this - everyone is different and improves at different rates. There is no "how fast should I be by now" because it's different for everyone. The bezt thing to do is not worry about how fast you "should" be and just focus on having fun learning and improving - compete with yourself, not others.
 

CADcubing1

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2013
Messages
14
Location
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This is why averages are so much more important than single solves. You will always get the occasional solve that is way higher than your current average, but you will also get the occasional solve that is way lower.

Don't expect to suddenly stop doing slower solves - just look at the world championship results - there were sub 10 cubers doing the occasional 12 second solve. DO, however, expect to become more consistent. As your F2L cases become more familiar, your crosses become more consistent, and your last layer algs become more muscle-memory than actual recall, the variation of your times (standard deviation) will reduce.

Let's say you currently average 45 seconds, but occasionally you have 1 minute solves, and occasionally 30-something solves. This is entirely 'normal', mathematically speaking - it's what you would expect. Breaking the barrier is about making your AVERAGE under 45 seconds.

SO TRUE! I'm pretty sure the more I practice the faster I'll get. Thank you so much. Fazrulz1 is Feliks right?
 

pipkiksass

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SO TRUE! I'm pretty sure the more I practice the faster I'll get. Thank you so much. Fazrulz1 is Feliks right?

No problemo. Yes, you will get faster with practice. There are, however, two types of practice. Repeatedly solving will make you more consistent, whereas targeted practice will make you more efficient. What this means is that just repeatedly solving won't make you better, it will just help you to drill what you already know. If you are currently capable of a 40 second solve, repetitive solving will bring the majority of your solves closer to that figure (i.e. reduce your standard deviation). If you practice with a specific goal in mind, you can improve the efficiency of that area of your solve.

I'd recommend combining the two - solve lots until your averages are more consistent, then drill something, like PLLs, OLLs, or work on F2L efficiency. Then solve lots to make your new techniques part of your normal solves. Repeat.

Check out this thread. It's possibly the best thread on the forum.
 

Clarkeeyyy

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Nov 27, 2012
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331
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Glasgow, Scotland
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2013CLAR04
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What this means is that just repeatedly solving won't make you better, it will just help you to drill what you already know.

But sometimes people don't realise how fast they would be if they could optimize their current solves. For example I am down to 20 seconds, which I do not consider fast, with almost zero targeted practice. I don't know full OLL, my look ahead is well below average and my PLL recognition is pretty awful. I want to see how fast my solves can go before I need to seriously structure my practice.
 
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