[Help Thread] How to Get Faster using the Fridrich / CFOP Method

[drogg]

I'm not really sure I understand your post.

You say that you don't want to learn speeedcubing because of the number of algorithms involved. I take it your referring to CFOP (fridrich method). If this is the case, and f2l is discouraging you, then you can easily learn intuitive f2l, as per the video someone has posted above, which is relatively easy. However, there's little point (in my opinion) if you are not wanting to sink your teeth into algorithm heavy OLL and PLL. Even with two look that's still a number of algorithms to learn (I can't remember the exact number off the top of my head but at least 9 or so) and even that's just a stepping stone for the full method.

So if algorithms are the problem there are plenty of other methods that use less algorithms that you could learn. I'm sure someone on here would be happy to point you in the direction of a guide on such a method (sadly I use CFOP and can't help).

 

[sneaklyfox]

I think you can try Roux if you don't like algorithms, but Roux requires block building skills. I'm not really a Roux user but I think there are not as many algorithms (I could be wrong). But I have read about Roux, watched tutorials on Roux and I can solve with the Roux method (basic). There's only a few algorithms needed to solve it unless you want to learn full CMLL. But it starts off less than CFOP I believe.

 

[Pokerizer]

i am starting to get discouraged in learning speed cubing as there are tooo many algorithms to learn....if there is an easier way to learn it i would be extremely glad....thx
(this is my first post)

When I first started a couple months ago I had the hardest time with F2L but after a lot of practice your muscle memory will take over. A week ago I found myself inserting pairs and didn't even realize I did it, I seriously had to stop and make sure it went into the right slot.

 

[PeelingStickers]

I started cubing about 3-4 weeks ago now, and I too sometimes find algorithms very annoying, I have never touched F2l algs, intuitive is certainly the way to learn it and improve it until you are ready for those algs. Indeed, I've only learnt about half the PLL's in the last 3 weeks, but I do know that speedcubing takes time and lots of practice, it will click one day (I hope) as I too am gradually getting more used to F2l and faster.

 

[legitcuber]

Sub 40?

So I've been Sub 40 for around 6 months now, my times fluctuate a bit. What were your experience when you were Sub 40? How did YOU get faster? and how long did it take you?

 

[Cubetastic]

Do you guys recommend learning the rest of the oll's now that I'm sub 20? It seems like alot of trouble.

 

[uberCuber]

Do you guys recommend learning the rest of the oll's now that I'm sub 20? It seems like alot of trouble.

Learn OLLs whenever you feel like it. Don't try when you don't feel like it. I remember learning all the PLLs in a relatively short time frame, but spread out my OLL learning over several months. It's convenient (and generally move-saving) to know full OLL, but it's been shown by more than one person that sub-10 is possible without it. So just do whatever you like.

 

[Speedmaster]

How can I improve my last layer (recognition and execution)

 

[drogg]

So I've been Sub 40 for around 6 months now, my times fluctuate a bit. What were your experience when you were Sub 40? How did YOU get faster? and how long did it take you?

I managed to drop down from sub 40 to an average of mid 20's in around 2 months. I learnt all the PLLs, which at first made me much slower as it took ages to be able to recognise them and execute the algorithms effectively. I soon found however that I was down around the 30s mark with practice. I then just practiced and practiced solves and F2L to try and get my times down and slowly but surely they came down over a few weeks. I am now trying my best to work on my lookahead and slowing down during my F2L to attempt to be sub 20 (currently averaging around 24 on a good day!).

6 months seems a long time with no improvement (obviously depending on how much you practice). It would be worth you posting and individual breakdown of your cross, f2l, oll and pll times.

 

[god of rubic 2]

How can I improve my last layer (recognition and execution)

Just a lot of time. The more you get the cases while you solve, the better your recognition and execution will be. The algs you use will eventually be all muscle memory, performing the algs without even thinking about it.

Just recently, I decided to look further into PLL recognition and have noticed some easy patterns that determine the PLL quite clearly. Little by little, with practise, your PLL should be quite fast, your recognition should be faster and you can change some fingertricks on how you execute some algs (like I did)

Such as for the Ga perm, for the last 3 moves, instead of rotating, then regripping, which takes a while, I learnt to do the triple flick thing quite effectively. Also the clockwise U perm, I used to just do a R2 for the last move, but I found it a lot faster (for me) to do R2', in one single movement.

And I also recommend learning some easy PLLs from different angles to save rotations and extra moves.

Hope I helped

 

[TheLowRider512]

Fridrich Intermediate, need some help.

I have learned 2-look OLL, and 2-look PLL. I am in the process of learn full PLL, and am almost done. I only have the G's and a couple of others. My times are around 33-41. Somewhere around there. But most of the time, my times are all over the place. In a single 12 average, I had 25 average (My PB), and a couple of low 40's. I dont know what to do. I am alright at look-ahead, and am getting to the point where I have fully learned Look-Ahead and using it to my advantage. Any help to keep my times at a steady pace?

 

[ben1996123]

You haven't fully learned look ahead. practice.

 

[TheLowRider512]

I am getting there, and I really do practice alot. I have a great cube, a Lubix Guhong V2, which i really like. I find that in look ahead, I can never look ahead to my FIRST pair. I do the cross on the bottom, but feel I am focusing too much on the cross. Then, I insert the first pair, which I look around for, look ahead to the next, do that, and so on and so on. I am finishing F2L and Cross in about 20-25 seconds.

 

[Godmil]

fluctuations in times could also be due to not knowing full pll. some cases may come to mind quicker, you may be better with some algs, you may have trouble with some recognitions, you may need to two look a cases you don't know... these all make for a lot of variety in your solve times. Once you get more comfortable with the method you're using you'll find your times even out.

 

[stoic]

I don't think you need to panic about your times. It will probably take many weeks/months for you to know your PLLs well enough that you can recognise and execute them without thinking and make few mistakes in your solves. What you are experiencing sounds normal to me; but it will get better with time.

 

[TheLowRider512]

I have been cubing for a long time, 2 years. I quit after a couple months, but I had only learn the LBL method then. I got back in, and wanted to speedcube about 2-3 months ago. I learned 2look, and now am here. Is this normal?

 

[uberCuber]

I find that in look ahead, I can never look ahead to my FIRST pair. I do the cross on the bottom, but feel I am focusing too much on the cross.

1. Scramble cube
2. Inspect for as long as you need to know what your full cross solution will be (doesn't matter if this takes 3 seconds or 30+, you will get faster at it in time)
3. Close your eyes and solve the cross
4. Repeat above steps for a long time

If that is just too difficult at first, just work with three cross edges until you feel like you can try all four again. If you do something like this regularly until you can do it mindlessly, you will start to find it easier to look ahead to the first pair while solving the cross instead of focusing so much on the cross

 

[roxer9918]

Please help me get faster!

I am cubing from about 8-9 months i avg about 30 sec, but I have a problem i complete my F2L+OLL under 20 sec but I don't know what happens to me i get nervous and i finish the PLL in about 9-10 secs. This is stopping me to getting sub-20. Why?:confused:

And sorry if it is already there. I'm new to all these things.

 

[Kirjava]

practise your last layer

 

[Endgame]

It's because you didn't practise your PLL good enough, thus you should practise PLL. Work on recognition.