How to Practice Multiple Events?

[lerenard]

It is generally known that the fastest way to get fast at any single event is simply to do a ridiculous amount of speedsolves over a consistent, long period of time. But what about multiple events? I, for example, would like to be at about the same level with the ~nine events I practice (2x2-5x5, FMC, square-1, pyraminx, roux (not an event per se, but still) and skewb, which hasn't come in the mail yet). My current method has been to focus on one or two puzzles a day and do an average of 12/100 depending on the difficulty (usually I'll just do FMC during class lol) this has the benefit of being easy and allowing me great freedom to solve whatever puzzle I like. However, I feel like I'm running into the issue of basic speed and specific speed. Basic speed is just your cubing ability that applies to all puzzles (lookahead, turn speed, recognition) whereas specific speed is ability confined to a specific puzzle (center orientation on a 4x4, or the different cases for the last two pieces of the first layer in 2x2)
Essentially, I feel like I'm not improving as quickly as I could be because half the time I spend practicing I'm just remembering stuff I already knew a week ago but need to remember because I've been busy with other events.
It seems to me the most effective option would be to spend a longer period of time, such as a week, on an event before moving on to the next one. Another option would be to solve an event every day until I beat my PB ao12/100, ensuring that I keep at it until I have definitely improved, and then go one more day to build off the momentum a little.

These are ideas I had, but I'm interested how you tackle this issue, or if you just focus mostly on one or two events.

 

[supercavitation]

It is generally known that the fastest way to get fast at any single event is simply to do a ridiculous amount of speedsolves over a consistent, long period of time. But what about multiple events? I, for example, would like to be at about the same level with the ~nine events I practice (2x2-5x5, FMC, square-1, pyraminx, roux (not an event per se, but still) and skewb, which hasn't come in the mail yet). My current method has been to focus on one or two puzzles a day and do an average of 12/100 depending on the difficulty (usually I'll just do FMC during class lol) this has the benefit of being easy and allowing me great freedom to solve whatever puzzle I like. However, I feel like I'm running into the issue of basic speed and specific speed. Basic speed is just your cubing ability that applies to all puzzles (lookahead, turn speed, recognition) whereas specific speed is ability confined to a specific puzzle (center orientation on a 4x4, or the different cases for the last two pieces of the first layer in 2x2)
Essentially, I feel like I'm not improving as quickly as I could be because half the time I spend practicing I'm just remembering stuff I already knew a week ago but need to remember because I've been busy with other events.
It seems to me the most effective option would be to spend a longer period of time, such as a week, on an event before moving on to the next one. Another option would be to solve an event every day until I beat my PB ao12/100, ensuring that I keep at it until I have definitely improved, and then go one more day to build off the momentum a little.

These are ideas I had, but I'm interested how you tackle this issue, or if you just focus mostly on one or two events.

I'm currently working on 4 events at once, so I usually just stick to 2 per day, and split them up by time. So, for example, if I'm doing OH and 5x5 in one day, I'll do OH in the morning, and then 5x5 in the afternoon, to something like that. If I have extra time, I'll either work on issues I noticed earlier in the day, or pick a different event, but I make sure I have time in between events so that tips and tricks can sink in, which I've found helps me improve.

 

[tseitsei]

I'm currently working on 4 events at once, so I usually just stick to 2 per day, and split them up by time. So, for example, if I'm doing OH and 5x5 in one day, I'll do OH in the morning, and then 5x5 in the afternoon, to something like that. If I have extra time, I'll either work on issues I noticed earlier in the day, or pick a different event, but I make sure I have time in between events so that tips and tricks can sink in, which I've found helps me improve.

What I have always done is focusing on 1-2 events for a linger period of time (a few months at least) and really practising those a lot. And just doing other events casually when I have time.

Then after that period of time (when I get NR ) I might switch events and it usually takes about a week of active practise to get to the times I used to have and after that I can start improving again.

Works well enough for me.
But focusing on multiple events at a time might work for someone else

 

[pdilla]

I've been thinking about this as well. As soon as I start practicing one event, my times tend to drop for another. How the heck do people do it?

 

[PenguinsDontFly]

I've been thinking about this as well. As soon as I start practicing one event, my times tend to drop for another. How the heck do people do it?

I know! Every time I do a ao 100 on 2x2, I pick up a 3x3 and im terrible! Its amazing how people can be so good at soo many very different things!

 

[Rocky0701]

I just have goals in different events and practice those events until I can get that goal before moving onto another event.
Like right now I'm trying to get sub 2:00 on 5x5 and am averaging about 2:05 so it is on the top of my list and then on 4x4 I am averaging about 1:03 and want to get to sub 1:00, so I hage been practicing it almost as much as 5x5.

 

[supercavitation]

What I have always done is focusing on 1-2 events for a linger period of time (a few months at least) and really practising those a lot. And just doing other events casually when I have time.

Then after that period of time (when I get NR ) I might switch events and it usually takes about a week of active practise to get to the times I used to have and after that I can start improving again.

Works well enough for me.
But focusing on multiple events at a time might work for someone else

I usually do that too, except when I happen to, say, have a competition in a week at which I am a few seconds short of making several cutoffs. Every event I'm not practicing will probably jump up in times while I do this.

 

[cubingbanta]

Im not sure whether this will be helpful, but what I do when trying to practise at many evens is simply not doing many of each and then swapping, warming up again and starting. for ex, when I wanted to practise 3x3, 2x2 and pyra at the same time I warmed up on 3x3, did like and ao12, then warmed up for the nxt event and did the same. U NEED TO WARM UP FOR EACH TIME YOU START PRACTISING A NEW EVENT, OKAY? I promise it should work

 

[Ninja Storm]

Do whatever the hell you feel like solving that day.

 

[Divineskulls]

I have a lot of trouble with this. Normally, I do what Keaton said, solve whatever I want whenever I want. But if I really want to get fast at something, I practice it pretty much exclusively for weeks or even months. That's how I got fast at mega, I basically stopped practicing everything else and dropped my times in mega by over a minute. I also did that with pyra recently, except I didn't spend as much time on that. But that doesn't really help if I want to get fast and stay fast at multiple events.

My suggestion would probably be to practice one event for a while until you are at a speed that you are at least somewhat happy with, and then move on to another event. This isn't really ideal for more than 3 or 4 events, but I guess it's something.

 

[theROUXbiksCube]

When you aren't in the mood for 3x3 per se, try something else, and so on.
This is how I juggled 3x3,2x2, Pyra, OH, and now Skewb around while decreasing times.

 

[DGCubes]

I do all events other than 4BLD, 5BLD, and *shudder* clock, just because I never understood the idea of having a puzzle that you can't solve. Also, I don't understand the idea of having an official WCA puzzle that you don't in one way or another speedsolve. My favorite events are Pyraminx, 3x3, 4x4, Skewb, and 2x2 in that order, but I just practice by picking up whatever cube is closest to me at the time.

An example: earlier today, I happened to be downstairs. Very few of my WCA mains are down there today, so I picked up my Square-1 and did a few solves. Most of the time, however, I have a random feeling in my brain like, "I MUST GO FOR A MULTIBLIND PB" or "HEY WHY NOT DO FEET" or "COMPETITION'S COMING UP, MUST GET SUB-5 ON PYRA."

Just do these things and it helps.

 

[lerenard]

What I have always done is focusing on 1-2 events for a linger period of time (a few months at least) and really practising those a lot. And just doing other events casually when I have time.

Then after that period of time (when I get NR ) I might switch events and it usually takes about a week of active practise to get to the times I used to have and after that I can start improving again.

Works well enough for me.
But focusing on multiple events at a time might work for someone else

If I stuck to one event until I got an NR I could be locked in for life! I wish I lived in Belarus or Kazakhstan or something xD

Yeah, I think if I want to really improve at anything, I'm going to have to focus on one event until I hit a goal (hint: not NR) and then move on to whatever event is up next. Once I have my "mandatory" practice done I can just solve whatever.
Only thing is I just got a job after being unemployed for over two months, so now that I've got a new practice schedule I don't have as much time to practice it. (It was a weird situation where I kept thinking I would have a job but them it fell through).

 

[JemFish]

I have 4 main events that I want to get good at, and in prioritised order they are:

1. 3BLD
2. 5BLD
3. 5x5 speed
4. 3x3 speed

 

[Genius4Jesus]

Do whatever the hell you feel like solving that day.

I agree, when I practice I do 3x3, some 4x4 and something else.

 

[Ronxu]

I do all events other than 4BLD, 5BLD, and *shudder* clock, just because I never understood the idea of having a puzzle that you can't solve.

lolwut?

Also, I don't understand the idea of having an official WCA puzzle that you don't in one way or another speedsolve.

FMC requires you to understand the puzzle instead of just mindlessly spamming TPS. I don't do BLD but I'd imagine it requires some thinking as well.

 

[EMI]

Also, I don't understand the idea of having an official WCA puzzle that you don't in one way or another speedsolve.

Which puzzle are you talking about?

OT: I just do what I feel like doing, and sometimes I just set goals and try to practise correspondingly.