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I can't be a sub 30 solver

Joined
Nov 7, 2019
Messages
4
Hi, I've been cubing for about 5 years, and i improved fast when i first got my cube, i currently average about 36 seconds using cfop knowing most of the plls and 2 look oll. I get really frustraded because i see everyone improving their times fast, while i cant even be sub 30, and sometimes i get times as high as 50 seconds. Please, i am desperate, I've tried everything: turning slow, using a metronome, learning advanced f2l algs, and many other things.. for five years! Please someone help me!!!
 

xyzzy

Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2015
Messages
2,876
Hi, I've been cubing for about 5 years, and i improved fast when i first got my cube, i currently average about 36 seconds using cfop knowing most of the plls and 2 look oll. I get really frustraded because i see everyone improving their times fast, while i cant even be sub 30, and sometimes i get times as high as 50 seconds. Please, i am desperate, I've tried everything: turning slow, using a metronome, learning advanced f2l algs, and many other things.. for five years! Please someone help me!!!
Turn faster. Don't metronome. Stick to the basics for F2L. Not being sarcastic here; literally just try this and see if your times change.

There's no one-size-fits-all advice when it comes to cubing (or any sport, really). A training technique might work for most people, but maybe for a tiny subset of the population, it might be counterproductive. If you're still stuck, you can upload a video of a few solves and let us take a look, and we might be able to give you some personalised advice.
 
Joined
Nov 7, 2019
Messages
4
Turn faster. Don't metronome. Stick to the basics for F2L. Not being sarcastic here; literally just try this and see if your times change.

There's no one-size-fits-all advice when it comes to cubing (or any sport, really). A training technique might work for most people, but maybe for a tiny subset of the population, it might be counterproductive. If you're still stuck, you can upload a video of a few solves and let us take a look, and we might be able to give you some personalised advice.
Thanks, i will try it out.
 

PetrusQuber

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Joined
Jun 27, 2019
Messages
3,460
Location
my house, cubing.
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You will improve just by spamming solves at your level. Learn full PLL, consider full OLL, and train the recognition as well. Your last layer should be around 7 seconds. Then work on seeing cross in inspection (start doing 2 edges blindfolded, then 3, then 4, then practise). For F2L, learn all the cases, and practise them a lot so it goes into your muscle memory. Obviously, practise recognition as well. Finally, lookahead, lookahead, lookahead. Go back to the metronome after all this, and while doing a pair, try find the next pairs. Use the Internet for tips. And above all, PRACTISE! There is no way around it. You may be discouraged at first, but trust me you will improve.
Hope I helped!


Also, welcome to the forums! We are always happy to help, and I’m sure you will get something out of it.
 
Joined
Nov 7, 2019
Messages
4
You will improve just by spamming solves at your level. Learn full PLL, consider full OLL, and train the recognition as well. Your last layer should be around 7 seconds. Then work on seeing cross in inspection (start doing 2 edges blindfolded, then 3, then 4, then practise). For F2L, learn all the cases, and practise them a lot so it goes into your muscle memory. Obviously, practise recognition as well. Finally, lookahead, lookahead, lookahead. Go back to the metronome after all this, and while doing a pair, try find the next pairs. Use the Internet for tips. And above all, PRACTISE! There is no way around it. You may be discouraged at first, but trust me you will improve.
Hope I helped!


Also, welcome to the forums! We are always happy to help, and I’m sure you will get something out of it.
Thank you! I really appreciate it. I will definitely practice more! I hope these tips can get me even beyond sub 30.
 

chron0s

Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2017
Messages
164
Fellipe you and I get similar times - don't get discouraged. Have you practiced parts of CFOP individually? Do you know how long the cross takes you on average, f2l, OLL and PLL? I thought I had a good cross but when I trained it separately recently I found I was getting some really slow cross solves regularly that was throwing off my averages. I drilled cross specifically and was able to chip a few seconds off my averages without much effort (I'm averaging 23 seconds lately). Another big time sink for me was first pair - I still can't predict my first pair, but now I focus on finding my first pair in the top layer rather than fixing on bad pieces - that actually shaved a second or so off my averages.

If you can get some rough numbers on how long each step is taking you I think we can come up with good improvement strategies.

One thing to check out if you haven't seen it yet is JPerm's trainers: jperm.net you can train OLL and PLL for recognition and speed for example. I'm currently working on learning full PLL.

Also, revisit your algs. Go to algdb.net and compare the algorithms you use with the most popular algorithms on there. You will surely find algorithms that are much easier and faster and can save you time on your averages once you implement them. I personally replaced some of my algs (Uperms in particular) with M slice equivalents and they are fast and easy with no regrips. You'll find some of the best algs there. Check out youtube videos for demonstrations on how to fingertrick them - JPerm has some good ones.

Subscribe to Jayden's tips emails also - I've gotten some good stuff there for my level, will give you good ideas for training and improvement.
 
Joined
Nov 7, 2019
Messages
4
Fellipe you and I get similar times - don't get discouraged. Have you practiced parts of CFOP individually? Do you know how long the cross takes you on average, f2l, OLL and PLL? I thought I had a good cross but when I trained it separately recently I found I was getting some really slow cross solves regularly that was throwing off my averages. I drilled cross specifically and was able to chip a few seconds off my averages without much effort (I'm averaging 23 seconds lately). Another big time sink for me was first pair - I still can't predict my first pair, but now I focus on finding my first pair in the top layer rather than fixing on bad pieces - that actually shaved a second or so off my averages.

If you can get some rough numbers on how long each step is taking you I think we can come up with good improvement strategies.

One thing to check out if you haven't seen it yet is JPerm's trainers: jperm.net you can train OLL and PLL for recognition and speed for example. I'm currently working on learning full PLL.

Also, revisit your algs. Go to algdb.net and compare the algorithms you use with the most popular algorithms on there. You will surely find algorithms that are much easier and faster and can save you time on your averages once you implement them. I personally replaced some of my algs (Uperms in particular) with M slice equivalents and they are fast and easy with no regrips. You'll find some of the best algs there. Check out youtube videos for demonstrations on how to fingertrick them - JPerm has some good ones.

Subscribe to Jayden's tips emails also - I've gotten some good stuff there for my level, will give you good ideas for training and improvement.
Thanks for replying, i have trained to learn full pll and there are only a few algs left for me to learn, now that you said it, my cross might be the problem, and the first pair takes a lot of time to solve. But the thing that is the most strange to me, is that i finish f2l at about 20 secs, and i don't know why, but my the last layer is what seems to be slowing my times, the thing is, i can execute pll fast, and oll too, and i don't thing my recognition is slow, but idk i might need to record myself to see about that. I have an idea now, i will improve my cross and f2l so i can be sub 30, and then i will learn oll, and see what causes me to finish last layer so slowly, do you think that is a good idea?
 

chron0s

Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2017
Messages
164
Time your solves with just cross, cross + 1st pair, and f2l and share times here. There is probably some variability in there and easy room for improvement! For me just practicing cross with unlimited inspection was a big help and got my cross times more consistent.

For cross there are good videos on youtube from feliks zemdegs, jperm, and brody as well. I thought I had implemented the tips there but with more practice I had new insights. Pay close attention to bad edges and converting bad edges into good edges, and plan your cross so you don't need any cube rotations (solving on the bottom is obviously really important as well) - I wasn't good at the latter, and found that thinking carefully about where to hold the cube from the beginning of the cross solve was really helpful for me.
 

PetrusQuber

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Joined
Jun 27, 2019
Messages
3,460
Location
my house, cubing.
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For cross there are good videos on youtube from felix zemdegs, jperm, and brody as well. I thought I had implemented the tips there but with more practice I had new insights. Pay close attention to bad edges and converting bad edges into good edges, and plan your cross so you don't need any cube rotations (solving on the bottom is obviously really important as well) - I wasn't good at the latter, and found that thinking carefully about where to hold the cube from the beginning of the cross solve was really helpful for me.
How could you man?
Autocorrect?
 

Zarxrax

Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2009
Messages
1,282
Location
North Carolina
It took me several years to get to Sub-30, but I did eventually get there. It comes more easily for some people than it does for others, but just keep trying and you can reach it eventually. Most of the other advice people have posted is good. Make sure to learn full PLL, and then just practice practice practice. You want to train your PLLs and make sure you can execute all of your algorithms quickly. If any algs take you more than 3 seconds, try working on it to get it faster.
 

ProStar

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Oct 27, 2019
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An uncolonized sector of the planet Mars
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Hi, I've been cubing for about 5 years, and i improved fast when i first got my cube, i currently average about 36 seconds using cfop knowing most of the plls and 2 look oll. I get really frustraded because i see everyone improving their times fast, while i cant even be sub 30, and sometimes i get times as high as 50 seconds. Please, i am desperate, I've tried everything: turning slow, using a metronome, learning advanced f2l algs, and many other things.. for five years! Please someone help me!!!

I literally got my first sub-30 solve today xD Here's a list of some main things I practiced/learned:

Cross - My crosses were really slow, time your splits(Cross, F2L, OLL, PLL) and see if cross is an area that takes a while. Use Feliks' tool on CubeSkills to see how your splits compare to other cubers your speed. If you need to work on cross, just turn off inspection and memorize as much of the cross as you can. Even if you start with 1-2 pieces, you'll improve little by little until your able to plan out your cross completely, and possibly an F2L pair on an easy scramble.

Last Layer - I don't know full OLL or PLL, but what I mean by this is do the algs you know a bunch until you've got them fast. It doesn't help to know 2LLL if you can't recognize/execute quickly.

F2L - I only know about 4 algs for F2L, the rest is intuitive. Practicing a bunch will help gradually improve your lookahead and matchmaking.

( I'd say practice but you've probably done a lot more solves than me, you've been cubing a lot longer ;) )
 
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