New Here, a Few Questions.

[Nuber Cuber]

Hello I just recently discovered this forum after starting getting into cubing again. I started cubing a few months ago, I've taken breaks and haven't spent much time learning new things, just solving cubes. I'm not very good yet and average 45-55 seconds 3x3x3. Anyhoo, I have a few questions about speedsolving that I thought maybe some of you could help me out with.

Some guides I have read have stated to learn the 2 look OLLs and PLLs before the F2L. I however, have known the F2L for a while and am just starting to learn the 4LLL. Is this a disadvantage to me some how? Why learn the 4LLL first?

Second thing, I've been stuck with no progress for a while now. I would like to know what I should work on, here is the breakdown on my times for each step:

-Cross: ~10 sec.
-F2L: ~20 sec
-LL: ~ 15 seconds

So this leaves my no turning thinking time at around 5 seconds. I'm still using Pogobat style last layer (I don't know what it's really called) while I work on my 4LLL.

Any help is appreciated,
Thanks!

 

[PCwizCube]

There isn't much of a disadvantage when learning 4LLL before or after learning F2L. But when you start reaching times of one minute, you're last layer is probably over 20 seconds. With 4LLL, that can be reduced to 15 seconds in a matter of days, with hard practice of course. One the other hand, learning F2L doesn't improve your times a significant amount in a matter of days. Beginners might get frustrated on their times temporarily getting worse when learning F2L, and might quit cubing all together.

Your cross can have LOTS of improvement. If you do the F2L with the last layer color on top, do the cross on the bottom. It will help your F2L. I would suggest reaching at least sub 5 second cross. That only comes with practice, and might take two+ weeks.
These guides will help your to solve the cross on the bottom fast
http://www.cubefreak.net/cross.html
http://www.cubestation.co.uk/cs2/index.php?page=3x3x3/cfop/cross/cross

Also, try to look ahead in F2L, that is probably where you "no turning thinking time" (most referred to as pauses), is. Looking ahead means... never mind just read the F2L section of this page http://www.cubefreak.net/speedcubing_tips.html

Continue learning 4LLL. That will probably make your last layer around 10 seconds with hard practice. Than you can expand your algorithm knowlege to 3LLL and then 2LLL which can get your last layer even fast (4 second average)

 

[512456]

If you have already known the F2L, it is an advantage to you. I have experienced the same thing as you before, no progress for some time. For me, I think you should improve the cross first because ~10 seconds for a cross is too long. Then, you should improve your F2L.

 

[Nuber Cuber]

Thanks. I had started to look into the cross on Dan's Cube Station. My color scheme is not the same as that site though, so it makes it a little difficult to do examples (my color scheme is really weird, red opposite orange - green opposite blue). Figuring out how to solve a cross in less than 8 moves is hard, doing it fast is going to take some time.

 

[Crzyazn]

dude...red v orange and green v blue is normal

 

[Nuber Cuber]

Ok well something is definitely different about my scheme than most :\ .

 

[PCwizCube]

Ok well something is definitely different about my scheme than most :\ .

The reason is because you do the green cross - Dan's Cubestation does white cross, and so do most other speedcubers. You were taught the green cross by Dan Brown, but are you color nuetral? (being able to solve the cross on any color). If so, just do white cross and you should be able to follow the examples easily.

Your Color Scheme is the standard color scheme
Red opposite Orange
Green Opposite Blue
White Opposite Yellow

Dan's Cubestation (Dan Harris) uses the standard color scheme. Cubefreak (Macky) uses the Japanese Color scheme.

 

[JBCM627]

If you have already known the F2L, it is an advantage to you. I have experienced the same thing as you before, no progress for some time. For me, I think you should improve the cross first because ~10 seconds for a cross is too long. Then, you should improve your F2L.

Agree with this. My suggestion re cross: try to do the cross in as few moves as possible... work your way down to 10 or so, or if you are already there, then 8. 8 or less should be possible every time. If you don't see it immediately, just keep looking til you do... don't worry about inspection time. Unless its a competition.

If you know what 8 moves to do, you can definately do a cross in at least 8 seconds

 

[PCwizCube]

Yes all crosses can be solved in 8 moves or less. That means you can't solve every edge piece of the cross one at a time. That would average you 12 moves for the cross (according to Macky). On the sites I listed above, it shows you how to solve multiple edge pieces at once. It needs some getting used to, and then your cross will be a lot faster.

 

[Nuber Cuber]

Ok well something is definitely different about my scheme than most :\ .

The reason is because you do the green cross - Dan's Cubestation does white cross, and so do most other speedcubers. You were taught the green cross by Dan Brown, but are you color nuetral? (being able to solve the cross on any color). If so, just do white cross.

Your Color Scheme is the standard color scheme
Red opposite Orange
Green Opposite Blue
White Opposite Yellow

Dan's Cubestation (Dan Harris) uses the standard color scheme. Cubefreak (Macky) uses the Japanese Color scheme.

Actually I solve white first. Holding yellow on top and orange facing me green is on the left side of my cube, blue on the right, and red on the back. White obviously being on bottom. I've solved white cross ever since I started F2L.

 

[PCwizCube]

Wait what? White on top and white obviously being on the bottom? I'm confused. You have the standard color scheme, Dan Harris has the standard color scheme, and Dan Harris demonstrates solving the white cross on the D face, with Red as the front.

 

[Harry]

Erm, I look through the guides, and I feel like I already doing it but why my cross still take like 10<x<15

 

[PCwizCube]

How many moves is your cross? I would aim for less than 12 moves at your level. If so, then one move per second is 12 seconds, and you should try to do it faster than one move per second. If you practice the cross blindfolded, that might help.

 

[DavidWoner]

Wait what? White on top and white obviously being on the bottom? I'm confused. You have the standard color scheme, Dan Harris has the standard color scheme, and Dan Harris demonstrates solving the white cross on the D face, with Red as the front.

read it again-he says he does white first, with yellow on top.

but yeah-first do cross and 4LLL, then work on f2l look-ahead(very important!), 3-look, then 2-look

cross should be intuitive, just like f2l.

 

[fanwuq]

WTF?
what's with people making screen names all variations of "Noob cuber"? It's really confusing to me who is who?
We know you cube, that's why you are on the site! And do you want to stay a noob forever? Why?

 

[Nuber Cuber]

WTF?
what's with people making screen names all variations of "Noob cuber"? It's really confusing to me who is who?
We know you cube, that's why you are on the site! And do you want to stay a noob forever? Why?

Ha.. I wasn't really aware of this until recently. I just made the name Nuber Cuber because it rhymed, and it described myself

 

[rjohnson_8ball]

Nuber, You probably know, you are allowed 15 seconds to inspect the cube before beginning a solve. Try to figure out the cross sequence in that time. At first, give yourself all the time you need to find a sequence of 8 turns or less. If you can close your eyes and do the sequence, that would be ideal. Then gradually reduce your inspection time.

My cross and F2L need improvement too.