Of all the nerves? Everyone's down fall?

[RadicalRick]

The life of a Gone-in-60-second cuber.
It blows my mind that when I'm learning to Speedcube non-chanting without a timer, I'm doing pretty good and my flows are improving quickly.
But the minute I start using a timer, whether offline by myself or on Cube Station under the timer by myself, my flow seems to fly away and my cubes seem to lock up like the squares are wrestling with each other?
What is this phenomenon that causes us and our fingers to lose their nerves when we time ourselves?
Even when you are not competing against anyone.
I don't get this feeling from Chess(improving attacking style) nor when running for a PB.
But with this Speedcubing thing, my nerves are everywhere but where I need them to be.

How many others out there have this same problem?

 

[CubeRed]

I guess it's just mind settings, like if you have a stackmat you might not notice but the thought of using a stackmat being awkward/hard to solve might be on the back of your mind. I can relate when I was about to get a PB Ao100. 20 more solves to go and I just locked up everywhere. But sometimes pressure can do you good! Like my first comp (NZ North Nationals) I performed better then at home with 18 seconds Ao5. It's just the mindset.

 

[RadicalRick]

I guess it's just mind settings, like if you have a stackmat you might not notice but the thought of using a stackmat being awkward/hard to solve might be on the back of your mind. I can relate when I was about to get a PB Ao100. 20 more solves to go and I just locked up everywhere. But sometimes pressure can do you good! Like my first comp (NZ North Nationals) I performed better then at home with 18 seconds Ao5. It's just the mindset.

Right, you never know when the nerves are going to strike. I'm starting to work on the memory muscle to make shorter moves for the different positions, thus bring down my time some, hopefully. To instinctively make the moves without thinking about it.
Then we'll see if I can dispel some of the self-competitiveness nerves.

 

[SH03L4C3]

huh I had this same thing. Back when I was at 35 secs, I had a friend stopwatch time me and I got 30ish seconds and less

 

[CubeRed]

huh I had this same thing. Back when I was at 35 secs, I had a friend stopwatch time me and I got 30ish seconds and less

Same! I was averaging 34 when I versed my friend and I got a PB!

 

[GenTheSnail]

Part of it might be how much timing you've done?

I've done tens of thousands of timed solves over the past 6 years so I'm quite used to having a timer running in the background while solving.
If you've only done something on the order of hundreds of solves, it might still be a somewhat foreign experience for you.


However, regarding PBs, I tend to turn of the statistics displays -- that way I can't get nervous about messing it up because I actually don't know that I'm on a particularly good streak of solves.

 

[RadicalRick]

huh I had this same thing. Back when I was at 35 secs, I had a friend stopwatch time me and I got 30ish seconds and less

Hummm, your profile pic, I see you found a new way to massage your feet.
I might have to try that. A long time ago, I used to be able to write with my feet.

 

[RadicalRick]

Part of it might be how much timing you've done?

I've done tens of thousands of timed solves over the past 6 years so I'm quite used to having a timer running in the background while solving.
If you've only done something on the order of hundreds of solves, it might still be a somewhat foreign experience for you.


However, regarding PBs, I tend to turn of the statistics displays -- that way I can't get nervous about messing it up because I actually don't know that I'm on a particularly good streak of solves.

I've been using my smart cube to do solves. On Cube Station. I am very new to the game. I'm more of a casual cuber since I have a business to run. So it took me one day to master the cube, about 1 week to do it around 3 minutes, 2 more weeks to get it to around a minute(I'm using beginners solve), and now when I have time to practice some more I'm looking at all the faster shorter move solve for CFOP. Looking to master some of the finger tricks. I know that's extremely important if I'm expecting to get my times in the 30 seconds and faster time zones.

 

[qwr]

Instead of trying to turn as quickly as possible, try to turn deliberately and optimize your finger movements. You may find that slowing down a little in trying to turn quickly actually improves your times because you make less mistakes.

 

[RadicalRick]

Instead of trying to turn as quickly as possible, try to turn deliberately and optimize your finger movements. You may find that slowing down a little in trying to turn quickly actually improves your times because you make less mistakes.

Oh, I have learned that. As a former 2 miles, 5K, 10K, 1/2, and full marathon runner, I already know about pacing yourself to acquire a better time. But trying to tell your fingers to listen to your brain will take some practice.