Older cubers discussions

[NewbieCuber]

It depends upon the context.

Oh I 'm sure that's very true. I was just tryhing to show that slow, low stress practice can yield great results

In contrast, I think cross improvement and F2L often benefit from unlimited inspection time and slow, untimed solves. You can reach a comfort zone for cross that you're able to execute in 15 seconds without taking it much further, whereas unlimited inspection allows you to consider more efficient solutions.

I would absolutely agree with that

csTimer has a "Solve Cross" function under "Tools" that will give you optimal cross solutions for each face. This can be very handy to pick up tricks you may not have considered.

I had no idea! Thank you for that

 

[NewbieCuber]

As a violinist myself, I know you are entirely correct with regard to music. I'm not entirely sure about cubing though. I think there may be enough difference that it is sometimes worthwhile to push speed beyond your comfort level. Particularly when performing algorithms, where you know exactly what moves you need to make and all that matters is how fast you do them.

Interesting. I associate the muscle memory of algorithms to the muscle memory of playing a complicated musical line. I practice slowly with no tension and then when I need to play it at performance speed my hands remember how to play without tension, they just go faster. Yes, at some point we do need to practice at speed, but I think there is a lot to be learned from low stress practice.

Isn't it interesting how we take aspects of other activities in our lives and apply them to new things like cubing? That may be an advantage for us "older" cubers. We have a larger set of experiences to draw from.

 

[pglewis]

Interesting. I associate the muscle memory of algorithms to the muscle memory of playing a complicated musical line.

Yep, and it shares the similarity that it becomes difficult to do slowly or break it down once it's embedded in muscle memory. I've found a lot of parallels to playing an instrument, F2L is akin to improvisation and last layer is scales.

I'm a programmer by trade, so I also think in terms of breaking down complex problems into simpler ones until you've solved them and speedcubing is an amazing area in that regard. The blind systems out there are impressively efficient to me, and that's coming from an analytical background. The power of knowledge-sharing is nothing short of astounding. 20 seconds was World-class in the early 80s. In the Internet age, with widespread information sharing, 20 seconds is pedestrian. Sure, the hardware plays a part in that but the systems have evolved at a pace that demonstrates how much better we can make things when we share information and build upon work that has been done instead of reinventing the wheel. The learning process itself is fascinating enough, and it's interesting to witness how much reaction time matters watching the young 'uns at comp. But I think the rate of progress of the sport as a whole over the past decade and a half is perhaps the most fascinating thing of all.

 

[mafergut]

I just skimmed through the last several pages of the thread. Lots of PBs and interesting discussion about methods for 3x3 and 4x4. Answering to @chtiger I also would recommend Yau method for 4x4 with 3-2-3 pairing but I wouldn't say color neutral is a good idea unless you are already absolutely color neutral on 3x3. In my case, I just start with either yellow or white center and then I always do the cross on white for 4x4. Other cross colors require too much thinking for me, much more so than in 3x3.

In other news two days ago I beat my 3x3 PB single with an 11.03. It was an incredibly lucky scramble and it should have been sub 10 had I been focused and in good shape. I repeated it and got an 8.54 on the second try. This is the scramble:

1. 11.03 L2 B' U2 F' L2 U2 L2 B' D2 L2 B' R' F2 U' B' R' F L2 U2 L R

Super-easy, 5-move white cross, nice 1st pair, and then all the other pairs are magically done, ready to be inserted. Nice OLL and PLL skip. Probably some of you can get sub 7 when trying it, I'm sure. It's ironic that I beat my 1 year old PB single when I have mostly abandoned the hobby

 

[mark49152]

@NewbieCuber: @pglewis pretty much perfectly summed it up, thanks Phil. My comments pertained specifically to BLD memo. I am not an experienced musician, but I wouldn't think BLD memo to be comparable to playing music. Instead I would probably compare it to some types of physical or sports training where the training objective is precisely to stress the body, such that it recovers capable of performing at that higher level without the same stress felt during initial training.

The usual advice for sighted speedsolving is different, as you know - slow down and look ahead. Even so, there are speed training methods like time attacks which I believe can be beneficial for building TPS by stressing the fingers into learning to move faster. (Maybe in music that could be compared to scales or arpeggios?)

I agree with your other posting on learning techniques though. I also used partially stickered cubes when learning cross and F2L, and that approach of identifying weaknesses and breaking down practice to address them is exactly what I also apply to BLD memo speed training.

 

[One Wheel]

Interesting. I associate the muscle memory of algorithms to the muscle memory of playing a complicated musical line. I practice slowly with no tension and then when I need to play it at performance speed my hands remember how to play without tension, they just go faster. Yes, at some point we do need to practice at speed, but I think there is a lot to be learned from low stress practice.

I agree there is a lot to be learned from low stress practice. It may just be my training, but whenever I tried to play too fast my teacher would tell me that it was more important to keep a steady beat, and doing so would fool the audience into thinking that I was playing both more quickly and more effortlessly than I actually was. I think she was right about the violin, but it's significantly harder to fool a stackmat. A steady beat is important for f2l. LL is just Flight of the Bumblebee once you learn the algs.

 

[chtiger]

A good mixture of recommendations for Hoya and Yau. I may have to flip a coin on what to try first. I did 10-15 solves yesterday using r2 for edges (hey, it's good practice for 4BLD edges, so it's not a total waste) and beat my previous PB 3 times. Down to 2:13 now. Progress at least.

 

[muchacho]

@mafergut clearly cubing gods don't want you to quit

 

[JohnnyReggae]

Thanks, I'll check those two out. It's amusing to me that every bigger Yuxin cube seems to come with the wrong springs from the factory

Now that you mention it, hadn't really thought about it, but you're absolutely right. It's weird that Yuxin don't actually change their springs on their puzzles to what people are actually using.

So I have a "Cross Cube" with all the stickers removed except for the centers and the white cross ...

I also have an F2L cube which, as you may imagine, has the stickers from the top layer removed (except for the yellow center).
...

It sounds like a lot of work but I find that in the long run you actually can learn very complex tasks in a much shorter time by Identifying the problem, reduce it to the simplest version of the problem, then gradually expand the context until you are solving the original problem.

I think that is a brilliant idea. I did the same a while back with an F2L cube. I found that it did help me and I would do 50 solves in a row just focusing on F2L.

I also made 2 blind cubes, 1 with the corner stickers removed and the other with the edge stickers removed so that I could focus on each separately.

I like your advice at the end. Will definitely be keeping that in mind moving forward

 

[Selkie]

Talking of practice, I post a link to this guide by Rowan Kinneavy (@Escher) every 6 months or so and there are some new active thread recipients here now.

An awesome guide and discussion on practice from a cubing standpoint and a lot of advise I have tried to adopt over the years since he wrote the article 6 years ago.

Might prove useful to some:-

https://www.speedsolving.com/forum/threads/how-to-practice.27870/

 

[h2f]

@Selkie Chris - thanks you've linked it.

 

[Lazy Einstein]

So I left my little bag with cubes at a family members out of town last week and only have side events at home. I started playing with Megaminx and I am getting addicted. Any of you get drawn in by a puzzle unexpectedly?

 

[Selkie]

Well yesterday I received my two new Cubicle Labs Cubes:-

Cubicle WeiLong GTS2 M Stickerless
Cubicle WuQue M

Loving both cubes, instant mains and just got a 4x4 PB Average:-

Average of 5: 54.93
1. 54.64 F' B r2 R' F f U D B L' U' B' u' F' r' F' u U r U f u' B' R' L' r u' D B F2 R2 r f' L D B' r2 D2 L2 u
2. 54.61 R2 B r2 B2 U2 B f2 R' u2 D L2 U' R' F2 B' f' u D2 L2 R2 u2 f' L2 f' U2 L2 F2 U2 f2 R' B' R2 U' B u' D R B2 U f'
3. 55.55 B u f B' u' U L U F D B' L2 D' F U R2 f2 R f2 L' r' U L R2 F U u2 f2 R2 D' U2 R2 L' B' u r2 u' L2 F u2
4. (1:06.70) F U D F' D' B' u' r2 f2 F' B2 r2 D U' R r2 B2 F L' U' D R2 f' F u R f' L' D' L B2 U2 B' R' D2 u2 f u2 r' R
5. (49.44) R u F u2 D2 L D u2 B R B' F' D' f2 r2 F' R D' r2 f' R B F' D u' r2 R' U' F U2 f L B' f2 R L' F' R' B2 F2

 

[mafergut]

@mafergut clearly cubing gods don't want you to quit

I absolutely loved this post! Thanks, David

@Lazy Einstein, it happened to me all the time, with almost any puzzle I have tried, maybe with the exception of SQ-1, not sure why.

@Selkie great 4x4 average man! Now that I have left the hobby I can't help but think that, in a year, all my cubes will be obsolete but, also, I will save a lot of money on magnetic big cubes

Also, do you think that 3x3 WR for average will ever get below 6 seconds and, in that case, who will be the one to break that barrier? I'm putting my money on Max Park:

 

[One Wheel]

Also, do you think that 3x3 WR for average will ever get below 6 seconds and, in that case, who will be the one to break that barrier? I'm putting my money on Max Park:

I think a better question is whether it will get below 5, and I'm guessing yes, eventually. Sub-6 wouldn't surprise me yet this year. I like going out on a limb, so I'll say semifinals of world's somebody gets sub-6.

 

[mafergut]

I think a better question is whether it will get below 5, and I'm guessing yes, eventually. Sub-6 wouldn't surprise me yet this year. I like going out on a limb, so I'll say semifinals of world's somebody gets sub-6.

I think single will eventually get sub-4 but I don't think we'll ever see a sub-5 average. I agree that sub-6 could happen any time soon... but it could also resist for another 3-4 years, imho.

 

[Selkie]

@Selkie great 4x4 average man! Now that I have left the hobby I can't help but think that, in a year, all my cubes will be obsolete but, also, I will save a lot of money on magnetic big cubes

Yeah, they are expensive, especially the Cubicle labs ones. But they are oh so good ....

This isn't a PB but the fastest AO12 I have on film. When you think the cube, Cubicle Labs WeiLong GTS2 M arrived less than 24 hours ago. Instant main!

3x3 Average of 12: 14.32 Seconds:-

Times and scrambles in the spoiler.

Spoiler

Average of 12: 14.32
1. 14.67 L2 U L2 R2 U2 F2 R2 D' R2 U' B' F L' B' L2 R' F D B' R2
2. 14.35 D2 U2 B2 R2 U2 L' B2 U2 L B2 L2 D R' B' L U2 F R D2 B2 U'
3. 17.06 U2 F2 R2 B L2 U2 L2 D2 B' R2 B' D L D2 F D2 U' R' D' L F2
4. 13.16 U' L2 F' R' B' U' D' F B2 U R2 L2 B' R2 F R2 L2 B2 U2 B' R2
5. 14.02 R' B2 U2 B2 L2 B2 L' F2 U2 B2 D2 F D' B F L R' U R2 D B'
6. 14.30 B2 D' F2 R2 U L' B' U R U B L2 B' D2 F2 R2 D2 F' D2 F'
7. (13.00) B U' R2 D' L' D R2 B R2 U2 R D2 L U2 L' B2 L U2 R'
8. 13.46 B2 D2 L' D2 F2 R2 D2 L' U2 R B2 U' F2 L2 F D2 F' R B D
9. Extra - Timer malfunction
10. 14.68 D F2 U2 R2 U L2 B2 D F2 L2 D2 B' D R2 D' R' B2 F2 R2 D' B
11. (17.85) B2 R' B2 U2 R' D2 L2 R' F2 L D L' U' L2 F L2 D' B R' U'
12. 14.24 B2 F2 L' B2 L2 B2 U2 R' F2 U2 R2 F' U F' L2 R' U R2 F' L D'
13. 13.22 B U' B R F2 L2 U2 L' B R B R2 F' L2 U2 F R2 F2 U2 D2 B

 

[One Wheel]

I think single will eventually get sub-4 but I don't think we'll ever see a sub-5 average. I agree that sub-6 could happen any time soon... but it could also resist for another 3-4 years, imho.

I agree sub-6 could happen any time or wait a few years, and I agree that we'll probably see a sub-4 single eventually. I just find it hard to believe that a sub-4 single can stand for all that long before the average comes within 25% of it.

 

[mafergut]

I agree sub-6 could happen any time or wait a few years, and I agree that we'll probably see a sub-4 single eventually. I just find it hard to believe that a sub-4 single can stand for all that long before the average comes within 25% of it.

But if you think that a sub-4 single will have to be a PLL skip or otherwise lucky solve, meanwhile the current WR single is a somewhat full step solve then I don't think the average will come so close to the single (unless somebody is lucky enough to get at least 3 PLL skips in a very good average).

@Selkie: Great average and great cube. I like my Moyu Weilong GTS2M. Right now it is my main, and a regular GTS2 is my OH main. I can only guess that the Cubicle GTS2M will be even better than the Moyu one. You were lucky, the timer malfunction was a 16 sec solve Forget about it, it is just my envy talking

 

[Escher]

Talking of practice, I post a link to this guide by Rowan Kinneavy (@Escher) every 6 months or so and there are some new active thread recipients here now.

An awesome guide and discussion on practice from a cubing standpoint and a lot of advise I have tried to adopt over the years since he wrote the article 6 years ago.

Might prove useful to some:-

https://www.speedsolving.com/forum/threads/how-to-practice.27870/

Thanks Chris! I'm always grateful for your endorsements. I can't believe it was 6 years ago now...

I'll not add to practice discussion itself, but say that I recommend introducing a bit of mindfulness to practice time. It seems to be good for other sports and I can't see how the more mental-game category that cubing is part of wouldn't see similar (or even bigger) benefits. See: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029207000702

One example might be doing the 'body-scan' technique (getting horizontal, 15 minutes focusing on bodily sensations, and as little else as possible, slowly from tips of toes to top of head). Good explanation of mindfulness itself in a less 'utility-focused' manner here: http://www.vipassana.com/meditation/mindfulness_in_plain_english.php

It's probably quite possible to engineer similar effects in your own way, by taking time before practice to think of your long-term goals, notice the other things that are competing for your attention at that time, and doing what you can to lay them aside without exploring them, and getting tugged away from the present moment. Clear the workbench before starting a big project, so to speak.