Older cubers discussions

[MarcelP]

Yeah I will give that a go when I have some time. Holiday weekend = limited cubing, and I'm late with the substep comp results as well...

Do you do PLL attacks? That's the way I usually practice PLLs. My average is about 57.

Edit: did your 3.12 ao100 include recognition?

No, I don't do PLL attacks. Too hard..

No, not include recognition.. But no align before starting..

 

[mark49152]

No, I don't do PLL attacks. Too hard..

Yeah they are hard but make great warm-ups, they ensure all PLLs get equal practice, and I think they are good for developing overall TPS. I screw up half the time though, and don't count screw-ups in averages.

 

[mark49152]

No, not include recognition.. But no align before starting..

Including AUF afterwards, 2.91 stdev 0.5. That was pretty interesting. Some of those I thought were faster, weren't. In particular my A perms were slow, I think because I do a sort of regrip at the start. My G perms are better than I thought

 

[Rocky0701]

Marcel, just to let you know. I am now broke because you and Feliks made me order the Aolong. Thanks

 

[sneaklyfox]

I did PLL attacks before just because. But that was over a year ago. I think it's actually better for me to practice each PLL by themselves. I might be able to execute 14 moves fairly quickly but it's harder to go as fast if you have more moves because you get tired. Also I think it's better to work on one PLL at a time. Well basically I think PLL time attacks are good for warm up but that you should do them separately for actual training.

 

[MarcelP]

Marcel, just to let you know. I am now broke because you and Feliks made me order the Aolong. Thanks

Trust me, is it worth it

Including AUF afterwards, 2.91 stdev 0.5. That was pretty interesting. Some of those I thought were faster, weren't. In particular my A perms were slow, I think because I do a sort of regrip at the start. My G perms are better than I thought

Nice mark! I now have a reference point. I want to be able to do that within a month.

 

[mark49152]

Nice mark! I now have a reference point. I want to be able to do that within a month.

There's not a big difference, could be just luck. Or maybe you have one or two slow ones that let you down (your stdev is greater). Personally I think there are easier ways to lose 0.2 secs than 10% improvement in pure PLL speed. Like PLL recognition (prob about 1 sec), improved lookahead, or the perennial cross+1

 

[MarcelP]

There's not a big difference, could be just luck. Or maybe you have one or two slow ones that let you down (your stdev is greater). Personally I think there are easier ways to lose 0.2 secs than 10% improvement in pure PLL speed. Like PLL recognition (prob about 1 sec), improved lookahead, or the perennial cross+1

I agree that there is not a big difference. But the fact is that I am ok with my cross, cross + 1, F2L, OLL but not with PLL. I want to be cool like Kennan and all the other guys who do their PLL incl recognition in sub 1.5 I think there is not much to gain in my solves at the moment. Meaning it will be very very hard to gain any speed at cross, F2L, and OLL.

 

[DeeDubb]

I also ordered an AoLong based on you Marcel... If I don't instantly turn into Feliks, I'm going to be upset.

 

[TDM]

Earlier I thought I was going to get a LiYing after exams, but now everyone's getting the AoLong... which should I get?

 

[MarcelP]

I also ordered an AoLong based on you Marcel... If I don't instantly turn into Feliks, I'm going to be upset.

LOL.. Expect your times to drop at least 80%.... NOT.

Earlier I thought I was going to get a LiYing after exams, but now everyone's getting the AoLong... which should I get?

AoLong for sure. But LiYing is not expensive and fun to solve too. performance-wise AoLong for the win..

 

[TDM]

AoLong for sure. But LiYing is not expensive and fun to solve too. performance-wise AoLong for the win..

After what everybody's said, I was definitely thinking more about the AoLong... but what do you mean by the bolded bit? Speed? Reverse corner cutting? Lockups? (basically the three things I look for)

 

[Rocky0701]

After what everybody's said, I was definitely thinking more about the AoLong... but what do you mean by the bolded bit? Speed? Reverse corner cutting? Lockups? (basically the three things I look for)

I think he meams pretty much all of those aspects combined create a cube with great performance. I am excited for mine!

 

[TDM]

I think he meams pretty much all of those aspects combined create a cube with great performance. I am excited for mine!

I don't like cubes that are particularly fast, I'm looking for something not much faster than my ShuangRen. I really like everything about my ShuangRen except the lockups, which is why I'm looking for a new cube. So speed is a tricky one, but I think (although I'm not sure) I'd prefer the slower of the two.

 

[mark49152]

I think there is not much to gain in my solves at the moment. Meaning it will be very very hard to gain any speed at cross, F2L, and OLL.

I have also been wondering how I will improve further. 22 seems to be another plateau for me - I'm still improving but very slowly.

I started focusing on what's different between a 19 sec and 24 sec solve, for me. PLL definitely makes a difference - if it's a U perm I can recognise and finish in under 2 sec, whereas for most it's 3-4. But the biggest difference is continuity. In a 19 sec solve everything runs together - I see the pairs immediately and execute them smoothly, and the same for OLL/PLL. They aren't even necessarily easy cases - just well executed, including any AUFs, regrips or rotations. In a 24 sec solve, on the other hand, there is usually some pausing, panicking, fumbling or locking-up. It just doesn't feel as "easy".

So I'm continuing to put my focus on practice that will improve flow - cross+1, F2L lookahead, PLL two-sided recognition, and PLL attacks to improve composure in execution. Plus full solves of course.

Just my two cents, everyone's different.

 

[MarcelP]

So I'm continuing to put my focus on practice that will improve flow - cross+1, F2L lookahead, PLL two-sided recognition, and PLL attacks to improve composure in execution. Plus full solves of course.

Yeah, me too ofcourse. But I think, looking back at how I got from 30 to where I am, to go on from here will be very slow progression. I think, just cubing for years will make you faster. So maybe in a while I will be comfertable sub 20 or sub 19 or so. But I do not expect any growth spurts in the near future

Btw, where do you get the LS + LL scrambles.. I think I will work on that for a while..

After what everybody's said, I was definitely thinking more about the AoLong... but what do you mean by the bolded bit? Speed? Reverse corner cutting? Lockups? (basically the three things I look for)

Absolutely 0% lockups where LiYing can lock up because it is less stable. Speed of AoLong is also higher (not per ce a good thing imho), and the cornercutting is not from this world. Can not be any better..

 

[TDM]

Absolutely 0% lockups where LiYing can lock up because it is less stable. Speed of AoLong is also higher (not per ce a good thing imho), and the cornercutting is not from this world. Can not be any better..

You kinda contradicted yourself I'll get the AoLong, thanks.

Also, LSLL scrambles can be found in qqTimer; go to SPECIALITY SCRAMBLES -> 3x3x3 subsets.

 

[kcl]

I agree that there is not a big difference. But the fact is that I am ok with my cross, cross + 1, F2L, OLL but not with PLL. I want to be cool like Kennan and all the other guys who do their PLL incl recognition in sub 1.5 I think there is not much to gain in my solves at the moment. Meaning it will be very very hard to gain any speed at cross, F2L, and OLL.

Lol mine actually aren't that fast, but TPS is key.

 

[sneaklyfox]

I remember 22 being a barrier for me. I forget how long it took to get past it, but there was definitely a plateau there. And then the next one is 16 I guess which I am finally now slowly moving past after feeling stuck for a year. But as long as I know I'm making improvement I am happy. Curse the day when I feel no improvement at all! I hope it never comes.

 

[TDM]

I remember 22 being a barrier for me. I forget how long it took to get past it, but there was definitely a plateau there.

Same for me too, I spent a few months between 21-22, probably from May until September last year. I got my ShuangRen early September (I remember it being the day before school started), and that dropped my times to 18.5ish. My ZhanChi was dead, and so was my GuHong, so I really did need a new cube.