Over the 30-40 second hump

[febridge]

Hey all, I am hoping to get some advice as to how to decrease my 3X3X3 solve times. I have been cubing for about 4 months now. I can solve sub 40 but really am a 40 second (40-50) average cuber.

I am currently using using the Freidrich method. Currently I know all PLL and about 1/3 of OLL. The areas that I feel I need to improve are:

1. F2L Recognition: I feel like there is often a lot of waisted time between solving each corder edge pair
2. F2L efficiency: I feel as though I use additional uneccesary moves (e.g. orienting the corner piece above the corner and then solving from there)
3. Overall Recognition: I mentioned F2L but also between OLL and PLL and less common OLLs

If anybody has any suggestions as to how I can decrease my solve times let me know. Especially if you can offer suggestion on how to improve upon what I consider to be my weaknesses please let me know.

 

[Dene]

Ok: what you want to do is, SLOW DOWN and LOOK AHEAD! (As Macky's site says ). During F2L, take your time, and watch where the pairs are going, and try to see what you will use for your next pair. This takes some practise.

However, I'm not sure if this is necessary for you yet, it only really matters once you are sub-25ish I guess. You really just need to keep on practising. The difference between sub50 and sub30 is mainly just speed of execution. For example, I do the T permutation sub2 seconds. My worst time for a PLL is probably about 4 seconds. The only way to improve your times on this is just practise. I would say this is where you need to look.

I think, once you can start to execute algorithms faster, you'll be able to use the same tricks during F2L, and that will really help your times. I mean, if you watch a video of Harris Chan, his fingers move like a blur. If you record yourself, and watch yourself straight after watching a sub-13 solve, you will see the difference. I definitely think that is what you should work on first (that is, execution time/finger tricks).

Good luck!

 

[alltooamorous]

Nothing about the cross? Would help there too. I think F2L rexognition is the most important. When doing your cross, try to find an edge and a corner so at least you can transition quickly into the first pair.

Also, fif you know all the PLLs, do some PLL time attacks to help improve execution time. I still haven't learned all the PLLs yet x.X

 

[febridge]

Sorry, I am a newb. What exactly do you mean by speed attacks? I agree the cross is quite important and depending on the efficiency of my solve my time varies accordingly. Any tips other than looking for an edge corner pair. My cross is probably pretty weak

Alos, Dene, your advice has already paid off. I was really focussing on speeding up my movements and took got a 31 second non lucky solve between my afternoon patients. I really want to break that 30 second threshold.

 

[Dene]

What he means is, set up an order for doing the PLL's, then do them all in a row, as fast as you can. The fastest people do around 50 seconds. I've never tried myself, but I would probably be 90ish seconds.

 

[Leo]

I think Yu Nakajima actually got a sub 37 PLL attack

 

[Dene]

Lol yes well, that may be how fast the super people get .

 

[febridge]

Right now my cube is stickered with lighter shades. Is it easier to recognize colors if there is a lot of contrast (meaning original colors)? What do you guys think? I was planning on giving it a try but I am still sorting out my Miss 60 jeans with Rubik.

 

[Dene]

Well, theoretically, the larger the difference between the colours, the easier the recognition, I don't think it would make a huge difference as long as they are different colours though.

 

[alltooamorous]

Well what color cross do you do? Usually it helps if that color stands out from the rest. What confuses me is when other colors are brighter than my cross color (White or Yellow) then my eyes start catching those colors instead.

 

[febridge]

I typically solve a white cross. I have two white cubes with light colors and an orange cube that I don't care for too much. On my best white cube my blue is very light and does not stand out too much. I plan to change it when I get some time. I ordered a bunch of cube smith vinyl stickers and it is really annoying that they do not have the proper spacing. I have been using a friends vinyl cutter to cut my own (of any color too) and just need to find the time (or use the cubesmith stickers).

 

[febridge]

I got over the hump. I didn't think it would ever happen. I think that some of the suggestions that I have received have helped a lot.

I really needed to focus on speeding up my execution of various triggers. I kept reading "slow down to speed up" in various forum and I think I translated that into performing triggers slowly. Once I focused on quickly executing the triggers I saw my average time decrease substantially and broke the 30 second hump.

Thanks for all of the suggestions! From here I really need to work on looking ahead. Especially between stages (e.g. OLL to PLL). 6 Months ago I would have never thought that I would be able to solve a cube let alone in less than 30sec.

 

[MistArts]

I been cubing for a bit over 2 months and now I'm in the "hump" with a sub-39 average. But the problem is I only know 10 PLL's and 8 OLL's (F2L is intuitive)

My question is there any tips other than slowing down and tips for memorizing PLL's

 

[AvGalen]

I been cubing for a bit over 2 months and now I'm in the "hump" with a sub-39 average. But the problem is I only know 10 PLL's and 8 OLL's (F2L is intuitive)

My question is there any tips other than slowing down and tips for memorizing PLL's

Don't blaim the amount of algorithms. I averaged sub 25 and I only knew 3+7+2+4 last layer algorithms and use(d) an even more primitive way of solving the F2L (keyhole)

 

[adragast]

Hi Febridge !

I am very happy that you broke the 30 seconds barrier It took me a while to achieve this and I also thought it would be impossible for me. I broke the 20 seconds two days ago (only single solve) and what actually helped me a lot is to do some slow solves (without timing) just to understand better the F2l (how to insert pairs, how to look ahead, ...).

For MistArts: I think at your level you need more practice (maybe a better cube too ?). You could also have a look at F2L algorithms and compare them with yours (they are not necessarily better).

Kiyoshi

 

[coopersacatfilms]

F2L is more important than OLL

 

[*LukeMayn*]

Why do you bump such old topics...... No-one is going to like you for it or think your "cooler" because your a senior member.