Tips for speeding up my cube solving

W

wibraman

Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2007
Messages
3
Hi guys,

I'm totally hooked up with my Rubik's cube and with a bit of practise for the last weeks I now can solve the cube in around 2 minutes. Now I want to try to learn a speedcubing technique like the Fridrich of keyhole methode to get a average time of under the minute.

But I totally have no I idea where to start. I'm kind of shocked by the big number of algorithms and I don't know how I can learn them best. Also I can't find a page where the algorithm is supported with a few pic's so that it is clear for me if I'm on the right way.

So my question to you is: How do I learn to become a speedcuber and which steps do I have to take? Maybe you can tell something about your own experience and if you know a good site where you can see clearly what to do I'm grateful.

(Sorry if my English isn't correct, but that's because I'm Dutch)
 
I hear from everyone that you should at least get under a minute with your current method.

I've gotten to 1:15 in about 2 months. My hands are really slow, too.
 
Using the method shown on my page here, you should work to get around 1:10-1:20 avg easily:
http://pjkcubed.com/rubiks-cube-beginners-guide.html

Once you get to that point, I'd recommend working on full-Fridrich, or working on Roux or Petrus, etc. Don't be intimidated. Just improving your first two layers with partly Fridrich will take your times down dramatically. Good luck.
 
I learned to speed up my solving from solvethecube.co.uk on the Getting Faster section(man it seems like I've been dropping that site name for years lol). I updated my method in 3 days a week ago and now I have a fastest time of 46 seconds and yesterday I swear I must have done a 35 because it was so fast but I wasn't timing. I've only been cubing for aout 1 month now and now I'm starting to learn some permutation for Fridrich's method. So I would suggest using that site to get faster since it did wonders fr my time. I was using a primitive method(141 moves +) before and I got a 1:08 time so I assume the method I'm using now must be faster so check it out.

But try to learn some permutation after learning Joel's "Getting Faster" method so you'll speed up even more.
 
I'm currently using this method:

This site.

The site is in Dutch, but the main difference between the technique of you (PJK) and this one is that at the last layer you first make a cross, then turn the blocks of the cross at the right place, then turn the edges at the right place and at the last you turn the edges with the yellow side up.

This tactic is almost same, but does your basic technique saves that much time or am I just too slow with twisting?

I think I will start with learning the F2L technique first, and then layer by layer. It will cost much time I think, but it will be worth it :)
 
That is basically what you do with the method I described. You build up the first two layers, then do FRUR'U'F' to flip edges or FURU'R'F' to flip edges. Then you flip corners using the Sune.
 
Oh, I forgot to mention, lube your cube. It helps improve your time by about 10 seconds or so.

Get silicone spray, and take a look at this guide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0rjg7ckq-0 (This was quite a hassle though. Some people suggested just popping out a piece, spraying some in, solving, and then doing that three times)

It was a little sticky and first, but after a few days it's the best. :)
 
PJK and Wibraman:
The method is about the same, only the order is different:
PJK: EO -> CO -> CP -> EP
Dutch site: EO -> EP -> CP -> CO

EO = Edge Orientation
CO = Corner Orientation
CP = Corner Permutation
EP = Edge Permutation

Doing CO last is an easy way (cycle blindfolders often do it), but it takes about 8 (slow) moves per corner!
 
Really? Try right sune + left sune. It's easy to learn and execute for CO, keeping the rest of the cube untouched.
 
Tyson Mao's BLD guide used to have an explanation for this as an alternative method for CO, but it's been taken offline.

Anyway, RUR'U'RU2R' L'U'LU'L'U2L

You can use the left-right mirror and inverses to orient two adjacent corners. The method that most people is (RD'R'D)x2 as the basic unit, which is what you were talking about. Tyson says it is more powerful method because you can orient any two corners in the top layer without setup moves this way, instead of only being able to do two adjacent ones.
 
So the advise is to learn (for now) this method for the last layer since it is faster?

EO -> CO -> CP -> EP

And tenderchkn, with that method of you, you mean that you turn 2 corners (counter)clockwise at the same time which comes in handy for if you do CO at last?

And that with the silicone spray, just pop one piece out and spray a bit into it? Because if I look to his cube after he has popped out al his pieces, spred it, and putted it back to getter the pieces looked like hell. And that split center in the cube, is that because of an oil-based product and not the silicone spray if I get it right?

If I take a look at his cube it indeed is way more smoother than mine is now, and sometimes it's frustrating when my cube turns that well and blocks another twist while I was doing very well.

And could I get under a minute with this?

F2L
Last Layer EO -> CO -> CP -> EP

My best time now is 1.05 minutes, but my average is between 1.30 and 2 minutes. I still use EO -> EP -> CP -> CO for the last layer, but if it really is much faster like you say I think I swap. With Fridrich it also matches better with PJK's method, isn't it? Because it is something like EO and CO at the same time, and then CP and EP at the same time.
 
Originally posted by wibraman@Mar 8 2007, 04:56 PM
So the advise is to learn (for now) this method for the last layer since it is faster?

EO -> CO -> CP -> EP
...

And could I get under a minute with this?

F2L
Last Layer EO -> CO -> CP -> EP

My best time now is 1.05 minutes, but my average is between 1.30 and 2 minutes. I still use EO -> EP -> CP -> CO for the last layer, but if it really is much faster like you say I think I swap. With Fridrich it also matches better with PJK's method, isn't it? Because it is something like EO and CO at the same time, and then CP and EP at the same time.
Click to expand...
Yes, that is a good beginner LL and you're right, when you start to learn Fridrich LL, you'll be able to easily just start to combine the O and the P steps.

You can get (average) under a minute with the method you're using now. I used a similar method to get a 50.xx avg, and my friend used exactly that method to get fast enough for a sub-60 avg. The only reason he hasnt gotten one yet is that he doesnt do averages very often and now he's learning Fridrich. The suggested method will also get you under a minute. Either way, it's all about practice.
 
Originally posted by wibraman@Mar 8 2007, 04:56 PM
And tenderchkn, with that method of you, you mean that you turn 2 corners (counter)clockwise at the same time which comes in handy for if you do CO at last?
Click to expand...
No, that's only for BLD. You should never use that for speedcubing, unless you see everything solved except for two unoriented corners...which never comes up anyway.
 
My current PB is 44.56. The following list is the exact steps that i followed to get to this time.
1) Rubik's Beginner's Method
2) RB Method w/extra algos
3) replace steps 2 and 3 with keyhole method
4) replace keyhole method with F2L
5) replace RB Last Layer with 4LLL
If you need any terms cleared up, or help with learning any of the steps, feel free to ask me.
 
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