What's considered a "normal" rate of progression?

[Michael Wimberly]

So I've been cubing for almost 11 months now and I glow ball 18 and my best ao5 is 14. I keep getting comments saying my rate of progression is fast, is it really? If so, what's considered "normal"?

 

[Isaiah Scott]

It depends on many factors. How much you practice, what you spend your practice time working on, and your commitment to improving. I know people who have gone from just starting to sub 8 in less than a year and others that have been cubing for a long time and still average over a minute.

 

[Michael Wimberly]

It depends on many factors. How much you practice, what you spend your practice time working on, and your commitment to improving. I know people who have gone from just starting to sub 8 in less than a year and others that have been cubing for a long time and still average over a minute.

I can tell you that I get on average 30 minutes of practice a day, sometimes an hour or more if I have enough time. But it's usually not in a single session, rather several moments throughout the day where I get to practice 1 or 2 things at a time.

 

[cranberryjuice]

So I've been cubing for almost 11 months now and I glow ball 18 and my best ao5 is 14. I keep getting comments saying my rate of progression is fast, is it really? If so, what's considered "normal"?

Is this 3x3? If so, yeah, it's pretty quick. I've been cubing for about 4 1/2 years, but I did take a 2 1/2 year break until recently because I got busy.

 

[Jared Burkhart]

Bro I have done 3x3 for 6 years and dropped from a solid 10 days to 9.29 seconds, so I am slow but you are crazy fast!

 

[Sub20Soon]

Ive been activelh cubing for 9-10-11 months now (i rlly dont know when i stopped ill check after) and i global 18 too.

 

[Caleb Valenzuela]

here’s my progression because why not:
sub-20: 8 months of cubing
sub-15: 1 year of cubing
sub-10: 2 years of cubing
sub-8: 2.5 years of cubing
sub-7: to be decided
sub-6: 2027
sub-5: 2028
sub-4: 2029
sub-3: 2030
sub-2: 2031

these are just rough estimates
Leo Borromeo got sub-10 in less than a year
December 14, 2026 will mark my 4th year anniversary of cubing
and September 10, 2026 will mark my 3rd year of competing in WCA competitions

 

[Jared Burkhart]

here’s my progression because why not:
sub-20: 8 months of cubing
sub-15: 1 year of cubing
sub-10: 2 years of cubing
sub-8: 2.5 years of cubing
sub-7: to be decided
sub-6: 2027
sub-5: 2028
sub-4: 2029
sub-3: 2030
sub-2: 2031

these are just rough estimates
Leo Borromeo got sub-10 in less than a year
December 14, 2026 will mark my 4th year anniversary of cubing
and September 10, 2026 will mark my 3rd year of competing in WCA competitions

Bro is going for the record!!!!! 2031 is an awesome goal

 

[Michael Wimberly]

here’s my progression because why not:
sub-20: 8 months of cubing
sub-15: 1 year of cubing
sub-10: 2 years of cubing
sub-8: 2.5 years of cubing
sub-7: to be decided
sub-6: 2027
sub-5: 2028
sub-4: 2029
sub-3: 2030
sub-2: 2031

these are just rough estimates
Leo Borromeo got sub-10 in less than a year
December 14, 2026 will mark my 4th year anniversary of cubing
and September 10, 2026 will mark my 3rd year of competing in WCA competitions

May 25th will be my 1st anniversary... that's the day my friend taught me how to solve the cross on a camping trip.

 

[Nitrophenol]

I've been cubing for 1.5 years... I can't seem to get sub 10 sadly

 

[cranberryjuice]

I've been cubing for 1.5 years... I can't seem to get sub 10 sadly

I avg 35 after a year of on and off cubing, before that I knew how to solve for about 4 years, but I wasn't focused on getting faster because I didn't know what speedcubing was.

 

[TheSpeedSkewber]

I'm currently regressing, so however slow you are just remember you're better than TheSpeedSkewber

 

[cranberryjuice]

I'm currently regressing, so however slow you are just remember you're better than TheSpeedSkewber

How the heck are you regressing?

 

[TheSpeedSkewber]

How the heck are you regressing?

I haven't really actively cubed since late 2024, so i've gone from an ~11sec average to a ~16 second one

 

[Isaiah Scott]

here’s my progression because why not:
sub-20: 8 months of cubing
sub-15: 1 year of cubing
sub-10: 2 years of cubing
sub-8: 2.5 years of cubing
sub-7: to be decided
sub-6: 2027
sub-5: 2028
sub-4: 2029
sub-3: 2030
sub-2: 2031

these are just rough estimates
Leo Borromeo got sub-10 in less than a year
December 14, 2026 will mark my 4th year anniversary of cubing
and September 10, 2026 will mark my 3rd year of competing in WCA competitions

Sub-0: 2033

 

[Deleted member 27249]

My progression in 2017-2025 Always 21-23 now 19-20 sometimes 21 but I started in 1960 Before the Rubik's Cube Born and my times was 10 minutes.
I have 1000 years about but I lie...in real I have infinity years Im time traveler or time Walker. I walk in eternity.

 

[That0newe1rdo]

my rough progression (imo i have a very slow progression)

sub 1 - 8 months
sub 50 - 8.5 months
sub 40 - 9.5 months
sub 30 - 1 year, 2 months
sub 25 - 1 year, 8 months
sub 22.5 - 1 year 9 months
sub 20 - 2 years
sub 19 - 2 years 1 month

I now consider myself sub 18, maybe sub 17, after about 2 years, 7 months but have little recorded data to prove that for some reason.

 

[Thomas.Caleb]

Sub 5 in 2 days

 

[Isaiah Scott]

My progression:
Sub 1: 1-2 weeks
Sub 30: 2-4 months
Sub 25: 7-8 months
Sub 20: 1.5 years
Sub 15: 2-2.5 years
Sub 12: 3.5 years
Sub 10: 5-5.5 years
My guess is that I will plateau at around 8.5 average and that will be the fastest I ever am due to having more responsibilities and taking interest in other hobbies.

 

[cranberryjuice]

Sub 5 in 2 days

Bros the next Xuanyi Geng