Which step(s) do(es), in your opinion, need some exercising?
lol
Here are the steps:
#1: 2x2x2 block - 6.77
#2: 2x2x3 block - 6.34
#3: EO - 5.77
#4: Square (filling in the 3rd slot of the F2L) - 4.57
#5: Finish last F2L slot - 3.79
#6: OLL - 4.11
#7: PLL - 8.39
Thanks!
1. Could definitely be faster, iirc it can be done in 7-8 moves or less, make sure you are looking for efficient first blocks and not necessarily going for the first thing you see, especially if you're not color neutral (be color neutral for Petrus.) Try doing this step blindfolded, because if you can completely plan your first step and execute it without looking you will be able to spend more time looking ahead at possible 2x2x3 extensions.
2. Getting better at the first step will make it easier to do this step quickly. The key is to be able to find a starting 1x1x2 block as you are finishing/just after the 2x2x2.
3. I don't have much advice in this section, I never got particularly quick at Petrus EO. It just comes down to quick recognition of bad edges and using the most convenient way to swap two bad edges on adjacent layers, rather than always setting edges up in the same way to use one specific alg that you've learned. Also practice oriented two pairs of edges blindfolded, one pair after another or orienting all 4 at once.
4&5. Usually these "steps" are lumped together. so it goes 2x2x2, 2x2x3, EO, finish F2L. Best way to practice this step is doing absurd amounts of 2-gen solves, because you have edges oriented and already have the 2x2x3. Perfect. This step can be done very quickly using cfop style f2l solving, and possibly faster and definitely more move efficient using blockbuilding. As with previous steps practicing blindfolded might help develop lookahead and decrease your dependence on watching what you are doing as you solve, rather than finding a solution for your step 4 and executing it while being able to look ahead to step 5. You can start by at least locating all the pieces you need, and eventually start being able to plan the solution for step 5. Really you should be freely building the final 1x2x3 rather than always solving cross+1f2l pair, then solving the other f2l pair, (No lie that's pretty much how I petrus lol) but you can get fast using any way, just some solves will leave you with bad cases for the way you solve, while there being an easy way to solve using a more freestyle blockbuilding approach.
6. Do you know individual algs for all 7 cases or do you use 1-2 sunes? I'd recommend learning at least one alg for every case, and learn to mirror some so you can execute them from more than one angle (not necessary, but might shave a fraction of a second sometimes) You could definitely be faster, the OCLLs are some of fastest OLLs, mostly 2-gen (ofc they can all be 2-gen), with recognition you could easily get this step to 2-3 seconds. And with practice you could average ~1 second. Check out [wiki]OCLL[/wiki]
7. Easily your worst step, do you do 2-look, full PLL, some PLLs? I'm guessing you take a long time for recognition, probably auf, then rotate to align. If so, that's a bad habit, try to identify the PLL, adjust the U layer, do the PLL, then auf to solved. You might check out Sarah Strong's or Stachus PLL recognition guides. The wiki has tons of good algs for all cases [wiki]PLL[/wiki] and remember Breandan Vallance's motto, there's no such thing as a bad PLL if you practice it enough.
Good Luck
