Start with 4-Look Last Layer
When I first learned how to solve the cube I didn’t use 4-Look Last Layer. I learned using an alternative beginners method and then when I looked into CFOP I discovered 4-Look. When writing my blog post on how to solve a Rubik’s Cube I discovered most people teach 4-Look now days instead of what I learned. If you do decide to learn CFOP then 4-Look will be a good basis and it uses some of the same algorithms you will need later on in cubing.
Focus on f2l
F2L is the biggest block of time, so naturally it would make sense to spend the most time focusing on improving it. When I first started trying to get faster I focused on everything but F2L, while my F2L was very inefficient. This held me back for quite a while. When first switching from layer by layer method (beginners method) I would first focus on learning F2L.
Get a speedcube
If you are serious about speedcubing I would definitely buy a speedcube. Even if its just a cheap one on Amazon it will do wonders. Definitely get one before you try to learn fingertricks. I didn’t get one before I started practicing and I was very confused why I was having trouble learning, in addition to my hands being sore from the difficulty turning of the cube. You can read my post on how to choose a speedcube here.
Protect your cube
When traveling put your cube in something protective. And remember to put it back into whatever it is you brought it in. Most gans cubes come in a protective clear case and may include a bag. Many higher end cubes comes with bags and you can purchase some separately here for relatively cheap if your cube doesn’t come with one. There have been many times where I don’t put a good cube bag in a bag it ends up with a ton of crumbs in it or I drop it into something sticky. Then you have to clean it really good and re-lube it and that takes time and costs you lube. Even after that, your cube might not feel the same and you might have to buy a new cube altogether. So just save yourself the hassle and bring something to put your cube in (especially if it’s your main or it’s a really nice cube).
what puzzles to bring when traveling
When you are traveling I would suggest to bring a 3×3 and one that takes you longer to solve, maybe a megaminx, square-1, 7×7, etc. I would also suggest the 3×3 you bring is quiet or just do slow solves (untimed solves) which are a good drill to improve your time, (especially new F2L cases). Maybe you could use the time on your trip to learn more efficient F2L, learn new OLL cases, full PLL, etc.
Learning ALgs
Check out my blog post about how to learn algs as it teaches you some very helpful techniques! While that post has good tips and tricks most of the magic is in sitting down and doing it. You can learn algs anywhere, one of my favorite places is in the car.
The first alg you find isn’t always the best
When I was learning how to solve the Rubik’s cube I just used the one that was in the book I was using (overall excellent book though). Then I discovered that there were a lot better ones I could’ve learned. There are also a lot of considerations in choosing which alg, even if one has a lower move count it may contain regrips or cube rotations which makes it slower than another alg. So do your research before going to the trouble and time of memorizing it!
Thank you so much for reading! If you have any thoughts or more advice to give please leave it in the comments! Or feel free to email me at thatspeedcubergirl@gmail.com
All About Speedcubing 