Wednesday 11 November 2009

How to memorize algorithms for Rubik's cube?

Hi guys! For those who are also into speedcubing and wondering how to memorize the algorithms, I have a way to memorize the algorithms. My way is actually very simple, but according to my experience, it's effective.


I memorize the algorithms by doing them for minimum 40 times in a row. That way, your fingers will remember how you do it.

Here are the steps:
  1. Prepare a solved cube
    Preparing a solved cube has something to do with the cycle. I have noticed that if an algorithm is done several times, the first pattern will always come back. For instance, we have a solved u face, and we do an algorithm 4 times, and at the end we'll have a solved u face too. Some patterns will come back after being done 4 times, some patterns 6 times, and other patterns might need 7, 8, 10, etc.
    A solved cube will help you to indicate that we are doing the algorithms correctly, because when we do it correctly, at the end it will always a solved face.

  2. Do the algorithms slowly, look at your fingers, and feel the turns
    We have to start slowly because when we are doing the algorithms, we would be able to see the fingers and feel the turns. Personally, I do the algorithms slowly for the first 10 times, and if I feel I have memorized the algorithms, I'll make it faster and faster eventually.

  3. Use finger tricks(optional)
    This might not suit very beginner cubers who do not know about finger tricks yet. I am not an expert cuber, but I know some finger tricks. When we do the algorithms using the finger tricks, we automatically divide the algorithms into several fragments. The fragments would be useful by reducing the number of movement we have to memorize. For example, if we are doing RUR' , if we are doing the finger tricks, we will automatically remember those movements as one continuous movement. Thus, reducing the number of movement we have to remember. By doing it over and over again, our finger will get used to the algorithms.

  4. Do the algorithms minimum 40 times, write how many times you have done the algorithms
    Personally, I do the algorithm minimum 40 times. I still do it 40 times even though sometimes I have memorized the algorithms after the 25th times. The reason is that I am making my muscle to memorize the algorithms. We have something which is called muscle-memory. This memory is used when we move our body without thinking, just by feeling. For example, a pianist will play the piano without thinking what fingers he should use to push the tuts, if he has gotten used to the playing the song. Another example is a martial artist who can respond to a sudden attack just by relying on his reflexes. His body will respond according to what he has trained. The training makes his muscle to memorize the movements.
Those are the steps I do to memorize algorithms. I hope that it will help those who are having a hard time memorizing algorithms.
Good luck in memorizing your algorithms!

1 comments:

sisca said...

soe, blogmu tambah keren!
sampe skrg rubicsku ga ada kemajuan, ga ngerti cara mikirnya tanpa liat rumus2nya.