# Cube Superstitions?



## King Koopa (May 15, 2009)

I was wondering if anyone had there own "cube superstitions"
Me for example, I always play with my 5x5 before doing 3x3 because I think I do better on 3x3...


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## blah (May 15, 2009)

I keep thinking I can't break the WR for any event.


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## n00bcubix (May 15, 2009)

if i turn on the camera for 4x4, i'll magically be better
if i turn on the camera for 3x3, i'll magically be worse


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## GermanCube (May 15, 2009)

Whenever I time myself (or even worse, film myself) I get kind of nervous or something like that so my cube pops and the solve is way worse than usual ....


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## JTW2007 (May 15, 2009)

I always sticker 3x3s in the order: Green, Blue, Red, Orange, Yellow, White.
But I always sticker 5x5s in the order: Green, Red, Orange, Yellow, White, Blue.


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## blah (May 15, 2009)

JTW2007 said:


> I always sticker 3x3s in the order: Green, Blue, Red, Orange, Yellow, White.
> But I always sticker 5x5s in the order: Green, Red, Orange, Yellow, White, Blue.



Do you sticker 5x5x5s that often?


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## byu (May 15, 2009)

The Cubing Gods have made it my destiny that I will always do bad in competitions


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## Erik (May 15, 2009)

- never allow yourself to think during a solve 'this will be world record' 
- never allow yourself to think while inspecting a solve 'this will be a world record' 
- actually just don't think, but solve the damn cube
- always approach the chair from the left side
- always make sure the stackmat is without any bumbs
- make sure that my hands are dry
- avoid timers where I got bad times on previously
- preferably try to use the timer the farthest from the scrambling table (this worked for all 3 3x3 records) 
- try to find a 'lucky' judge
- always step on the stage first with my right foot

just some superstition things I got


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## qqwref (May 15, 2009)

byu said:


> The Cubing Gods have made it my destiny that I will always do bad in competitions



Heh.


I don't like to leave cubes or other twisty puzzles near me unsolved, unless they're things I can't solve. So if I absentmindedly scramble something I will usually end up solving it very soon thereafter.


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## Kian (May 15, 2009)

byu said:


> The Cubing Gods have made it my destiny that I will always do bad in competitions



ah, self fulfilling prophecies.


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## Asheboy (May 15, 2009)

Never cube after sneezing. If you do then stop for at least 30mins - 1 hour. This is doesn't count for competitions


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## Laetitia (May 15, 2009)

I solve 777 before solving 555 because after, solving 555 is easier.
I speak to my cubes/dodecahedron/tetrahedron, but that's not superstition, I speak to lots of things.


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## Kian (May 15, 2009)

Laetitia said:


> I solve 777 before solving 555 because after, solving 555 is easier.
> I speak to my cubes/dodecahedron/tetrahedron, but that's not superstition, I speak to lots of things.



do they speak back?


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## DavidWoner (May 15, 2009)

I won't do clock if there are people standing behind me, I tell them to move.

Also, there is the legendary clock towel...


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## Dene (May 15, 2009)

blah said:


> I keep thinking I can't break the WR for any event.



You're setting your sights too high... WR's are not easy to get...



byu said:


> The Cubing Gods have made it my destiny that I will always do bad in competitions



You mean: "I will never be able to attend a competition to prove my supposed times"?


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## blade740 (May 15, 2009)

I let Dene get my scrambles if I want a fast time.


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## Edmund (May 15, 2009)

i always do 4x4 before practicing 3x3 it doesnt make me faster maybe it does but i always feel alot faster


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## Vulosity (May 15, 2009)

I solve 5x5 centers sub 35 usually. I go to solve my Mefferts 4x4, which has the big tiles on it. Somehow, my times on 5x5 centers are +40 every time after I solve that 4x4... I had gotten used to the feeling of the tiles and stickers just feel weird. So Thick Tiles are cursed?


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## anythingtwisty (May 15, 2009)

i always do a couple last layer algs before i start timing myself, and try to stay relaxed.


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## CAT13 (May 15, 2009)

Nothing really superstitious, but sitting in comfy chairs makes me do worse. Also, I try to think of anything EXCEPT solving while solving, especially song lyrics are good. I tend to do ~1 second better than average during comp in 333 and a lot better in 444, maybe adrenaline or something.


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## 04mucklowd (May 15, 2009)

always press the reset button twice after a solve

P.s it is my birthday tommoz
hopeing for the petaminx


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## Robert-Y (May 15, 2009)

For some reason I used to drink a cold cup of coffee before I trained on my 3x3x3, because I kept thinking that it would improve my times


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## fanwuq (May 15, 2009)

Stretching and push-ups and pull-ups are good warm ups before a serious speedcubing session. However, if the cubing is on ryanheise.com, a meal must either be right before or right after the cubing.
BLD has to be done after 11 PM at night.


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## d4m4s74 (May 15, 2009)

When other people scramble my cube I always get worse times then when I scramble, even if we both use computer scrambles or even the same scramble
it's not because they're looking, that doesn't matter much

also: I can only get sub-30 in a bus or train

also, one funny thing, Whenever I get 3 bad times in a row I switch cubes and I "magically" get a good time after every time (I alternate between a white C4Y and type F)

also: if I want to film a solve for YT I always film 3, two untimed (stopping the camera between each solve) and removing the two, and doing the third with timer which I post. But I have my reasons for it (the first two times I don't really care about the times, just about getting the cube on camera right, not holding it too low, not to high, the third time the right position is programmed in my arms muscle memory)

last and least (not a superstition, but more of a habit)
After a solve session I always make a cube-in-cube on WBR and YGO


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## Sa967St (May 15, 2009)

-I never do the white centre first when solving a 4x4x4 or 5x5x5. I get better times when I start with which ever centre is easiest, but if white is the easiest, I like to start with the second easiest.

-Don't rush the LL after easy F2L, you'll DNF 
-Playing with a megaminx before a 3x3x3 event in competition will make you times worse
-Scrambling big cubes is a good warmup for OH
-The best 3x3x3 avg12s are done early in the morning


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## spdcbr (May 15, 2009)

-Scramble cube with Yellow on top, orange in front
-Display cubes like this: Yellow on top green in front


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## EmersonHerrmann (May 15, 2009)

Dene said:


> blah said:
> 
> 
> > I keep thinking I can't break the WR for any event.
> ...



Try for an NR first...that what I have been doing


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## soccerking813 (May 15, 2009)

I never do more than 15 timed solves with one cube. I switch to my other 3x3 before I do that many.


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## Three Days Grace Fan (May 15, 2009)

EmersonHerrmann said:


> Dene said:
> 
> 
> > blah said:
> ...



off topic... what is the american NR?


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## shelley (May 15, 2009)

http://www.worldcubeassociation.org...gionId=&years=&show=By+Region&average=Average


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## blade740 (May 15, 2009)

Three Days Grace Fan said:


> EmersonHerrmann said:
> 
> 
> > Dene said:
> ...



31 moves.


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## DavidWoner (May 15, 2009)

blade740 said:


> Three Days Grace Fan said:
> 
> 
> > EmersonHerrmann said:
> ...



7.08, 1:02.19, 2.06, and 2:39.39


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## Kian (May 15, 2009)

Vault312 said:


> blade740 said:
> 
> 
> > Three Days Grace Fan said:
> ...



5/7


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## Poke (May 15, 2009)

Erik said:


> - never allow yourself to think during a solve 'this will be world record'
> - never allow yourself to think while inspecting a solve 'this will be a world record'
> - actually just don't think, but solve the damn cube
> - always approach the chair from the left side
> ...


 
So THAT'S how you get good.


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## Anthony (May 16, 2009)

Kian said:


> Vault312 said:
> 
> 
> > blade740 said:
> ...



5/5.  

Edit: I forgot, I don't compete under US nationality. haha. Well, NAR then.


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## JTW2007 (May 16, 2009)

Never discard a time on CCT. NEVER.

Only use CS textured tiles on black cubes, and only use CS smooth tiles on white cubes.

If you have a "deluxe" stackmat timer, always set the date to exactly three years ago.

Before a competition, wash your hands in hot water, then fill the sink with cold water and submerge your hands in it for two minutes, then let them air dry.

Before starting a competition solve, make sure all of your other cubes are solved.

If going to a competition, enter the room wearing sunglasses, and don't take them off until you've done a 3x3 average of 5.


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## waffle=ijm (May 16, 2009)

always wear hats/caps/etc. for me


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## JTW2007 (May 16, 2009)

Wear either a shirt with cubes on it, or a shirt with an irrational mathematical constant on it.


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## Poke (May 16, 2009)

JTW2007 said:


> Wear either a shirt with cubes on it, or a shirt with an irrational mathematical constant on it.


Like pi?


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## Gparker (May 16, 2009)

Go to bathroom before average of 5.
Soak my hands before an average of 12.
Take a nap before i long session.
Solve my 5x5 twice before i get into a serious session.


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## JTW2007 (May 16, 2009)

Poke said:


> JTW2007 said:
> 
> 
> > Wear either a shirt with cubes on it, or a shirt with an irrational mathematical constant on it.
> ...



I prefer phi.


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## fanwuq (May 16, 2009)

blade740 said:


> Three Days Grace Fan said:
> 
> 
> > EmersonHerrmann said:
> ...



I wish I'm American... Oh, wait, AsR is even easier to break! 
(Waits for next competition to break AsR by at least 3 moves and possibly up to 12.)


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## rachmaninovian (May 16, 2009)

never solve 4x4 after 5x5 because i'll never sub 1 
never solve 3x3 after 4x4 because i'll never sub 20s 

before any competition, no speedsolves for 30 mins before, because I believe that if I ever get lucky that MUST happen during the competitive solves, not DURING practice before the solve...that has never been the case...I've always gotten extremely unlucky during competitive solves..

maybe I should change


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## Kit Clement (May 16, 2009)

...Just solve the damn thing. =p


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## Logan (May 16, 2009)

I stand up all the time.
I think it makes me think i'm stronger.

always throw cube HARD onto mat when finished (if standing up).
I think it raises my confidence/pumps me up and makes me look cool/substantial


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