# Bowen's progression thread - focusing on 5x5 and 4x4



## bbbbbbbowen (Nov 9, 2022)

Puzzle - Main - Global Average:
2x2 - Some random toy thing - 5.5
3x3 - Gan 356M - 10.8
4x4 - MGC4 - 47 

Goals are sub 5, 10 and 45 right now. 

Just bought MGC 2x2 and 5x5 too so I'll practice 2x2 more (and maybe learn CLL and EG) when I get an actually good one, as well as start learning 5x5. 

As for 3x3, I'm trying to work on cross+1 right now because my cross to first pair transition is pretty horrid. Also actually optimizing my LL algs as well as just practicing them because my turning is pretty inconsistent. For 4x4, I've only had one for 2.5 months so far, so just doing solves alone has kept me on a consistent path of getting faster. Need to learn how to do first 2 centers (Yau) better though, I clocked my splits once and they were by far the worst part of my 4x4.


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## bbbbbbbowen (Nov 22, 2022)

A little update since I got my new 2x2 and 5x5 a couple of days ago. 

2x2 PB ao5 and ao100 have gone from 3.88 and 5.10 to 3.67 and 4.50, so uhh yeah turns out having good hardware is nice huh. 

Its my first 5x5 so I needed to learn how to solve it first, on day 4 now im averaging about 2:15. I find literally every step so difficult LMAO but its fun. Also love how the mgc turns, so satisfying (better than one i got to try a few months ago too lol)

Also got a PB single on 3x3 of 6.88 (previous was 7 flat). Did a little reconstruction here. Honestly not that great of a solve solutions wise but it things just flowed nicely during f2l, and then an OLL skip is always nice.

And I haven't really practiced 4x4 since getting my 5x5 but my global average has dropped by 2 secs since the original post


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## katcubed (Nov 22, 2022)

I'm trying to be sub 10 too but for virtual 3x3 :>> . I started 3 months ago and currently average sub 12 on it so hopefully I can get there in 2 months or so idk lol . Here's an ao12 I did just now 

Generated By csTimer+ on 2022-11-22
avg of 12: 11.50

Time List:
1. 11.40=1.56+4.46+2.97+2.39 F' U' R2 B R B U' B2 R' U2 B2 R D2 B2 D2 R' D2 F2 R' F R 
2. 10.46=0.73+5.86+1.48+2.38 R F' U2 B U2 L2 B L2 R2 F L2 F R2 U' L' D' R2 B2 F D' B 
3. (13.32=1.53+6.97+1.63+3.17) U R2 D2 L2 U R2 F2 U R2 U L2 F R' B2 D' L' R2 U B R' 
4. 12.39=1.98+5.32+2.58+2.49 U2 R' D2 F2 R' F2 L2 R' B2 F2 R' U B2 L' B' L2 F2 R2 U' L2 F 
5. 11.55=1.98+5.36+1.43+2.78 F' U D2 F2 B U2 D L U R2 D2 L2 B2 D L2 F2 D F2 L 
6. 11.61=1.07+5.46+1.81+3.26 L B2 F2 U' B2 F2 D2 B2 U' B2 L2 D L2 R' F' D R D2 B2 U' 
7. (9.91=1.14+5.22+1.68+1.86) D B2 U2 B2 L2 D2 F2 U' L2 F2 U' F2 R B' U2 L2 D' L2 R2 B R 
8. 10.81=1.34+5.44+1.69+2.33 D2 F2 B R' F2 R2 U F D' R2 F2 U R2 D' R2 L2 D2 F2 B2 L2 
9. 11.23=0.66+5.31+2.34+2.91 D' U2 F' U2 F D2 L2 B U2 B' R2 U' L B U2 L U B' R2 
10. 11.96=0.66+5.06+4.34+1.89 B2 L2 B2 D' F2 L2 D' F2 L2 U' R2 F U L F2 U' R' U2 R F' R' 
11. 11.24=0.57+5.92+1.58+3.16 F2 R2 D B2 D' F2 D L2 D2 R2 B2 U F' U' R2 D' R' B2 D' L' B2 
12. 12.33=0.68+4.92+4.32+2.39 U2 R' D2 R F2 R' F2 R B2 D2 R' B2 F L' B2 D' R' U' L D2 U2

I wish you luck on your improvement !! :>>


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## bbbbbbbowen (Nov 22, 2022)

katcubed said:


> I'm trying to be sub 10 too but for virtual 3x3 :>> . I started 3 months ago and currently average sub 12 on it so hopefully I can get there in 2 months or so idk lol . Here's an ao12 I did just now
> 
> Generated By csTimer+ on 2022-11-22
> avg of 12: 11.50
> ...


That's pretty cool lol, I can't figure out virtual cubes but maybe I should but some effort into it so I can cube in lectures LMAO


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## katcubed (Nov 22, 2022)

bbbbbbbowen said:


> That's pretty cool lol, I can't figure out virtual cubes but maybe I should but some effort into it so I can cube in lectures LMAO


If you need any help with virtual 3x3 if you ever plan to get into it , you can always hit me up :>> . Although you should probably focus on the events you're currently doing first so you can be good at events other cubers actually care about lmao


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## bbbbbbbowen (Nov 27, 2022)

Some new pbs 

5x5
Single - *1:34.50* - F2 D' Fw B' Uw' B Rw2 Bw2 U2 R Fw2 F' Rw U F' U2 Fw2 D Fw R L2 Dw U' L' Lw' U Rw' F2 D B' Dw2 Uw B' U R2 Dw' F Uw Bw Lw Dw2 D Lw' Fw' Lw R Fw B L Fw Bw' F' Lw' D' R Fw2 D2 Uw' B2 Fw2
ao5 - *1:51.04 *- 1:49.63, (1:36.93), 1:48.69, (1:57.98), 1:54.80

4x4
ao5 - *41.77 *- (36.77), (44.24), 42.04, 43.47, 39.81
ao100 - *45.74*

2x2
ao5 - *3.26* - 2.50, 3.53, (2.27), (4.30), 3.74

I still kinda stink at 2x2 but its nice to have a decent ao5. Also learning and improving on new puzzles (5x5 and to a lesser extent 4x4) is so fun, like after some solves you just start seeing certain things and understading how to do things faster


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## abunickabhi (Nov 27, 2022)

bbbbbbbowen said:


> Some new pbs
> 
> 5x5
> Single - *1:34.50* - F2 D' Fw B' Uw' B Rw2 Bw2 U2 R Fw2 F' Rw U F' U2 Fw2 D Fw R L2 Dw U' L' Lw' U Rw' F2 D B' Dw2 Uw B' U R2 Dw' F Uw Bw Lw Dw2 D Lw' Fw' Lw R Fw B L Fw Bw' F' Lw' D' R Fw2 D2 Uw' B2 Fw2
> ...


Cool progress, what are your long term goals with 4x4 and 5x5?


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## bbbbbbbowen (Nov 27, 2022)

abunickabhi said:


> Cool progress, what are your long term goals with 4x4 and 5x5?


Probably 40 and 1:20 in a couple of months ish? Obviously will take longer for 5x5 since I've had it for months less than the 4x4


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## abunickabhi (Nov 27, 2022)

Sounds good. Have you tried the Hoya method on the 4x4 and 5x5?


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## bbbbbbbowen (Nov 28, 2022)

abunickabhi said:


> Sounds good. Have you tried the Hoya method on the 4x4 and 5x5?


Nope, I learnt yau and have just stuck with it since. Probably will keep with it even on 6 and 7 even if its not as optimal, just too lazy to learn a new method lol


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## abunickabhi (Nov 28, 2022)

Hoya method is straightforward though. It is not hard to learn.


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