How I Warm Up Before a Cubing Session

Warming up before a cubing session helps me solve more smoothly and avoid those awkward first few solves that feel stiff or sloppy. Instead of jumping straight into full solves, I like to warm up with a few OLLs and PLLs to get my hands and brain ready. Here’s the routine I normally use:

1. Light Turning (1 minute)

I still start with gentle, calm turning just to loosen up my fingers. Nothing fast — just enough to get comfortable with the cube.

2. OLL Warm-Up (2 minutes)

I go through a handful of my most common OLLs, focusing on:

  • Smooth finger tricks

  • No unnecessary regrips

  • Consistent execution

Some examples I like warming up with:

  • OLL 21 (Sune)

  • OLL 22 (Anti-Sune)

  • OLL 20 (Cross OLL)

  • OLL 36 / 37 (Easy U-shapes)

I don’t do every OLL — just ones that show up a lot and feel good to warm up my hands.

3. PLL Warm-Up (2–3 minutes)

Next, I practice a few PLLs, usually ones that are fast and flowy.

Some of the PLLs I use for warm-up:

  • U Perms (Ua / Ub)

  • H Perm

  • Z Perm

  • T Perm

  • J Perms (Ja / Jb)

These are great for getting my turning speed up without needing too much brain power.

4. One Slow Solve

I finish with one slow, controlled solve — focusing on

  •  Predict Cross
  • Smooth F2l

  • Clean PLL execution

This puts everything together so my first timed solve doesn’t feel clunky.

Why This Warm-Up Works

Doing OLLs and PLLs before full solves helps:

  • Warm up finger tricks

  • Reset algorithm muscle memory

  • Improve flow for the first solves

  • Reduce pauses during the start of a session

It’s simple, but it really helps me get into solving mode faster.

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