Amazing improvement!! Well done! Was that with perfect recall? How long was your recall? You really have improved! 
I am about half way through Dominic’s book at the moment, and he refers to not being afraid to fail and to just plough through it, but I know that if I don’t review, I won’t remember - Catch 22 ay!!..
Yeah, do it! I think the digits are fun because one must be creative on the fly, far more than with PAO. Ben sent me a message in which he explained that he doesn’t like to use verbs at all because they are too “restricting.” His objects do things, but it seems he makes it up as he goes.
Anyway, I couldn’t help myself…I have no self control. Put the full deck together and did a timed run.
Hit the clock at 2:26.9 
Recall was quick - put em all in order with no confusion or ambiguity.
Well I’m glad to hear a pro give that advice. Almost all of my attempts have been failures. Not terrible failures, but only perfect counts. You should know Huggy, that if you can comfortably lift it, it isn’t heavy enough! 
The best way a person can improve at anything is to attempt to perform just slightly beyond their skill level, fail a few times, and then realize “Huh, I guess it really wasn’t that hard” and then repeat. So I try to train around that idea.
I will admit, just a moment ago I was shocked that all the images stuck. I told myself this time: I will decode the image, make sure I see the P, A, and O, AND the loci itself, all simultaneously, but just for a flash. It appears that is all it takes, and I just now realized that I was seeing things in little bits in pieces because it used to take so long to decode the image…So I’d see the tin man…and then think about surfing…and then think about surfing on Michael Jackson’s glove, and all the while knowing what loci I was at but not really seeing it too clearly. But I would think, “Well, I understand that it’s tin man surfing on Jackson’s glove - so I’ll remember.” See the person, action, object, and loci - all simultaneously - not even a split second apart, and the loci in the background. It may not be the end-all answer, but I think it’s something to really keep in mind. Also, that guy who posted about recall being easier when you’re quicker is right. Then again, my images might not have actually been better. Instead, it could be that they had been formed so recently that they hadn’t faded yet. If I had to memorize that deck, then do math for three minutes, THEN recall the earlier images…it probably wouldn’t happen. There’s a huge difference between stuff you memorized two minutes ago and memorized five minutes ago, so being able to recognize the cards fast enough seems like the key. Think of how many times someone would have to review if it took them 25 minutes to get through a deck…
Edit: And this seals the deal - I’m goin to New York!
Hi DH,
Thanks for your thoughts and comments.
I appreciate you going into detail like that. It really helps get a better understanding of what goes through my head too!
I must admit that I do still take some time decoding my cards. I think that if I broke down my best time of 4:57, it would probably account to something like this:-
1:30 - Decoding cards
2:00 - Placing scenarios into locis
1:27 - Reviewing previous loci to keep it in my head
So with this in mind, I really do hope that I can get to the point where scenarios flash into my head quickly as they do with you now.
Well done!
It struck me one day that what we are doing is reading. So I realized that I needed to be able to read each card in three different ways. I deal through them like flash cards, and will go through the whole deck making myself say only the OBJECT, or the action, and I can tell it’s starting to help.
Thank you, it’s a joyful morning! I am tired though; it’s 7:22 and I haven’t slept yet because I’m hooked on these digits…
Edit:OK, and for the record I just did 99 speed numbers! That’s awesome!!
You’re going to the American Championship?
What are the times of the fastest Americans, are you going to compete for a first place?
I managed to do 1:57 and 1:59 perfect recall and I messed up a 1:52. I think I’ll start spending some time flashing the cards instead of memorizing. It’s a pesky routine to put a second deck in order, shuffle the first deck, memorize, put the second deck in the order of the first, check all the cards and then all over again.
It takes about 10 to 15 minutes for me to continuously memorize cards. If I do 6 decks a day, it takes more then an hour.
Wessells, get the icue app! No shuffling required, just straight into it!
I aborted the PAO system this morning and tried the PA, 26 loci. I didn’t bother looking back over my shoulder and reviewing past loci, and with my first attempt, managed to beat my 4:57, with a time of 4:23, but this was with 3 errors!
I think that I may drop the “O” for a couple of weeks and see how I get on with just PA
Wessells - What system do you use?
I’m going to compete for second place. I wasn’t going to compete at all but it looks like top 3 might become a possibility. Our leader is Nelson dellis, climbformemory, and he most likely has 1st place under wraps again, unless there is a fluke. But really I just want to beat/come close to the score of Ronnie White, whose CD series taught me these methods.
Wess, I don’t arrange the deck back in order. What I do is during recall I Upjog the red cards half their length and strip out the red cards. Just because that would be so annoying to separate them all, it just takes a second and I only have to look through 26 cards (the red, or, the black). But Huggy’s right about icue, I’m happy I took his advice on that one. The icue app also generates digits 0-9 and Binary, with timers and keeps your score.
Huggy, did you say you got that time without reviewing? That would be impressive considering you were working with 26 loci. The extra loci alone is a good enough reason to practice PA. Have to have really sticky images.
Hi DH,
Yes, I just saved my reviewing for the end, but there were just 3 that evaded me!
How many times do you review before you get to the end of the deck? Your using 17 loci, right?
I wanted to see if it was necessary wasting so much time reviewing and if I could do it without. I don’t count this as my best time. My best times (in my head, at least) are the ones where I get 52/52 correct, but at least I know it is possible to get them all without reviewing till the end.
True.
I think I need to adjust a few images to make the more “sticky”!! I recently changed Daniel Craig to Sharon Stone, which has been better!!
I now need to find a replacement for one or two other boring ones like Kevin Costner!!..
Actually, probably not gonna compete this year. Might just watch from the sidelines. So 1st place is wide open. Although, Mike Mirski, Michael Glantz, and Brad Zupp from last year have a pretty good shot. So does this kid Jared Alderman who’s been contacting me (he’s on the forum somewhere), he’s got some sick scores.
Climbformemory - Can you offer some of your expertise?
I have been doing cards for about 6 weeks, and my best time with no errors is 4:57, but seem to slowed down a bit. How long did it take you to get under a minute? and I assume given your lightning times, you don’t review until the end??
It took me a good number of months to get under a minute, but I was maybe doing just 2-3 decks a day. Nothing crazy. What do you mean review until the end? You mean, do I look at the cards more than once? The answer is no. Just one time. That will come when you get faster and develop more confidence in your memory.
Hi
Thanks for your response.
What I mean is, my usual method (PAO, 17 loci) usually requires me to keep looking back mentally at previous placements to keep them fresh in my head, rather than just going to the end and then doing the recall. I have tried going straight through and whilst my time is alot quicker, I only seem remember 2/3 of the deck, which I think is rather pointless, so when I am on loci 6, for example, I might think back to the previous 5, etc.
Only this morning I tried another system of PA, 26 loci, which I didn’t mentally go back on till the end and found that I got 49 of 52 in 4:23.
I was just curious how you perfected your system and if you done any mentailly reviewing mid-memorisation?
Huggy, I don’t review before getting to the end. I don’t know why but it isn’t that important especially if I spend a sec making the images. This might be because my PAOs are
all really, really different. I didn’t use any celebs except Michael Jackson and Oprah and Paris Hilton, who I even distinguished further by making her perpetually topless and wearing only a diaper. Going to set a goal for a minute best time by feb 11 also, and never more than a
Minute by march 11. And going to do a 15 to 60 minutes of a poem + 15-60 names and faces every day. Will keep spreadsheets of those too.
Hi DH,
Mine are quite different too, but I just do it so I don’t get blanks.
I hope you reach your target. I’m sure you will given the amount of practice you put in!
Just got 3:56, again using just the PA and again with 3 errors although the recall on this one was slighly longer!!..
I assume this is the best way to get the times down though!..
Yes!! 4 min mArk. Doesn’t technically count but means when the cards fall in a nicer, more memorable way you got it. How on earth do you keep missing 3 cars when you memorize them in pairs? And it is a good strategy, you have no choice but to learn to remember better. when PA with 26 loci is easy, you’ll have no problem with just 17. wiith enough trials I can tell your times are going to plummet soon because of this. They already have actually. Even with a couple errors every minute mark’s a big deal. Your last two weeks have yielded some big results. Congrats.
I’m actually going to start failing at memorizing 2 decks at a time soon for the same reason, so I’ll force myself to improve a LOT with sticking images.
Hi guys, thought I’d join you in your race to the holy 1.00. There are some ambitious mnemonics active in this thread and I believe it can be very useful to get motivated by their enthusiasm.
Until two weeks ago, my pb was 1.41 with a PA system. Shortly after, I switched to PAO. However, my times were not dropping as quickly as I’d hoped, so just when I was beginning to consider moving back to PA, I hit 1.37 with PAO! Before that, my pb with PAO was 1.59. So I think I’ll continue practicing with PAO from now, also because I noticed it is not difficult at all to go back from PAO to PA, there is no loss in speed when it comes to forming images. You just have to reprogram your hand so it doesn’t flip over cards in threes
@Huggy. I’ve read this whole thread and it struck me how often you mention or ask about reviewing before the end of the deck. Everybody learns differently of course and I don’t want to be wiseacring, but why not try memorising without any reviewing for a while? If your goal is to go under 1.00 you’re gonna have to stop reviewing at some point. I’m pretty sure nobody under 1.00 or even 2.00 does any reviewing. You’ll have lots of blanks and longer than usual recall at first, but I bet that if you stop reviewing for a whole week (not just one deck) you’ll see a decrease in blanks and recall time and an increase in confidence.
Good luck to all.
Rompie, really nice to get 1.37, I mean, you’re closing in on Rick’s former best (1:34) Just 23 seconds faster and you’ll have the freaking national Record. Also, damn you! I want to be faster… Nah, just kidding. I would be quite proud if some Dutch people got a little attention.
Huggy, to answer your question. I used to review after every 6 loci’s so I just had to go back 2 times and then the whole deck but I don’t do that any more. Sometimes, I just try to connect two loci’s with each other.
Example: Jesus pours water over a computer, I imagine the water forming a river and flowing to the next loci where Scarlett Johansen is playing tennis with a baseball bat. She hits the ball into the water and is frustrated.
Personally, I try to see the tennis ball first, then hear the sound of the baseball bat hitting a baseball and then seeing beautiful Scarlett standing there, all annoyed.
It’s easier that way because even though you’re doing it in reversed order, you would naturally look at the river first and thus see the baseball first.
The linking takes some extra time so be carefull not doing it too much but sometimes it’s quite easy (flying to the next loci, walking there, shooting at it (with a gun or a bow), all of those things get you to the next place quite easily.
Very interesting advice. Nice, creative approach!