i'm installing hardwood flooring in the near future and i was wondering if the pro's had any tips on how to make the job go more quickly? would precutting the first plank of every other row be worthwhile to avoid having to make multiple trips to the miter saw?

Go to the NOFMA website and read all the installation specs, standards and requirements

www.NOFMA.org

That makes no sense UNLESS you are installing a floater that requires the boards end butts to be a certain distance apart, like a Wilsonart floor. Also, you will end up using more wood and have more waste plus the possibility a repeating pattern end butts, which looks bad. The end butts are supposed to look random. And when you reach the end of a run, you either use a board the is almost the exact amount needed OR a much longer one so that you can use the balance of the cut-off to start the next row. What speeds things up when installing is knowing how to rack the floor before nailing. And how to measure all the cuts needed and grab an armload full of boards so that when you do go to the saw, you have many cuts to make. Explaining it is difficult but it is a rather simple matter once you understand it.

Thank you both for your no-nonsense responses. I obviously need to read up more on this subject.

There are a few solid manufacturers that come in a uniform 3 foot sections. sawing every other rows first board is the proper installation method.

In most cases Frank, the wood comes in random lengths from 12"- 50+". This eliminates the need to precut the first board of every other row. But as Gary says, you will need to rack it out to eliminate the time consuming, 1 cut trip to the saw.