Is it better to only play rapid games when looking to improve at chess?

I have mostly played rapid games the last week. I play either 15/10 or 30 min games, and I enjoy it a lot. I feel like I play a lot better with the extra time, and my positions get a lot more exciting. I have improved a lot in the last month and gone from 950 ish to 1200 in rapid

I tried playing some blitz games tonight, where I am around 1100 rated, and it was so tough! I made a lot of blunders, I felt like my first 8 opponents played so much better than me, and I can't really understand it since I play against better people in rapid. 

My question is, is it fine to just play rapid and avoid blitz for now until I get better, or is it important to let all 3-time variants (bullet, blitz and rapid) be around the same elo?

To improve rapid is the best...if you wanna play blitz try 5/5 or 10/0.

I usually play blitz...

Play Longer Time Controls...

For many at the beginner-novice level, speed chess tends to be primarily an exercise in moving pieces around faster than your opponent while avoiding checkmate, in hopes that his/her clock runs out sooner than yours.  Or being fortunate enough to be able to exploit your opponent’s blunders before they exploit yours.

There is little time to think about what you should be doing.

It makes sense that taking more time to think about what you should be doing would promote improvement in your chess skills.

An effective way to improve your chess is therefore to play mostly longer time controls, including "daily" chess, so you have time to think about what you should be doing.

This is not to suggest that you should necessarily play exclusively slow time controls or daily games, but they should be a significant percentage of your games, at least as much, if not more so than speed games which do almost nothing to promote an understanding of how to play the game well.

Here's what IM Jeremy Silman, well-known chess book author, has to say on the topic...
https://www.chess.com/article/view/longer-time-controls-are-more-instructive

And Dan Heisman, well-known chess teacher and chess book author…..(the link may be slow to load)…
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627052239/http:/www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman16.pdf

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/dan-heisman-resources

and the experience of a FIDE Master...
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/how-blitz-and-bullet-rotted-my-brain-don-t-let-it-rot-yours

Where did u copy + paste that from?

Long games are best when it comes to chess improvement. It gives you more time to think in critical positions. Especially, if you are a beginner. Blitz however, could also help if you want to practice a specific opening.

For sure. Good luck with your chess!

From my brain.  I wrote it.

Ask yourself the following:

Did i learn to run or crawl first?

Did i learn to speed read or learn the ABC's first?

Did i learn calculus or 1+1 first?

Can you go through all of the following on each move and not lose on time?

Opening Principles:

1. Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5.
2. Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key. Centralized pieces control more squares.
3. (King Safety)
4. Connect your rooks. There should be no pieces between your Rooks.

The objective of development is about improving the value of your pieces by increasing the importance of their roles (Piece Activity).  Well-developed pieces have more fire-power than undeveloped pieces and they do more in helping you gain control.

Now we will look at 5 practical things you can do to help you achieve your development objective.

They are:

1. Give priority to your least active pieces.

• Which piece needs to be developed (which piece is the least active)?
• Where should it go (where can its role be maximized)?

1. Exchange your least active pieces for your opponent’s active pieces.
2. Restrict the development of your opponent’s pieces.
3. Neutralize your opponent’s best piece.
4. Secure strong squares for your pieces.

Don’t help your opponent develop.

There are 2 common mistakes whereby you will simply be helping your opponent to develop:

1. Making a weak threat that can easily be blocked
2. Making an exchange that helps your opponent to develop a piece

Pre Move Checklist:

1. Make sure all your pieces are safe.
2. Look for forcing move: Checks, captures, threats. You want to look at ALL forcing moves (even the bad ones) this will force you look at, and see the entire board.
3. If there are no forcing moves, you then want to remove any of your opponent’s pieces from your side of the board.
4. If your opponent doesn’t have any of his pieces on your side of the board, then you want to improve the position of your least active piece.
5. After each move by your opponent, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"

General Ideas.

1. Stop playing blitz, and bullet.  Play longer time controls of at least G45, or longer.  
2. Follow Opening Principles:

• Control the center.
• Develop minor pieces toward the center.
• Castle.
• Connect your rooks.

1. Study tactics...tactics...tactics.  One of my favorite quotes is this: "Until you reach Master, your first name is tactics, your middle name is tactics, and your last name is tactics”.
2. Double Check your moves.  Before making a move, ask yourself: "Are my pieces safe?"
3. After your opponent moves, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"
4. Analyze your games WITHOUT a chess engine, then have someone stronger go over the games, or post them online for review.
5. DO NOT memorize openings. Learn and understand the pawn structure, and piece placement for the opening you wish to learn.
6. Learn Basics Mates:

• K vs. KQ
• K vs. KR
• K vs. KRR

1. Learn Basic King and Pawn endings.

• KP vs. K
• Opposition

1. Have Fun!

Playing speed chess does not give you time to think, and it instills bad habits.  You will not improve without a firm foundation of the basics.

If you're  beginner, yes... Also, as a beginner, you should learn systems, NOT openings... Forget opening altogther, in fact... it's an old old old idea.

Why? Because the amount of openings out there will make you either crazy or quit chess....  So play systems instead. Also 960

Sry......forgot

I see far too much fuss, concern perhaps worry about making improvement. Rating expectations run high. Results become disappointing. Chess is a hobby to be played for pleasure and entertainment. Improvement will come naturally simply by playing and perhaps equal times studying good materials. Play what is liked. No fuss or muss. Experiment. Hundreds of points differences in the disciplines is common as players find they excel in one over another.

Chess is a hobby to be enjoyed. If it’s wanted to last a lifetime- forget now what you expect a rating should look like. What happens when players do? We all reach our max rating and find our niche- a rating is for pairing purposes only. When players find they can not go any higher (perhaps too much work) they quit the game. Likely never really enjoyed playing but were “in it” because of some imagined notion chess equates to intelligence or other such nonsense.

Everybody can improve ! It’s a natural desire. But don’t make it the priority as it’s a fleeting process when taken as the goal. People quickly learn they will never become a GM or professional. Don’t fall into the hype that fast improvement leads to more enjoyment. The better a player becomes- the more games he is destined to lose. Not the advice many want to hear. Ask - playing for points or pleasure?  The answer of a higher rating brings greater satisfaction only lasts so long .

This is not to down play the personal rewards gained by making improvement. Only an attempt to maintain a reasonable perspective.

There are five established learning styles: Visual, auditory, written, kinesthetic and multimodal. Kinesthetic learners have to do something to get it, while multimodal learners shift between different techniques.

I would suggest that along with finding good materials is to discover how the person is best suited for learning. Often it’s assumed that because the material or suggestion is good - it works for everybody. What is better/ best is never universal.