Moving like a man...

[Ben Stoeger]

Huh. Reading this thread you would almost think that you have to be able to move really fast to do well in IPSC. Weird.

[mhop]

Huh. Reading this thread you would almost think that you have to be able to move really fast to do well in IPSC. Weird.

REALLY

[Not-So-Mad Matt]

That is not much of a difference

... then I am glad the most IPSC shooters in my area are start/mid-forties, a little to much on the side... gives me a chance to beat them

As a very fit woman who's about to start training hard with agility drills, yes, you should be able to beat the average guy who shows up at a shooting competition.

Spurred by your question, I decided to do a bit more research, and I found that young men are much faster than young women, to the point that there's very little overlap.

In a 50-meter sprint, the average time for an 18-year-old guy is 7.3 seconds (±0.5 s), while the average time for an 18-year-old girl is 9.1 seconds (±0.7 s). A time of 8.2 seconds puts a girl in the 90th percentile -- and a guy below the 5th percentile. Outliers definitely exist though. A girl in the 99th percentile -- one in a hundred -- can run 50 meters in 7.6 seconds, which is fast enough to put a boy in the 25th percentile.

So, the fraction of teenage girls who can run as fast as the average teenage boy is roughly zero. I didn't realize the difference was that extreme.

[bmadsen]

... then I am glad the most IPSC shooters in my area are start/mid-forties, a little to much on the side... gives me a chance to beat them

Hey I have just turned 40, but I don't think I have that much extra on the side

[norahdk]

... then I am glad the most IPSC shooters in my area are start/mid-forties, a little to much on the side... gives me a chance to beat them

Hey I have just turned 40, but I don't think I have that much extra on the side

Maybe that is why you're one of the best

... but be careful - the danish (or three) you usually eat will catch up sooner or later and so will I

[toothguy]

Huh. Reading this thread you would almost think that you have to be able to move really fast to do well in IPSC. Weird.

I guess I have been shooting a long time now… like 8 years.

Back when I started, it was in the days where it seemed to be theorized fairly widely on the Enos forums (among other places) that what sets “good” GMs apart from “Local” GMs is movement skills. Getting into and out of position and that sort of thing is what makes the difference, or so many people thought. I must admit, I bought into this thinking. I bought into it for a long time. It was only when I realized beyond a shadow of a doubt that USPSA is about SHOOTING and the movement and gamesmanship is just window dressing did I really improve.

When you guys hear someone talking about how movement skills are going to take you from good to great, I propose they probably do not know what they are talking about. Movement skills are an essential part of the sport, but win national level matches they do not.

If you want to win, learn to SHOOT.

That is all.

[toothguy]

I don't know for certain, but I would bet she moves like a man.

[Chris iliff]

That is a man!! Definitely.

[Flatland Shooter]

That is a man!! Definitely.

I don't want to get close enough to really tell.

[Sleepswithdogs]

As unattractive as I find her physically, I have to acknowledge the immense training and discipline that it took to get in that shape.

Norah, The Squash sounds like a great idea also, have you though about perhaps doing a little Karate/Tae Kwon Do? Most movements in this art take quite a bit of speed, and you'd be amazed at how fast you can move when someone is trying to hit and kick you.

Tar.

[toothguy]

I have to acknowledge the immense training and discipline that it took to get in that shape.

Tar.

You are absolutely right.

[bassochist]

Huh. Reading this thread you would almost think that you have to be able to move really fast to do well in IPSC. Weird.

not fast, but efficient

[S197Shelby]

You need to develop your fast twitch muscles. You need to work on explosive movement to be more explosive. Lateral movement and start drills for football are a good way to develop this. Youtube things like "T-Drill" "Star Drill" "5 Cone Drill" and Suicides. All will develop what you are looking for.

[motosapiens]

I advise the OP to lose interest in 'moving like a man', and just do some drills on getting into and out of shooting positions quickly, and by 'shooting positions', I mean with the gun actually shooting, and hitting stuff. It's no use to run quickly if it takes you over a second to get moving after firing your last shot, or if it takes you 1.5 seconds after reaching a spot before you can break a shot that will hit your target.

I observed many of the best shooters in the country at nationals, and the majority of them would get beat badly in a 50 yard dash by a teenage girl. Fortunately for them, they are only running 3-5 yards at a time, so the running speed is almost entirely irrelevant. OTOH, the elapsed time between getting somewhere and firing accurately is remarkably short for those guys. That's something most newer shooters do pretty poorly, so it's low-hanging fruit for rapid improvement in field courses.

[norahdk]

I don't think that running is the issue, its the rapid start that makes the difference. Breaking off from an array to move to the next position needs that explosion of power.

Most courses only require a few strides between positions so the difference in a flat out sprint may not be that decisive in this sport in my opinion.

You've got a point there... but even in the starts and stops... women moves different and more slow than men. I have looked at a lot of videos, and it is the same. Women (that run like women) often miss to keep their hips bend when running. When that is said... when often have some long stages in the Nordic countries that are more than just two steps! This example is a little extreme with the running http://www.youtube.c...=Jn_I1V0uH8I... but you can still find a couple off stages in each match that needs good food work ;-)

[norahdk]

I advise the OP to lose interest in 'moving like a man', and just do some drills on getting into and out of shooting positions quickly, and by 'shooting positions', I mean with the gun actually shooting, and hitting stuff. It's no use to run quickly if it takes you over a second to get moving after firing your last shot, or if it takes you 1.5 seconds after reaching a spot before you can break a shot that will hit your target.

I observed many of the best shooters in the country at nationals, and the majority of them would get beat badly in a 50 yard dash by a teenage girl. Fortunately for them, they are only running 3-5 yards at a time, so the running speed is almost entirely irrelevant. OTOH, the elapsed time between getting somewhere and firing accurately is remarkably short for those guys. That's something most newer shooters do pretty poorly, so it's low-hanging fruit for rapid improvement in field courses.

I have started to work with getting into shooting positions quickly and align my sights while still running... and it works I took 1.5 sec of short course and was only .5 from my boyfriend (that moves like a man and is an excellent shooter )

It is just very difficult when you still strugly with everything else (like grip, sights ect.) because you have not been shooting for long! I think (no - I know) and often wants to much to quickly!

Edited April 19, 2013 by norahdk

[norahdk]

Huh. Reading this thread you would almost think that you have to be able to move really fast to do well in IPSC. Weird.

not fast, but efficient

[Not-So-Mad Matt]

When that is said... when often have some long stages in the Nordic countries that are more than just two steps! This example is a little extreme with the running http://www.youtube.c...=Jn_I1V0uH8I... but you can still find a couple off stages in each match that needs good food work ;-)

I just assumed that you Nordic types skied between shooting positions. It does make shooting on the move easier, I'd imagine.

[Aglifter]

Cross-country IPSC would be awesome

[Eyefly]

This is a sport, right? Because you use your entire body. So it makes sense to be as fit as you can. Certainly easier for the younger croud. You need strength and as little mass from fat as you can get. I picked up cycling just for that reason about two years ago. I totally got in it the first year and did about 1500 miles in the summer alone. It was enough to lose about 44 pounds. I noticed two things. The first was that I felt more comfortable with a concealed pistol because I had less fat pushing it. Second, I was much lighter on my feet. I felt more spry. The improvement was quite substantial. So that's my secret...