ICORE Speed

[Bubber]

Bill, glad to see an interest.

When scoping out a really fast IPSC stage many years ago I had a GM tell me he would shoot for points on that course. I asked him why? He responsed that since all the other GM's are pretty much going to run it with the same "times", he couldn't afford to "Hose it" and drop points. He didn't mean he would slow down, he just didn't speed up out of control because it looked easy.

I've had some of my best "groups" when shooting at top speed. Not out of control speed, but top speed.

What little ICORE I've shot has shown that it requires even more "control". Which has little to do with speed.

The key is taking the amount of time needed to be sure of acceptable shot placement and no more, regardless of discipline. It's just each discipline has different general placement requirements.

But, you can run into courses, or shots within a course, in each that mimicks another discipline. An IPSC upper A-zone is about half the size of the Bianchi X-ring. And a Bianchi A-zone at 3 yards is easier than an IPSC Classic C-zone at 15 yards.

As for approaching stage breakdown, a good IPSC stage can give you enough options to leave you dizzy. Sometimes it's best to just keep it simple, and rely on your shooting skills. Fancy ain't always pretty.

P.S. Remember that in the past, most of the guys competing in Revolver Division at the Nationals Level seem a bit more committed than the average of the other Divisions at the same level/class. At least you had the opportunity and the moxy to step up and take a swing.

I thoulght I would start off this topic with what pskys2 had stated in an ealier discussion on differnt speeds in the IPSC/ ICORE/ IDPA games that we play. I had often heard that in ICORE you have to slow down to make your hits. But that puts the empasis on SLOWING DOWN. When shoting with a young man in Arizona he was told quite often to slow down, to which I would reply "Stevie you are not going too fast.. you are just hitting good hits" Some people learn to shoot in different ways. Just the other night at an ICORE match in Tontitown on my first run through I felt I dropped way to many points, but instead of focusing on slowing down and making my hits, I focused just on making my hits, and not on slowing down, Results

Stage one 0.6 seconds slower but 1 second faster in points down= 0.40 seconds faster

Stage two 2 seconds slower but 4 seconds faster in points down = 2 seconds faster

Stage three 0.33 seconds faster and 2 seconds faster in points down= 2.33 fster

Stage four 5.0 slower and 4 seconds fster on points down= loss of 1 second. This was a classifier, go figure, I lost focus and was hitting X's as my mind was starting to wander a bit.

My feelings if you slow down your focus is slowing down not points as pointed out in pskys previous post

I've had some of my best "groups" when shooting at top speed. Not out of control speed, but top speed.

Pretty long winded for me but just to get you thinking. later rdd

[oneton]

i agree i try to keep the hits good and keep a good rythum going. my evel half just goes fast and hits paper im a little slower in time but have better hits. i beat him out overall (most of the time) he is working on getting better hits

Jeremy Hardin

[Carmoney]

Bubber, I agree completely. It's a terrible idea to try to shoot at some pre-created pace. The focus should be on getting every hit inside the acceptable target area as quickly as possible, and disciplining yourself to not roll off a shot until and unless the front sight is within that acceptable area.

In ICORE, the acceptable area is the A-zone and nothing else, unless it's a stage where you get time taken off for X-ring hits, and then the focus may need to be on the X-ring. A hit on every other area of the target is nearly always unacceptable.

In USPSA, because of a more forgiving scoring system, the acceptable area (if you're shooting major) is in my opinion an area a little bigger than the A-zone and a little smaller than the C-zone. In USPSA, you can afford to get some C hits as long as it's not too many, but you definitely don't want Ds. Misses are match-killers, at the higher levels anyway.

It's not about "slowing down," it's about forcing yourself to get the hits where you need them to be, and to accomplish that task as quickly as possible.

[pskys2]

Jeez Bubber that don't even sound like me anymore! That was over 2 years ago.

I may just have to retire now, I don't think I can live up to that other guy.

Long winded, hmmm, must be waiting on Calves to drop eh!

Seriously I never feel any different stress whether it's a USPSA or ICORE stage.

I just keep chanting, the Front Sight is my friend, the FS is my friend, where the heck is the FS!

[vrmn1]

When I decided to shoot the ICORE Cup I started practicing on the D1 target shooting nothing but A's.

I had only shot 2 other ICORE matches before that and had not done so well.

I went to Miss. and was 8th in limited 14th over all. I had no misses. A few sloppy hits cost me points though.

I did not shoot any slower i don't think just made myself get better hits.

Now I have been practicing steel more than anything. I think the nextt ime I shoot ICORE I am going to be VERY pleased. My speed has increased but so has my accuracy.

Edited March 6, 2009 by vrmn1

[Pin Shooter]

When I practise ( twice a year ) I shoot a stage as fast as I can, and then score them, and then as fast as I an shooting A's only, and then I score them, and then as fast as I can shooting X's only and then I score them. When I compare the three scores ( not deducting 1 second per X ) I always score better when I shoot as fast as I can shooting all X's.

Why:

Because when you shoot as fast as you think you can hitting X's only, your misses tend to be A's, so that is my philosophy.

Ideally you should always practise with one eye closed, standing on your weak side leg, with weak hand only, and then when you get to a match, everything else seems easy.