DISTANCE WALK-BACK: SPEED FOCUS

Hold the pace. Stretch the range.

This variant of the distance walkback drill challenges your ability to keep a fast, controlled cadence while target size effectively shrinks with distance. Instead of easing off as the yardage grows, you cycle through 5-10-15-10-5 yards and deliver five fast, accountable rounds at each step. Instead of slowing down to stay accurate, your goal is to shoot confidently at speed, while watching for the point where your control breaks down.

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Why this drill matters:

Many shooters can be quick at close range and accurate at distance, very few can combine both. This walkback sequence turns a vague impression of “I’m good at X yards” into objective data: can you keep five fast, controlled hits at increasing distances and then bring that precision back in on the return? It exposes whether your presentation, sight confirmation and recoil control scale with distance, and it builds the neural and mechanical consistency to perform under changing visual demand.

It also reveals key issues:

• Anticipatory movement or flinch that shows up under longer-range pressure.

• Pressing before the front sight is confirmed (overrunning visual confirmation).

• Grip, stance, or support-hand faults that only appear at increased distances.

• Inconsistent shot cadence as target difficulty increases.

If you want your fast shooting to work at real distances, this drill shows you how to build it right.

Set it up:

• Distance: Start at 5 yards, then move to 10, 15, 10, and 5

  respectively.

• Target: IDPA 8" Circle

• Rounds: 5 per rep

• Reps: 5 reps

• Start Position: Compressed ready or holster

How to run the drill:

1. Start at 5 yards. On the timer or self-start, fire five fast, controlled rounds into the Center Circle.

2. Move directly to 10 yards; fire five more while preserving cadence and sight confirmation.

3. Move to 15 yards and deliver five controlled shots.

4. Return to 10 yards, fire five again.

5. Finish at 5 yards with the final five.

Record hits by distance and note where accuracy degraded; use that as your training baseline.

What you are actually training:

Sustained speed at distance: keeping tempo while maintaining usable hits as visual margins shrink.

Distance-adjusted cadence: choosing shot rhythm based on sight-readiness, not habit.

Presentation and confirmation at varied yardage: repeating the same clean mechanics across different visual demands.

Recoil and reset durability: preserving grip and sight return through repeated fast strings.

Skill consolidation: returning to shorter range consolidates learning and reveals immediate improvement.

Drill Tips

Track your last clean run. That distance is your current edge. Train there until it becomes easy.

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The Distance Walk-back: Speed Focus drill appears in Week 5 of the Fusion Targets 12 Week Pistol Program. It helps shooters push their tempo farther by anchoring speed to visual control, not just confidence.

Want to extend your speed without sacrificing precision?

Start the Program →