top of page

Fusion Core 5-String Standard

Measure your foundation. Master your fundamentals.

The Fusion Core 5-String Standard looks simple on paper. Five strings. Short bursts. Twenty-six rounds. But don’t let the low round count fool you. This drill exposes everything. Your patience. Your pace. Your ability to shift gears without letting your fundamentals fall apart.


It’s the kind of test that tells you exactly where you stand before you step into a real training cycle.


Why this drill matters:

The Fusion Core 5-String Standard pulls those pieces together and shows you what actually holds under pressure. Each string isolates a different part of your skill set, and when you run all five back-to-back, the truth shows up fast.

This drill is your baseline. Your diagnostic. An honest check-point for any structured program.


It also reveals the habits that slow you down:

  • Over confirming the second shot

  • Floating into position instead of locking in

  • Waiting for “perfect” sight picture instead of acting on acceptable alignment

If your transitions are slow or sloppy, this is how you sharpen them.

Set it up:

  • Distance: 7 yards

  • Target: IDPA Head Circle, IDPA Body Circle, Alpha-Hex Zones

  • Rounds: 26 total (5 rounds per string 1,2,3,5 and 6 rounds on string 4)

  • Reps: 1

  • Start Position: Compressed ready (holster optional for advanced shooters)


How to run the drill:

String 1 — Slow-Fire Precision

On the beep, fire 5 deliberate rounds into the IDPA Head Circle.

You’re building your honesty baseline. Call every shot.


String 2 — 5 in 3

On the beep, fire 5 rounds in 3 seconds into the IDPA Body Circle.

The goal is control under time pressure. Keep the gun flat and the sights honest.


String 3 — 2–3 Transition Split

Two rounds to the Head Circle, transition, three to the Body Circle.

Let your eyes lead the gun. Adjust pace as the zone size changes.


String 4 — A–F Single Shot

One round into each Alpha-Hex in order.

This is your cognitive stress test. Precision, discrimination, and micro-transitions in one pass.


String 5 — 2–1–2 Drill

Two to the body, one to the head, two back to the body.

Upward and downward transitions demand focus. Smoothness wins here.

Shooting distance for 7 Yard Speed Drill graphic.


What you are actually training:

  • Visual Patience: Headshots force you to slow down just enough to break clean shots.

  • Cadence control: Going from slow fire, to “5 in 3,” to micro-transitions teaches you how to shift gears on command.

  • Recoil Management: Five fast rounds reveal whether your grip is real or theoretical.

  • Target Discrimination: The Alpha-Hex sequence exposes hesitation, overcorrection, and lapses in focus.

  • Cognitive Load Tolerance: Switching pace and precision zones under a timer builds the mental endurance real shooting requires..


Drill Tips

Slow down on the first string.If you rush those headshots, the rest of the drill becomes noise. A clean String 1 gives you real data and sets the tone for the entire run.
Run this standard once a month and track your time-plus score. Watch how each string tightens as your fundamentals settle in.

Want to clean up your pace and build smarter movement?




 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page