ATLDave, we are talking about "mastery" which involves deliberate practice, not just going through the motion.
So you start small.
As I posted for DLrocket89 and egd, start simple with a start box and two groups of targets at home or range (if you have access to action pistol range where you can freely run around). Like ny32182 posted, clearly visualize your "shooting plan" during your walk through. If it helps, I imagine I am recording a video during my walk through and play it back in my head slowly then faster.
You practice your "stage/shooting plan" visualized in your head until you are able to execute precisely when the buzzer goes off. At home you verbalize "bang-bang" for double taps but during range practice, you actually shoot double taps and record your time with a timer.
Volunteer to observe or help out with stage setup/layout/design. There are limited types/combinations of targets/layouts (single/multiple/hostage, swinging/poping/spining/turning/sliding, steel/poppers, shoot through opening/around cover/obstacles, random moving targets, etc.) that when you see a familiar layout, it will help with expediting visualization. Also practice moving fast side to side while taking moderately smaller steps as misstep could throw your timing/body alignment with targets.
So if you start out with 2 targets and next group of 3 targets, your "shooting plan" is going to be:
- Smooth/quick draw and fast "bang-bang-bang-bang" double taps in one quick motions after buzzer
- As you finish the last double tap, move smoothly/quickly with your head following that imaginary line towards the next group of targets (After you draw, your head "locks" with your pistol so wherever you look, your pistol is pointed the same)
- As you arrive at the next group of targets, you "execute" the footwork and motion already played out in your head and engage the targets with fast "bang-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang" double taps
- If shooting Limited 10/Production, as you depart for your next group of targets, you are already initiating the mag change by dropping/flicking the empty magazine and your support hand reaching for next magazine (Mag change you practiced to mastery while watching TV)
- So before you arrive at your next group of targets with your head following that imaginary line smoothly, you release the slide and return to your grip/stance to engage the targets
Practice visualizing and actually walk/run through the stage slowly at first then faster until you reach the point of mastery where you worked out all the pauses and wasted movements. Then change/expand your practice stage.
When you encounter a set up/layout that is particularly challenging, duplicate the layout at home or during range practice and walk/run through until you reach level of mastery. So when you encounter same/similar set up/layout at the match, you will be that much more prepared.
Since I helped out with stage setup at our club, we were fortunate enough to be able to duplicate previous matches' stages during range practice days and each shooter ran the stage while other shooters took critical notes and we "coached" and pointed out all the mistakes made so subsequent practice run became deliberate with enhanced stage times.
If any shooter had difficulties, we would slow down a particular part of stage and worked out the issues so the shooter could run the stage smoothly and fast.
Yes, practice until you reach mastery ... and mock up stage walk/run through doesn't even require bullets.