THE HUMAN REACTION TIME ROLE IN HAND TO HAND COMBAT / BOAZ AVIRAM

Once you are aware of the Human Reaction time, you do not need a coach telling you when to attack or block. You sense it naturally that as you enter the hotzone you need to instantaneously attack and as your opponent enters the hotzone, you need to instantaneously block and counter attack!

The human reaction time role in Pure Krav Maga is making the student aware in the first few lessons after the introduction, the pressure points section, and the situational awareness section, through demonstration, explanation and drilling, that since it takes a few splits of a second sending a command to your arms and legs to block an incoming strike or a kick, you need to start the sending earlier after the recognition through your vision.

It also command your comfort in attacking knowing that if you are efficient in attacking, you will reach your opponent’s pressure points if he is not utilizing the invisible limits of the human reaction time.

Finally in grappling changing direction of leverage force is useful as well as it also being facilitated under the limits of the human reaction time.  

If the attacker is trying to baffle your timing by attacking out of range, you still need to block and counter attack!   In that case,  if your block was in the air because of the distance, and your strike did not reach because the attacker retreated, you need to follow up with a kick entering the new hotzone again and as you close the gap go through the attacks in the chain of defense, i.e., kicks, punches elbows neck leverage and grappling throws and soft pressure points manipulations.

When your attacker tries to block and counter attack, you need to follow with follow up attacks to the direction he is evading and tilt your attaking punches to deflect counters!  You rather always move forward in the chain of defense and follow up attacks then escape backwards, as time is against you opening you to increased danger and possible lack of stamina, and critically lack of reaction time!

However in training while sparring each in and out of the hotzone encounter is considered retraining for anothr scenario.  So in that case if fitness you are interested in, train gradually!  If  you are not, try to finish what you started in the first round.  

Remember, since you are marking your kicks and strikes in modified force, follow up with few more to discourage your training partner to come back and counter your attacks!

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