In this video from the online course “MARTIAL STUDIES: Third Person Defense”, discover the difference between a reflex and an automatism.
Table of Contents
Example & simulation
You are peacefully walking with a friend, when suddenly, a man grabs your friend and violently seizes him around the neck and shoulders, which prevents him from escaping.
You want to help your friend, but you don’t know how to do so without putting yourself in danger.
If you try to save him by pulling the attacker from behind by the shoulders, there is a very high probability that it won’t work.
You must choose the fastest and most effective technique, i.e. a strike to the genitals or neck! You can also strangle him, which is an excellent option in this kind of situation.
Automatism VS reflex: what are the differences?
ATTENTION, automatism and reflex are not the same thing!
- An automatism requires a form of reflection that goes through the brain,
- A reflex is linked to the spinal cord, so it is innate!
For instance, if you put your hand on a hot plate, you are not going to wait 1 second, it is going to withdraw automatically.
Well, this reaction is a reflex, it is innate, it passes by the spinal cord and by the reptilian brain.
As for the automatisms, you work on them in the dojo, like parries, counterattacks etc.
Let’s go back to our initial situation. When you are going to act on a dangerous part of the aggressor, he is going to be in reflex mode at the moment, not in automatism mode.
