| In excitation and message transfer, a time gap, like a | | | | into consideration as you are studying judo technique. |
| physical solid, occurs between the stimulus and the | | | | Nine cases in which reaction time becomes longer: |
| contraction of the muscles. This time gap is called | | | | The following are typical situations or conditions in |
| reaction time. It can be used to your advantage in | | | | which the time required for reaction becomes longer: |
| your judo technique. | | | | 1. When one is not trained in judo. |
| Evaluation of the use of these three reactions in | | | | 2. When one's mind or body is fatigued. |
| judo:a. Unconditioned reflex action | | | | 3. When one is absent-minded. |
| Since this reflex action is unrelated to the joint nerve | | | | 4. When one is emotionally upset. |
| center, it tends to result unconditionally from any | | | | These cases, except the first, usually occur in daily |
| given stimulus. In judo or boxing, for instance, if your | | | | life. Even if your opponent is not proficient in judo, he |
| opponent makes a movement toward your face, | | | | will expose these weaknesses in you. |
| you are apt to close your eyes. You must not do | | | | Next let us consider how you can lengthen the time |
| this. If you close your eyes you cannot see him for | | | | that your opponent reacts: |
| the moment. This momentary blindness of yours | | | | 5. When your opponent focuses his attention on one |
| gives him a good chance to attack you. Therefore | | | | movement, his reaction time to another stimulus |
| this reaction must be checked by continual training.b. | | | | becomes long. For instance, if you try to apply |
| Conditioned reflex action | | | | hane-goshi in the left direction, your opponent will try |
| Since this type of reaction rarely troubles the joint | | | | to defend himself in that direction. At this moment his |
| nerve center and comes after long acclimatization to | | | | attention will probably be fixed in that direction only. |
| the same stimulus, it is similar to the unconditioned | | | | Therefore his reaction time in the opposite direction |
| reaction. In judo this reflex may not always be useful | | | | becomes longer. |
| because other stimuli may be confused in certain | | | | 6. When stimuli are combined, the time becomes |
| techniques. Your opponent may take advantage of | | | | longer. If your opponent knows that you can apply |
| this reflex by a feint. So your joint nerve center | | | | hane-goshi from both sides, he must be ready for an |
| should, first of all, analyze the various given conditions | | | | attack from both sides. Therefore his reaction time |
| correctly and send suitable messages to the various | | | | becomes longer. |
| areas.c. Reaction achieved by practice | | | | 7. When we see a movement by indirect sight, the |
| If you react after judgment is made in the joint | | | | reaction time to that movement becomes longer. |
| nerve center, you take all the given stimuli into | | | | When you see an object, you see some parts more |
| consideration. Reaction achieved by practice enables | | | | clearly than the others because the central fovia of |
| you to exercise correct judgment in each case. It is | | | | the retina can image an object clearly, but the other |
| necessary in the study of all techniques. It is not | | | | parts cannot. Therefore, if you attack your opponent |
| useful in a contest unless the reaction time is | | | | from a direction in which your movement cannot be |
| shortened almost to that of an unconditioned reflex | | | | clearly imaged, his reaction time becomes long. |
| action. This can be attained by continual training over | | | | 8. When your opponent inhales, his reaction time is |
| a long period of time. | | | | longer than when he exhales. We can exert a |
| In judo the third type of reaction (reaction by | | | | stronger force when we exhale than when we inhale. |
| practice) is the best of the three, and the second | | | | While inhaling, your opponent will find it difficult to |
| type (conditioned reflex action) comes next. The first | | | | defend himself against your attack, whether he be a |
| type (unconditioned reflex action) does not have | | | | master or a beginner in judo. |
| much use in judo. | | | | 9. The moment your opponent is off balance in any |
| We have studied the three kinds of short reaction | | | | direction, his reaction time becomes longer. |
| time. Let us now study some cases in which the | | | | Use this reaction time against your opponent and you |
| reaction time is longer. These cases must be taken | | | | judo technique will improve. |