Excellent discourse on the 'Startle Reflex'

[Deaf Smith]

http://www.hockscqc.com/articles/startle-reflex/startle-reflex.htm

I particulary liked his views on 'stances'.

Deaf

 

[KenpoTex]

interesting, thanks.

 

[frank raud]

Intersting article, but it does leave out some researchers with perhaps more revelant experiments than laboratories and sound, also prior to 1939. Will post more when I get home.

 

[frank raud]

I enjoyed the article, but find it curious that the writer says the basis for research into the startle reflex for combat comes from a 1939 laboratory experiment. There are some fairly well known examples of people working with the startle reflex prior to 1939.

Moshe Feldenkrais developed a series of techniques by jumping out at unsuspecting people in Palestine(now Israel) Based on his observations of the unplanned reactions of the people he surprised, he worked out techniques from their reactions. This is prior to him becoming one of the first Judo black belts in Europe.
http://www.feldenkrais-wien.at/article-4.htm warning some strong language.

Willaim Fairbairn observed the reactions of his men in high stress situations, such as shootouts, preparing to raid a kidnapper's hideout, etc. in 1920's-30's Shanghai. The bent knee stance, or battle crouch came about after noticing that men would drop into a lower stance, minimizing their size, as they snuck up on a suspect's location. The story goes that after a successful raid, his men all walked into wires strung across an alleyway, for use as clotheslines. No one had noticed the wires on the way in, as they were crouched down in an instinctive crouch.

Again, interesting article, thanks for posting.

 

[Archangel M]

Sounds like Baluers SPEAR stuff to me.

 

[Deaf Smith]

You guys never heard of Hock Hochheim?

Deaf

 

[Archangel M]

Yeah Ive heard of him. Have a basic level "Knife Congress" rating from him in the cert. pile somewhere.

 

[terryl965]

Interesting at best

 

[geezer]

http://www.hockscqc.com/articles/startle-reflex/startle-reflex.htm
I particulary liked his views on 'stances'. Deaf

Yeah--interesting stuff. Without getting too academic and caught up in the research aspects, I've also noticed that a lot of MA systems exploit this reaction offensively and defensively. If you can direct the classic startle reflex into a specific technique you have a definite speed-of-response advantage. The illustration in the article of the triangular raised-hands reaction being adapted into a block and eye-strike against a knife attack would be one example. The initial, hard-wired reflex provides the start of the movement, then muscle-memory from repetitive training kicks in and shapes the reflex into a focused technique. Similarly, I've seen techniques used by the attacker to exploit this reaction, as when a sudden "suprise" strike rides the target's rising arm into his chin, etc. borrowing his speed and power. How about you guys? Do your systems incorporate or exploit this "startle-reflex"?