In my martial arts classes we trained things repeatedly until we built up a muscle memory. This was for two purposes: it saved time in stressful situations and allowed us to think ahead while our body handled the present.
This freed our minds to recognize opportunities and dangers, then chart a course.
About 2,000 years ago, the Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius mentioned something similar. In Robin Waterfield’s translation of Marcus’ diary, Meditations, the historian states: