What is the reactionary gap?

• A. 15 feet
• B. 21 feet
• C. 30 feet
• D. 5 meters

Answer: (B)

Reactionary gap is the buffer distance you keep from a potential threat to have time to recognize and respond before the threat reaches you. It provides space to issue commands, move, or deploy a countermeasure (like drawing a defensive tool) before contact. The widely taught figure for this buffer is about 21 feet (roughly 6 meters), which gives you time to react to a sudden approach and prevents a threat from closing in too quickly. Among the options, 21 feet best matches this standard. A shorter distance, like 15 feet or approximately 16.4 feet (5 meters), reduces your reaction window, while a much larger distance, like 30 feet, isn’t typically necessary in standard scenarios.