^ Well said.
It comes down to expertise and automaticity. The more automatic things become, the less you think about them, and the less you need to think about them. Driving is a good example. The more you drive, the less you have to think about when to brake, how much to turn the wheel, when to start turning it back after you've made your turn, etc.
I'm pretty terrible at fighting games but having those bread & butters learned to the point of expertise can come in handy when your opponent slips up. They whiff = you punishing them, even if it's for a little bit.