The Zombie Combat Manual (32 page)

Unarmed Combat Strategies

Remain Calm

This may seem like an obvious recommendation, but it demands emphasis in unarmed combat. Even experienced combatants may literally lose their head when their primary weapon is suddenly unavailable to them. Often fighters will focus on reacquiring a weapon before the undead threat is fully controlled. Even with your adrenaline in the red and a zombie clawing at your face, remain calm, take a deep breath, and remember your training.

Avoid Hair Pulling

Because of the proximity to your attacker, you may be tempted to grab a handful of the ghoul’s locks in order to control it or keep its biting jaws away from you. This may be even more tempting if you face a walking corpse with long, bountiful tresses, as it may seem like a natural hold. This is not recommended for two simple reasons. First, the successful reaction derived from a hair-pulling tactic is primarily due to the pain elicited by such an action. Because the living dead feel no pain, the value of this technique is limited. Second and even more crucial is the fact that a rotting corpse, walking or not, has begun to decay. Therefore, the epidermal components surrounding the hair and scalp are in a fragile, unstable state. Many who have attempted this maneuver have ended up with a fistful of dying follicles and decomposing scalp.

Combat Breathing

A method used by professionals to help stimulate a sense of serenity during an otherwise anxiety-ridden situation is known as combat breathing, also referred to as tactical breathing. Knowing how to properly control your breath during times of extreme stress can make your combat engagements that much more successful. Although the technique we will describe can be used in any undead encounter, it may be of particular use during a gravely dangerous situation, such as an unarmed engagement with a zombie.

Despite its aggressive name, combat breathing actually has its origins in the most peaceful of endeavors—yoga, meditation, and contemplative reflection. These practices all require you to transport your body and mind into a tranquil, reflective state by consciously controlling the ventilation of air through your lungs. Military and law enforcement personnel have adopted this technique to induce a state of calm in the body during a hostile encounter. The technique can be used to equal effectiveness when facing the living dead.

It is a natural physical reaction to react intensely when seized by a walking corpse. If you are unable to control this reaction and instead allow it to escalate, death is almost certain. Your pulse rate will soar. Your breathing will become shallow and rapid. You may begin to hyperventilate. Finally, when your eyes fill with a glaring white fog as you start to lose consciousness, you’ll realize the battle is over. By using a combat-breathing technique, not only do you keep your mind from being paralyzed with fear, you also enable your body to physically execute the undead combat techniques you have rehearsed without losing control of your muscles.

The method itself is rather simple—inhale through the nose for a count of three to five seconds, hold the breath for an equal amount of time, and finally exhale through the mouth for the same count. By controlling your breathing, you are able to soothe the mind during moments of high stress, calm your muscles so that they can react appropriately, and decrease your heart rate to a less frenzied tempo.

There is one caveat unique to using this breathing method during undead combat. Remember that one of the physical assets a zombie possesses is its intense, overpowering odor. Therein lies the dilemma—how can you execute a technique that requires breathing in through the nose if you will simultaneously inhale the potentially incapacitating scent of a ghoul, especially in close range? This can be addressed in several ways. First, each individual has his or her own sensitivity level to a zombie’s rancidity, so you may be able to take in oxygen through your nostrils without being overwhelmed. Second, a filtered face mask or menthol gel rubbed underneath the nostrils can help alleviate the symptoms associated with zombie stench. Third, you can use the same combat-breathing technique and inhale through the mouth, but be watchful—not only are you at risk for hyperventilation, an open mouth in close combat is susceptible to ingestion of errant zombie contagion.

Combat Techniques

Although we recommend that any tactic you employ in unarmed zombie combat is driven by your need to escape, there may be times where this is not possible, such as in an elevator, a narrow corridor, or a room with blocked exits. With absolutely no armaments available and no room to escape, you will have to eliminate the undead threat using your own body as your primary weapon. This can be done, provided you attain mastery in two specific combat techniques:

OUTSIDE SWEEP AND STOMP (OSS)

TARGET AREA: OUTSIDE THIGH/CALF REGION

Technique:
Always exploit the living dead’s liabilities to your advantage. The liabilities we are focusing on in this particular technique is the zombie’s poor balance, coordination, and lack of ability to defend against a simple leg sweep:

1. Mitigate the zombie’s bite attack by securing its neck, as detailed in the Full Throttle technique.

2. Hook one of your legs behind the ghoul’s opposite leg. Remember that your throttling hand and your hooking leg are on the same side (right hand throttle, right leg hook).

3. Aggressively smash your leg against the zombie’s leg while simultaneously pushing against its neck, forcing the zombie’s weight backward. This should cause the ghoul to topple backward to the ground.

4. Once the ghoul is on the ground, move toward its head and stomp on its skull with the heel of your shoe. It is recommended that you wear appropriate footwear at all times in anticipation of this very purpose.

The following illustration shows the sequence in its entirety:

INSIDE SWEEP AND STOMP (ISS)

TARGET AREA: INSIDE CALF/ANKLE REGION

Technique:
A variant of the sweep technique, this particular maneuver works best if you notice the zombie standing with its legs wide apart, as you will be attacking from the inside of the leg rather than from the outside:

1. Control the zombie’s bite attack by securing its neck, as detailed in the Full Throttle technique.

2. Place your foot between the legs of the ghoul and hook your heel around the ghoul’s calf.