When faced with the zombie apocalypse, the skills the karateka has developed can give him the edge he needs to survive. While armed and unarmed combat skills will be intermittently useful; focus, environmental awareness, and the ability to stay centered and calm are all vastly more important and crucial to avoid succumbing to the infected hordes. Just as in a "normal" self defense situation, when confronted with zombies the follower of the Way must keep his cool or risk losing his head. In any potentially dangerous environment, awareness and avoidance are ninety-nine percent of survival. Watching for the presence of the Walkers, avoiding being cornered or trapped in inescapable spaces, and being prepared ahead of time will prevent the survivor from having to resort to violence except as a last resort.
But when surrounded by vicious, hungry, mindless predators bent on devouring all human flesh, there will be times when there is nothing to do but fight to survive. And in those times there are specific fighting techniques and approaches best suited to the unique aspects of fighting the infected. If at all possible, the practitioner should be armed at all times. Whether with projectile, blade and point, or impact weapons, no human wants to face the horde with his bare hands. When faced with more than one zombie, run. Always run. Fighting multiple opponents is inherently dangerous, but against the undead it is even more so. You simply can't risk being tied up with one zombie while another bites you. But should you find yourself squaring off against a single zombie, with no weapons at hand, your response must be disciplined and guided by some foundational principles of zombie fighting.
The first and most important thing to remember when fighting zombies is that it only takes one bite to kill you. Let me repeat that. It only takes one bite. What's more, due to their insatiable hunger, zombies will attempt to eat you with a single minded ferocity unlike that of any human opponent you may ever face. This precludes most grappling techniques because while you are trying to apply your joint lock or control position, the zombie will be rabidly snapping at your tender flesh with the rotted, yellow shards of its broken teeth. Joint locks are also unlikely to be effective because the zombie opponent won't feel the pain the techniques apply, and their brittle bones and muscles are likely to break and rip, allowing the zombie to turn into locking techniques which would normally provide positional advantage and once more bringing the practitioner within range of the zombie's deadly bite. Additionally, the absence of pain or fear may give the undead superior strength, allowing them to overwhelm the average human during any wrestling match.
This means that the survivors must rely primarily on impact striking against zombies, and the primary target for those strikes should be the zombie's head. In a world where dead doesn't always mean down the only way to dispatch a zombie is to do significant traumatic damage to the brain. Unfortunately, that means you have to put your body within the natural range of the zombies greatest weapon, its mouth. Because of this, the practitioner must strike quickly from oblique and unpredictable angles, and recover his weapons before his opponent is able to react. Initiating the action and staying ahead of the zombie's O.O.D.A. Loop will give the practitioner the ability to control the combat engagement and make decisions while forcing the zombie to try to "catch up" to his movements. Secondary targets for striking would be the knees, which due to their decomposing state are likely to collapse easily when encountering destructive force thereby limiting the zombie's mobility, and the spine which could limit the zombie's ability to locomote entirely by preventing bio-electrical signals from what remains of the brain reaching the limbs.
Defensively, the ability to deflect and redirect the zombie's force and line of action will give the practitioner the ability to use position to his advantage. Combined with effective footwork, the survivor will be capable of moving to the zombie's obscure zone and create opportunities to strike or escape. Preferably escape. Simple sweeps and takedowns can also be used to put the zombies on the ground, in range of finishing techniques such as head stomps and hammering downward strikes to the base of the skull.
Simple defensive techniques which can be applied to zombie assaults include,
1. Deflecting Outward Blocks followed by High Line Striking Counters.
2. Windmill Parry to Outside Position followed by Side Thrust Kick to the back of the knee to bring the zombie to the ground followed by a Stomp Finish to the head.
3. Lead Leg Pulling Sweep to bring the zombie to the ground followed by Front Thrust Kick to the head.
At all times the first goal is DON'T GET BIT, the second goal is ESCAPE, and the third goal is FINISH. By focusing on this force continuum, the karateka will increase his overall chances to survive.
Remember these basic rules, and you will be one of the few who live to face the unending horror that is the zombie apocalypse.
1. Never assume. Dead isn't down. It only takes one bite. Don't take risks.
2. Never go unarmed. Always have a weapon, and a back up weapon. Don't waste time with strikes that won't incapacitate or kill.
3. Never wander off alone. Never leave the group without telling anyone where you are going. There is strength in numbers. You may need someone to pull the Walkers off of you if they get their hands on you.
4. Run first. Run second. Strike only to create an opportunity to escape. Surviving the zombie apocalypse isn't about face or pride or ego. It's about survival. Live to run another day.
5. When confronted with a zombie, strike instead of grapple. When grappled with a zombie, disengage and change positions. When striking a zombie, attack from an unexpected angle and recover the weapon quickly.
6. The only targets that matter are those which can affect the zombie's ability to locomote or aggress. Namely, the brain, the spine, and the legs. The zombie can not feel fear or intimidation or pain, so don't waste time trying to hurt him. Fight only when you must, and when you must, with utmost seriousness.
Those are the basic rules of zombie combat. There is far more to learn about how to use weapons and tools during the zombie apocalypse, how to engage the horde versus engaging individual Walkers, how to move and escape and avoid notice, and how to store resources and establish "safe" zones. But the basic concepts contained herein should give you a place to start. As with all karate techniques, the only way to develop real skill is through diligent and disciplined training. Practice morning and night and you will be uniquely prepared for when, uh, I mean, if, the zombie apocalypse occurs.
Happy Halloween!
Drills-
Beginner: Group activity. Stand in the middle of a circle of opponents. Have them advance on you, one at a time, with their arms outstretched. Practice deflecting their arms using wedge guard positions and redirecting them in to each other.
Intermediate: Practice your techniques on the body. During each technique, have the uke attempt to bite you continuously. Learn when and where you are vulnerable to such counters, and practice manipulating the opponent's position with position checks, lockout striking, and control maneuvers to cancel his ability to dine on your mortal flesh.
Advanced: Group activity. Have a group of five to ten opponents representing the zombie horde pursue you around the training room floor. Practice evasion and multiple opponent strategies such as Lining and Grouping to isolate individual Walkers. Control and finish one at a time until you either survive or are bitten and turned.
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