Exclusive One on One with Zomb-Combat Expert Roger Ma!

We recently had a chance to chat with one of the world’s leading Zombie Combat Experts, Roger Ma!

Ma is the author of the best selling book The Zombie Combat Manual: A Guide to Fighting the Living Dead, and creator and operator of the website The Zombie Combat Club!

Believe us when we say this man knows his Zombies and how to survive one-on-one with them!

In an exclusive interview with ZZN, Ma shares more in depth tips on everything from how to defend your toddler, to what to do if you are wheelchair bound!

SteveTheZombie (STZ): Thanks for taking the time to chat with us!

Roger Ma: No problem!

STZ: Congratulations on being on a panel at ZomBcon! Any heads up on what we zombiphiles can expect there?

Roger: Your guess is as good as mine at this point, but if this year’s show is as half as good as last years, you’d be a fool to miss it if you’re a true zombie fan.

STZ: I’m sure you’re familiar with ‘The Zombie Survival Guide’ by Max Brooks. I have read both your books and only found one (pretty big) difference in opinions: He suggests readers wear tight clothes, and you say tighter is not necessarily better. How did you come to this conclusion?

Roger: Regarding the clothing, I can see value in both theories.  My reasoning behind not wearing skin-tight clothing is the fact that if you’re in close enough proximity to a lunging corpse, I’d rather have it grab a handful of clothing rather than a handful of flesh.  With clothing that’s super-tight, you’re in danger of that happening.  At the same time, long, flowing robes are also not recommended.  Also, no capes.

STZ: Is there any particular type of armor, other than the arm guards you mention in the book, that you would suggest for undead protection?

Roger:  Protecting the extremities is key.  Most people worry about chest armor and helmets, but your limbs are what are most vulnerable so bracers for the arms and high boots/shin guards for the legs.

STZ: Good call! So regarding actual combat: The demo videos from your site and on Youtube are extremely popular! Any more in the works?

Roger:  Unfortunately not at the moment.  I made those in coordination with the book launch, and people really seem to dig them, which is great.  If I had more time, I’d do an entire series of them.  Maybe in the future!

STZ: Absolutely! Trust me, they save lives! Any chance at another Z-Day survival book?

Roger:Never say never, right?  I’m thrilled with how well ZCM has been received, so you never know!

STZ: I guarantee I’d be the first in line to get it and do a review! In your last interview with ZZN about a year ago, you said you had not yet been in Close Quarters Combat with the living dead personally, but had spoken to many who had and witnessed a few scraps. Has that changed?

Roger: Thankfully no, I’ve still not had to personally engage in ZCQC [Zombie Close Quarters Combat].  Although over the course of the year since the interview, I have noticed an uptick in reported undead sightings and engagements across the globe.  Things seem to be getting worse (or better, depending on your perspective) out there.  When it comes to the apocalypse, there’s a saying that goes it’s already occurred, it just hasn’t reached you yet.

STZ: Too true! So Roger, also in the last interview, you said you’d check back with ZZN from time to time for Zombie News and such! Now that you have had some time to check out our site, what do you like best about it?

Roger: The site’s just awesome.  Whenever I need to have some undead fact confirmed, or want to check out the latest, I know you guys are a reliable source.  The new contributors are also adding some great content, good job guys!

STZ: We do our best! Now, about the Manual: All said with research and writing, how long did it take you to complete the book?

Roger: It took about three years.  I wanted to be sure that everything was as accurate as possible, and assembled a great consultant team to back up my theories as well as verify the authenticity of the weapons and techniques.

STZ: We met quite a few amazing survivors in the book, any updates on them?

Roger: All of them are doing well.  Eric Simonson (Grandmaster of Shigai-jitsu) continues to teach, and I believe he’s working on a dvd series as well.  It’s a popular thing to do – martial arts dvds.

STZ: Sounds cool! Now, in the book you discuss everything from what to expect when confronting the undead based on your body type (I’m not fat, I’m an Endocombatant!), to the psychological effects of undead combat and even how to protect your children during the Zombie Apocalypse. What made you decide to include the ladder two subjects in the book?

Roger: I wanted to include the psychological effects of undead combat because I believe it is a very real factor of a zombie engagement.  I did quite a bit of research on the effects of killing and war on soldiers, and the fact of the matter is that it is very psychologically damaging.  With video games, tv, and movies I think we civilians can be a bit de-sensitized to violence.  Just as I wanted to be authentic with other elements of combat – techniques, weapons, strategy – I didn’t want to ignore the psych aspect as well.
Protecting children came directly from becoming a new dad as I was writing the book.  I also realized that it never had been addressed before in zombie media.  We’re all used to seeing the lone bad-ass zombie fighter, muscles rippling and armed to the teeth.  I wanted to bring it back to reality, and the reality is that during a zombie apocalypse, most of us are going to need to take care of someone besides ourselves, whether it be your child, your sibling, or your friends.

STZ: I have to tell you that the section on protecting your children really hit home with me, as I have a toddler myself. I have talked to others who had read the book, they seemed to agree it was a unique aspect. With a small child’s tenancy to be loud and broadcast your locale to any zombie in range, any new advise on protecting small children?

Roger:  Yes, when I wrote that section, my perspective was that of a new dad.  Now that my son’s older, I can see that there are a whole new crop of issues to deal with when it comes to zombie defense.  As a father yourself, you probably realize that ordering them to do anything isn’t going to work, so you have to make it into a game for them.  You don’t want to show fear or anxiety, as that will probably make the situation much worse.  As far as keeping them quiet, I have to say that it may be a losing battle – just try your best to be in a safe zone when a tantrum hits.

STZ: Great advise as always! I love that the book is written for average Joe! So, quick scenario for you- Zombie outbreak happens in New York and poor average citizen has not taken the time to prep! What everyday objects or weapons do you suggest that someone with no prior experience try to acquire for their best chance at survival?

Roger: Yes, the book was written with the average Joe in mind, with no previous combat experience.  The best bet for anyone who hasn’t prepared their arsenal in advance and is facing a zombie outbreak is to open your toolbox.  There’s not a person I know who doesn’t have a toolbox in their possession, and contained within are primitive, but effective melee and close combat weapons – the claw hammer and the screwdriver.  If you have a crowbar or a steering-wheel “Club” lock in your car, those are good options as well.

STZ: I’m sure anyone could find those! Now, to change gears for a second, I know that you followed The Walking Dead on AMC (per your blog). We follow TWD pretty closely here at ZZN too. What would you love to see in the next season, and if asked to come on as a combat adviser, would you do it?

Roger: I would do anything they asked me to do in a heartbeat.  As you read, I enjoyed covering the series on my blog from a hand-to-hand combat perspective, and they did a pretty good job this first season.  I think I, like many fans of the graphic novel series, am eagerly awaiting the arrival of Michonne and her katana.  That will be epic.

STZ: Agreed! Now Roger, our readers were really psyched that you agreed to answer some of their questions, so thanks for that! Here we go:

Joshua Ray Nesbitt asks (via Facebook): Can Zombies swim?

Roger: Zombie can function quite effectively in water, but they cannot “swim” per se as far as doing the backstroke or the Australian Crawl.  They simply lack the coordination to do so.

Marge Raymond asks (via Facebook): When Zombies attack, do they take on any of the traits of their victims?

Roger: The best thing about confronting attacking zombies is that they are predictable, and follow a similar pattern regardless of the zombie: lurch, grab, bite.

Mark Sawyer asks (via Facebook): During the Zombie-pocalypse, If you eat game after a Zombie bites it, can you be infected with the z-plague?

Roger: There’s a lot of controversy surrounding this topic.  Some believe that you will immediately be infected, die, and reanimate.  Others believe that you simply die without reanimating.  My take is different from both of these theories.  I don’t subscribe to zombies being interested in flesh other than human, so they wouldn’t really attack other species.  But if I’m wrong, and I see a zombie bitten cow, I’d probably pass on the rib roast.

Jay Harrell asks: Although it is obviously not generally a good idea to punch a Zombie, would it be possible for a trained expert Martial Artist to use the famed “One Inch Punch” on the skull of a Zombie to kill it?

Roger: If that trained expert was Bruce Lee, perhaps.  Other than that, probably not.  It’s not concussive force that renders a zombie incapacitated, but severe damage to the brain’s white matter.  And by severe, I’m talking a depressive fracture on the skull that ideally removes chunks of brain matter from the target.

Sam Keigley asks: With standard MMA, the main target for the hands and feet alike is the chin. Since a Zombie’s face would mean life and death for the average MMA fighter, what other “targets” would you recommend to “beat” your undead foe?

Roger: MMA fighters and martial artists in general need to be particularly careful when confronting a zombie.  MMA guys, however, are familiar with takedowns, which is valuable skill against a zombie, as long as you avoid its clawing hands.  I’d recommend a two-stage strategy: takedown via a leg sweep or trip, and a head stomp to finish, Wanderlei Silva style.

Eddie-B asks: What kind of advise do you have for a man in a wheel-chair?

Roger: This is a great question, and one that I wish I addressed in my book.  Wheelchair bound combatants have a bit of a challenge against the living dead as far as mounting an aggressive offense, only because it may be difficult for the disabled person to reach the zombie’s skull with their weapon.    I would encourage those in a wheelchair to first find or customize a melee range weapon that will enable you to strike a zombie skull from your position.  Second, I would encourage you to condition your body to maneuver your chair quickly and explosively around objects, so you can get yourself out of the fatal funnel range quickly if need be.  Third I’d advise having a close combat weapon at the ready on your chair, should a zombie get too close, requiring you to eliminate it via a CQC attack.

Ryan Tish asks: What type of facility should one hold up in to avoid combat?

Roger: One thing I would advise in selecting a permanent headquarters is to avoid judging a book by its cover.  The safety a facility can provide is not only the strength of its walls, but the availability of resources close by.  You can hole yourself up in Helms Deep, but if you don’t have an adequate source of potable water or fresh food, well, those stone walls won’t do you much good.

Jake Knott asks: What type of weapons class do you personally prefer and recommend and why?

Roger: As much as I’m a fan of edged weaponry, I recommend bludgeoning objects at melee range for zombie combat for most people.  This combination requires the least amount of combat training, is relatively safer, and is accessible to most people.  Maces, flails, war hammers – these weapons were designed to crash through plate armor – they do very nicely against an undead skull.
STZ: Well, that’s it for the readers questions! Thanks for taking them! Last but not least, any exclusive juicy news you want to share with our readers?

Roger: You guys will be the first to know!

STZ: Thanks again for your time and sharing your expertise!

Roger: No problem!