Bouncer chronicles- How to hire a bouncer

When I was running my nightclub in the 70s and 80s we often started our after work play around 3am.  My shift started at 6pm where we prepped the night and began to get busy at 9pm. If you came after 10 you probably waited in line at the door for at least a half an hour.

There were always two bouncers at the door.  I was the manager and third bouncer most nights and backed the guys up and took charge if things started to get heated there. We had last call about 1:30 am and had all drinks off the tables at 2.  The music was done and people started heading home or sometimes congregated at a local all night diner for some late/early breakfast.

The nightclub crew’s night then began.  We mixed drinks for ourselves and often times played cards or pool for a few hours before we headed home.  By this time it was 4 or 5 am and the only place open was the gas station across the street where we would fill up the car for the 30 minute drive back to Norwich.

Having stopped at the gas station many times we often would chat up the attendant who did not see many people stopping in at this late hour.  It was a local eighteen year old named Gary who was always asking questions about the bar and wanted to know all the details.  He was interested in the bar fights and were were happy to tell him all about them.

One night as we were gassing up there were a couple of bikers hassling him at one of the pumps.  These were big biker guys with the hard look you would expect.  I heard that they had gotten gas and ridden off a few nights before and never paid.  They were back for more and thought they might intimidate this teenager and take advantage with their local toughguy big rep.

My brother and I started to walk towards them to offer Gary some backup, but, before we knew what happened he waded into them.  Gary who was an all state wrestler pounded them, tossed them and sent the home with a verbal spanking to never come back.  This all happened in a minute and there was never a need for any help.

After the bikers left Gary came over to us.  I only had two questions.  One, are you ok, and two do you want a job as a bouncer where you can get paid to fight and meet girls too?

I have been friends with Gary for over fourty years.  After high school he joined the marines and while stationed in Okinawa went in to become an accomplished back belt and judo competitor.  I even taught him some karate for a few years.

I think I will have to get more bouncer stories from him as we reminisce over the old days.

Bouncer Chronicles -2

Being a Black Belt does not make you a bouncer. 
Fighting in tournaments does not make you a bouncer.
Knowing martial arts does not make you a bouncer.

Learning on the job helps make you a bouncer.

Most of the time when people were unruly in the college bar we just had to break up fights, cool people down and then kick them out.  It became a matter of restraint rather than a brawl (although I will go over those episodes too) and we had to keep people safe in spite of themselves.

One night during a busy night there were three very big college football guys drunk at the door.  I had stopped them from entry because they were already drunk.  We began to argue and knowing that the odds were against me I came up with an effective strategy. 

                                      I closed the door and held it shut.

The door knob was small so only one person could grip it to try and open it.  After several minutes of frustration they left.  No fight, no fuss, no muss.  This is what Bruce Lee must have meant when he said "The art of fighting without fighting"

Good Pain and Bad Pain

My main focus in my psychology training was called behaviorism. I studied concepts in motivational psychology.   We as human beings tend to move towards pleasure and to avoid pain.

If you have ever done anything physical in life you probably have experienced both good pain and bad pain. 

Something pops, a sharp pain shoots through you or possibly you get a kick in the groin and       an "uh oh" feeling takes hold of your brain - bad pain!

But all pain is not bad.

Good pain may seem like a paradox but good pain makes you stronger like exercise at your threshold, pushing that last heavy bag round or forcing yourself to improve by making greater effort in an area that you may have to push in.  Getting out of bed the morning after a hard workout might be considered bad pain but can you imagine lying in bed all day?

We tend to avoid pain on many levels.  Dwelling on it makes worse and prolongs it.

We receive value from good pain.    If you are having it tough, convert your knowledge of  good pain and focus on the benefit/positive results.

Train hard and know the difference


MB

FEAR

False Expectations Appearing Real

In my opinion your mind is a great asset or liability in martial arts training and combat.  How many times have we doubted ourselves when we truly had all the tools to take care of business but not the confidence to follow through.  I have had tournament experiences where I was psyched out and I know I was the better martial artist and times when I was bouncing in the nightclub and instinct took over and the battle was actually won before the first punch was thrown because of my level of confidence.

Training your mind to kick into gear is a multi pronged approach.

• Visualize the victory
• assume it will go just as you plan
• Be mad that someone would not treat you respectfully
• Don't be compassionate- some people deserve a beating.
• The "woofing" that is going on should be like listening in a different language.  The words have no meaning.
• Don't let the gesturing/physical intimidation get to you.  If they get too close smash them.
• Don't feel fear, feel domination and confidence by visualizing the total victory
• Have a calm/focused mind that cannot be beat.
• Interpret pain as motivation to strengthen your resolve
• Do the unexpected
• Deliver with rapid execution
• Breathe