We've got an article in the upcoming issue where Geoff Thompson dispenses advice on surviving a street encounter. In it, he states that, while he loves his martial arts, they have very little place in a street encounter... Several other articles we've published recently have intimated at the same thing...

Now, Geoff was a bouncer of some repute back in the day, and the majority of his fights happened on the doors, so the question I want to ask is are there any martial arts out there that are suitable for self defence purposes or are the martial arts there just to physically prepare you for a scrap?

Steve Rowe was a proponent of Tai Chi as a Bouncer's art - and I can see how that would work in theory, but I'd imagine a stand-up grappling art, combined with strikes from Karate or Muay Thai to be more effective?

Look forward to any feedback,
Neal

I too worked the doors for many years (11) in Peterborough, Shawlands (an area in the Southside of Glasgow), and Glasgow City Centre, and with all due respect to Geoff, working the doors and getting into a violent situation isn't really the same as an 'on the street' violent encounter.

For example, when something kicks of in a pub or nightclub, you're usually mob handed with security staff, and a good security manager will always work it so that staff are not ever in a situation where they are 'blind' nor 'out of sight'.

On the street you rarely (if ever) have the luxury of backup (or honnors as we call it in the West of Scotland).

As I said in my letter to Jimmy Green in this months MAI, the art or system isn't effective, it's the person using the art or system, and how they've trained towards violent encounters which will determine effectiveness and your hopeful survival.

Self defence really is about being aware and and being pre-emptive. Fighting in pub or club is a little different to the street in that the bouncer is on the ball, 'aware'. Defending yourself in say a mugging situation would require you to be in the same state, 'aware'. Self defence courses are not really all they seem however. When you are next on a course ask the instructor how many of his real life altercations WERE NOT in some way bouncer related... a lot of 'off the door' violence that the bouncer/self defence course instructor relates to, is actually instigated by the bouncer himself, ie to meet & carry on a situation days after the event.

I agree to a degree, Ian, but the fact is, when you work the doors, from the moment the door opens you are 'aware' and 'switched-on'.

Now, I believe that everyone should be aware of their surroundings and enviroment, but no-one in everyday life is going to be as 'switched on' as a nightclub steward (I hate the term 'bouncer') is when he/she is working in an enviroment where violence, unfortunatly, can be the norm.

Also, as I said in my previous post, when working the doors you have the luxury of a team behind you, and believe you me, when it kicks off, you're a LOT less wary of getting 'stuck in'.

Walking through Glasgow City Centre at 3:00am on a Saturday morning, the average punter is not likely to be backed up by a team of professionals.

So I stand by my belif that, whilst working the doors can expose you to real violence, it's not the same as being involved in a live, violent situation in 'the street'.

The dynamics are completly different.

We are sort of saying the same thing. Working as a bouncer in Coventry and being involved in real blood and guts violence for many years gave me an understanding of what is real and what is not. Funny though, as someone who was fighting every week as a bouncer I haven't been anywhere close to a fight in 10 years off doors.

We are regularly advised that self defence is, in the first instance, about avoiding trouble....
So isn't the question you should be asking "how many fights haven't you been involved in?"

I've managed to avoid being in a fight for over a decade, does that make me a self defense expert?

raging pagan wrote:


Fantastic point, and well made, mate

100% agree. FACT: most people will go through their entire life without ever having a single fight. FACT; The people who are training in Real Combat/Self Protection need too!

I totally agree. It's been well over a decade since I was last involved in an altercation of any note. However, many self defence writers do tend to push the angle that no one is safe on the streets these days... I get that bouncers/security personnel need to study the ins and outs of self defence, but does the average civvie really need to be constantly prepared to rip someone's throat out at a moments notice?
A modicum of common sense and heightened awareness if you are walking down a darkened alley alone at midnight should be all most of us will ever need...

Self defence begins with defending your health and sanity and having a strategy for life, these skills also stand you in good stead for attack from others, be it mental, verbal or physical.

I use that self defence every day to maintain health, sanity and to the strategies to deal with everyday life.

You need to look at the bigger picture.