Tricks Used by Bouncers – Why They’re Tougher Than You

If you spend enough time in an established bar or nightclub where alcohol is freely flowing, sooner or later you’ll witness someone who just can’t hold his liquor.

In drinking establishments, most people get mellow and happy, but a noticeable minority gets angry, argumentative, and combative.

When these drunken troublemakers start to act up, bouncers are worth their weight in gold.

Most long-time bouncers are good at defusing hot tempers and restoring calm to what could have been an explosive situation. But occasionally, they’re forced to get physical.

Here are some ways that bouncers try to get the upper hand when it comes to physical violence:

Observation

Bouncers don’t just stand around flirting with girls. Not if they’re really good at their job, that is.

They are masters of observation. They see what’s going on, they notice patterns and trends, and they can spot trouble from a mile off. A good bouncer knows if a loud-mouth drunk is just spouting off, or if he’s trying to divert attention from his group of friends who are up to no good.

Effective bouncers and security guys rarely go into a sticky situation without knowing exactly what they’re getting themselves into. They know how many guys are in a group of troublemakers, where they’re located, and what they’re up to.

Overwhelming force

So the drunken tough-guy wants to fight the bouncer one-on-one in the street? Not a chance. Bouncers are working for a living. They’re not interested in seeing who is braver or tougher.

They’ll happily gang up on a drunk if it means they can get him out of a crowded bar without injury to the drunk, other patrons, or themselves. Pride has very little place among nightclub security personnel. They get the job done without exposing themselves to possible injury.

And if they’re by themselves? Same idea: if force is required, make it overwhelming so the drunk has no chance to turn the tables and injure anyone else.

Calm in the face of the storm

Nobody ever benefits from going into a berzerk rage and flailing about wildly with bad intent. This might be a tempting strategy if you have no other choice, but it’s always better to be rational, cold-blooded, and calm.

Good bouncers don’t let their emotions get the better of them. If they have to throw a punch, you can be sure that they’ll be able to justify it later in court. And further: you’ll notice that experienced security guys prefer strikes and punches that don’t leave marks: body shots, for instance.

And if you keep reading, you’ll find out how security guys can hit harder than any drunk, with the help of an innocent-looking piece of clothing!

Keep things off-balance

No experienced bouncer will go toe-to-toe with a drunken maniac. Nor will they corner him and force him to fight. They always keep the drunk moving towards the exit, fast and steadily so he has no choice but to move in the “right” direction or fall over.

Bouncers always try to give an adversary a chance to save face by turning and leaving gracefully. Fighting is a last resort.