M.A for a living

[Wu-Xing]

Has anyone ever considerd using their M.A training to make a living?i dont mean teaching.Im talking about jobs like a bouncer or more so, a professional bodyguard? i would like to get some feedback on this because it is a serious consideration of mine.thanx for your time guys...

[Budokan]

Yeah, I've considered it. Then I realized I have more to offer life than running a vomit-stained drunk redneck out of some dive at 2 a.m.

But, that's just me.

[Badger]

Try calling your State Board of Private Investigators to see what is required for your state.

Also check out:ESI (http://www.esi-lifeforce.com/indexfile.html)

Its a hard business to break into....if you do prepare to spend many boring hours sitting,standing & watching.

Dont do it to try to kick someones butt...Its a little more about avoiding situations...No
Hollywood crap.


Good Luck!

Badger

[Wu-Xing]

im not interested in it to kick butt,ive have kicked and had mine kicked in the past.thanks for the esi link ,ive been checking out their site for the last few days.but i think you misunderstood my question,i wasnt asking for advice on how to get into it or what it entails,iwas asking for your personal opinions on it,if you ever considerd it etc.

budokan;i agree with you an the bouncer thing.thats why im not all that interested in that area.

thanks for the reply's lads

[David Jamieson]

Yes, I have worked as a doorman for establishments ranging from "hole" to "not bad, why do they need a bouncer?" :)

I had not had any Kung Fu training, but had trained in Karate, TKD, and boxing when I did this.

Virtually all times there was a problem the perp was drunk and there was no need to use any martial arts. But the training did contribute the mindset to carefully assess the situation and to handle the person without hurting them.

We always worked in teams of at least 2 people. Don't take a door job where you will be the only guy there, it is not very safe and is reflective of poor judgement on the owners part. But that's just a side thought.

If you really want to have credibility as a "bodyguard" then get yourself into the armed forces. virtually all professional bodyguards who take care of business or political figures have military experience. Something to think about.

Anyway, good luck and think about it seriously, research it seriously and don't do anything on a whim in this area.

peace

[MightyB]

When I first graduated from college, the US Secret Service was recruiting heavily. I thought strongly about trying to get into their uniformed service division, but I was a newlywed at the time and didn't think that that lifestyle would have been fair to my wife.

I'm currently looking into the US Coastguard Reserve since I live in a state where there's a lot of shipping traffic.

If you have a bachelor's degree and a clean record, you may want to look at the US Secret Service as a possible career. Or, become a police officer.

[David Jamieson]

Good point mighty B.

Law enforcement work or training will help you along the way no doubt.

Even square badge work (security guard at a mall or the like) will give you a sense of what's going on in the area and what you will need to know in some cases.

peace

[guohuen]

Had to use martial arts as a correctional officer. No weapons and no bars between you and the inmates. 40 inmates to two or three officer ratio. Taught hand to hand and bayonette drill in the Rangers. Currently I bartend/bounce as the case may be. Almost never have to get physical or raise my voice because I put off happy vibes.
That said, do you know thw difference between a stagecoach driver and a bartender? A stagecoach driver only has to look at 6 *******s at once.:D

[guohuen]

Sorry, I meant to say a-s-s-h-o-l-e-s, not *******s.

[shaolinboxer]

HAHAHAHAHAH!

Kung Lek - "Do the Fu"

That sure did strike me funny.

I've never worked as a bouncer of anysort, but as a barback I observed them at many clubs and events.

They do work in teams, with a leader who (at a high level club) is usually older and has a calmness about him that is both reassuring and frightening. It seemed to me that when altercations did arise, man power and mass seemed to be the most effective method of control. I recall seeing two of the largest men I've ever seen escorting a third giant out of Webster Hall in a double hammer lock. That was probably the most martial artsy thing I saw, and it ended with the guy vomiting on his own shoes and falling down all own his own once they let go of him.

Perhaps the thing you learn the most is compassion. The lead bouncer was always super nice, and never seemed to get insulted. He often had to calm down his own team, and a lot of people approached him about work...he gave a detialed explaination to each of them about courses, qualifications, etc. It seemed like a hard field to break into (at the "executive" level). Man someday I hope I have eyes like that grey hair did.....

Anyway, just rambling. Good luck and be careful.