20 Key Observations after 20yrs of Operating Bars & Nightclubs
(1) Most incidents happen in or around bars late at night and often involve young people in their late teens to early 30's.
Beyond that though they seem to be conventional crimes (i.e. robbery, sex assaults etc).
(2) Most conflicts are quick encounters. They often happen very fast with just one or two hits.
We know because we've witnessed or sometimes been involved with literally hundreds of incidents over the years. For example, four of our security staff ended up in hospital after being stabbed with knives.
(3) Attacks by multiple aggressors are common these days.
(4) Its also rare to see people go to ground and wrestle, either on the street or in a venue. Why? We think for the attached reasons (click here).
(5) In real life it's often cumbersome and impractical to do high kicks. That's not to say they can't work, but note the attached (click here).
Also note; in many cases it's often impractical to do any kicks at all, particularly when two people start by standing toe to toe while arguing.
(6) The simplest form of hand fighting to learn is Boxing.
Boxing is also very effective and takes advantage of the shortest point between you and your opponent's head (click here).
(7) Many people avoid boxing for a sensible reason. They don't want to get their nose broken while practicing. Fortunately there is a solution.
They now have super thick gloves and head gear to protect your face!
(8) Palm heal strikes which are common in Kung Fu are easy to apply and often seem to be used with great effect in practice.
They also leave the hands open for grappling so we think they're good.
(9) If you're hell bent though on damaging your opponent and have plenty of time to train, then it's hard to go past Thai Boxing (Mua Thai).
It's highly effective with knees and elbows but often requires fighting at close quarters, which doesn't suit some people. Particularly part time warriors who just want to get fit and learn how to defend themselves.
We do however employ some Thai Boxing techniques though, a few basic elbow and knee strikes, which brings us to the next point.
(10) Thai boxers don't normally do 'katas', which for the uninitiated are 'patterns of movement' practiced in many traditional martial arts.
Needless to say neither do we 'but' note the attached (click here).
(11) It's better to be a master of one thing than a jack of all trades, particularly if you have limited time.
We think that is the key; to concentrate on a limited range of core techniques, which we know from our own real experience are very practical and then practice them regularly but in a realistic way.
So like our Thai friends, we like sparring and hitting bags.
(12) It's critical to have good balance. It's the foundation of all technique.
Besides, watch enough street fights and you'll be surprised how often people simply fall over themselves. In this regard also note that Boxers don't have many stances but do emphasise balance. We like that approach because even though when we were taught karate they had many different stances, ironically, if you read a 'Book of Five Rings' by Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's most famous Samurai, he only emphasised one; the natural stance for walking!
(13) At this point the more intelligent reader might be asking; well if all of the above is accurate then shouldn't I just go and learn Kick Boxing?
That's a great thing to do but if you want to learn how to defend yourself then also be aware that Kick Boxing is a 'sport', which has been modified for viewing entertainment. Some of the most effective self defence aspects have been taken out. For example, note the following quote about it from the Budo Info Gallery (click here).
(14) It's not necessarily the biggest or best fighter who wins but often the best thinker who can stay calm.
So for any self defence system to be effective, it should include training on how to remain calm, control your breathing and think clearly. Knowledge dispels fear, so a key aspect of such is to also be taught to understand why your body responds in certain ways when threatened (eg. a fast pulse, dry mouth etc). This is very important!
(15) Likewise, the best form of self defence is avoidance, so people not only need to be taught how to look for trouble but also how to avoid it.
Budo Boxing is a 'defensive' art which focuses on avoiding trouble. To do so though requires the 'right attitude' coupled with 'strong discipline'. One without the other is of limited use. There are a lot of disciplined professional footballers who can't stay out of trouble!
Once again, this is not always a key element of Kick Boxing. We've seen quite a few guys who could really fight but also ended up in jail.
(16) It pays to be fit and strong. Not just so that you can have lots of energy but also so you can wear a few body blows if necessary.
Besides, as research shows, you're less likely to be a target if you look fit because most thugs seek soft targets. We don't think it's necessary though to be able to do hundreds of situps or run a marathon, as most real-life situations are short, sharp encounters!
(17) No matter how fit and strong you are though it's equally important to look confident.
For this reason Budo Boxing incorporates confidence building exercises normally only found in traditional martial arts (eg. board breaks).
(18) If you find yourself in trouble though, the eyes are the window to the sole, so it pays to be able to make strong, relaxed eye contact.
Never take your eyes off the threat though because that's when you'll get hit. So people must be taught how to face danger and stay focused.
(19) It doesn't matter what you practice unless you believe in it!
We've known guys with black belts etc, only to see them freeze when trouble arises.
Why? Because they don't believe in their ability. Having said that though, we've also employed a lot of excellent people from a range of disciplines (eg. Karate, Kung Fu, Ju Jitsu, Freestyle etc). The point is though that unless you're trained in a practical way that also develops the right spirit then you may not be confident.
(20) Never under-estimate anyone, particularly women. If well trained they have a key advantage over any who do underestimate them!
Copyright © 2007 Phillip Hogan (c/o. Hogan Leisure, 2nd Flr, 127 Charlotte St, Brisbane, Qld 4000 Australia).