Hello all. I’ve been thinking about a change of life here, I work in an office and I’m starting to feel it really sucks ass. I don’t wanna be working in a place like this all my life. I’m 21, 6’1" 215 now, pretty lean. I was in martial arts when I was younger, it was more self defense then any style, but it really stressed defensive grappling techniques.(It really helped in wrestling, and I’ve never had my ass kicked in a fight. That might have something to do with never being jumped though) So one of the jobs I’ve thought about checking out was a bouncer.
Anyone here know what sort of requirements are needed to become one? Does one have to make it over a certain size? Those that don’t lift weights or arent’ too much into nutrition always ask me if I’ve done a cycle of vitamin S, I haven’t even tried creatine yet. So, basicly this is just a post to gather some thoughts on bouncers at clubs, and such. Do they need a certain amount of training, or need to be a certain size? Have a couple years in another profession? Thanks guys.
Some places may look for a certain size, but I’ve been to many clubs and bars where the bouncers weren’t near 180lbs or had any muscle on them whatsoever. So obviously, size doesn’t always matter. In a college town, bouncing jobs are plentiful. But I’ll tell you right now that you won’t be making a whole lot of money.
A friend of mine did some bouncing for a while. After a year, he was totally sick of it and the people he would see each week. He no longer has any desire to go to bars or clubs after all the stuff he’s seen.
Requirements to be a bouncer in my area: 1. Be overweight. Nothing intimidates like man-tits. 2. Be completely insecure in your masculinity and fighting ability. Compensate by acting surly and never smiling. 3. Always wear a shirt thats 3 sizes too small. Puff out your chest a lot to make it appear even more ill-fitting. 4. Overreact to situations and turn them into fights before they actually are. But this is just where I live.
top 3 requirments to be a bouncer
1: you must be able to spell bouncer
2: you must be a tub-o-lard
3: you must NOT have any fighting or athletic skill
seriously though, bouncers are a joke…they usually are just overgrown hard ass wannabes, who really cant find any other job. sorry pal… but if you are at least able to bench 125 and tie your own shoes you should be considered for the job(a beer gut and lard ass would likely help too)
I know of a 210lb rugby player who won the local fight night & then beat up a 260lb bouncer of the club it was in. I don’t think fighting ability is really important because bouncers travel in packs.
earth to jake!!! you want to quit and office job and be a bouncer??? um…unless your office job is cleaning the bathroom floors with a tooth brush (your tooth brush) stick with it. YES look for something better, but why would you want to be a bouncer? you’re out all night, you can’t hang with your friends, and you have to sleep all day. and, most likely, no sick time, no benefits, no vacation, no lunch hour, no coffee machine. however, you can look forward to drunk assholes puking on you, starting fights, and checking id’s at the door.
I agree with Drax. It doesn’t matter how tough you are because you’re going to have a bunch of other bouncers with you. But at least if you know how to defend a punch you won’t get sucker punched as easy.
Why don’t you just see if you can get a job as a bouncer on the weekends, that way you can see if you like it and then decide?
Hoo boy, a bouncer? I get where you’re coming from, you don’t car for office work or office culture. I hear ya bro. Now if you are looking for something more exciting, you can do way better than being a bouncer. If you really feel like you need a job with a potential for getting into scuffles, talk to the nearest bail bond business. There’s probably a whole strip near the detention center in your town. Better still, find a P.I. that specializes in foreclosures investigations. Depending on what you do now, your office experience will work for you because these guys need people who can chase a paper trail. Plus, you’ll get paid more than a whole team of bouncers and get into plenty more fights, fistfights, knifefights, gunfights, etc. Best of luck.
The best way to get a bouncer/doorman job is to be freinds with the owner or manager of a club, turn over is high, people come and go. If he/she likes you I’ll bet you’ll get hooked up, regardless of your size. Good luck, outlaw.
Jake, I did work as a bouncer in a night club in a college town for five years way back when I was in college. Even though I didn’t fit the requirements in some of the previous points (although they were humorous, man-tits, etc) I did keep myself in excellent shape, but not because I was a bouncer. I too was several years into martial arts and wrestled. Very seldom did any of these skills come in handy. Some of the advantages were that I worked at night on weekends so that left a lot of time for studying (I was a kinesiology/physiology major). I got to hang with a lot of cool people that I knew from school. I was a good arena to use all of the E-tra T I had pounding through my system (naturally, I was too poor being both a college student and a Husband at the time). Money was decent. As for the disadvantages. I worked in a very unhealthy environment. Smoked filled bars are not the best thing for a bodybuilders lungs (or anyone elses for that matter.) Cleaning up puke and other messes that drunks are noted for. One of the biggest risks is injury to yourself and that resulting in downtime in the gym. I made several trips to the ER to get stitched up after some ass decided that a mug or pitcher was a suitable weapon for a fight. If you happen to be alone, you run the risk of getting it on with several of the guys buddies at the same time (been there) I have had by knee taken out several times resulting in loss of time in the gym, suffered a fractured hand as a result of throwing punches and not knowing when to quit. None of this is meant to talk you either into or out of this but merely let you in on what goes on. It is really not the cool glory job you see in the movies. And there is always the first time you get a gun pointed right at your head. I have just because someone decided it was not time for them to leave and you couldn’t make them. Anyway, good luck and make a decision based on what is best for you in the long run not just to pump up the ego.
Jake, the mere fact that you would even consider being a bouncer qualifies you to be one. Why don’t you get some education and get a job that interests you and has a future?
There are some very well connected, big, intelligent and well dressed and well mannered bouncers in some of the higher class clubs. I could count them on one hand though, and the rest I know have to take out the trash when the club closes.
I bounced in a leather bondage bar. To bounce in a situation like that you have to have an open mind some size and issues to back it up proper. I think the most difficult situation was one time when I had to kick a hell’s angel out of the bar that was scary other than that it was all cake. I had several friends who were bouncers at normal clubs and it was very rare that they ever had to lay hands on anyone so size was a non issue. You do not get paid shit though so you cannot really make a living of it. Well some do but not the way I would want to live. I just did it as a side light in the eves. Peace, K
Depends where, realy. I have been doing door work in the uk for 5 years during and since leaving university, mainly so i could concentrate on my NHB fighting, but as far as size, im 200lb and generally never had a problem. As far as the abilities go, martial arts etc does help, as those that can, dont necessarily do. Fights are rare, but it goes with the territory, especially if it is shitty territory. I still do it and have a good job with a pharma company, but i enjoy it, i like the people (PHD in tissue engineerin…i kid you not) that i work with, and the EXTRA money comes in handy for holidays. It keeps me off the beer! and i met my young lady there, so it has been good for me. Do it for extra, then decide if you want to do it full time. It aint easy