Customer Reviews

Watch My Back: A Bouncer's Story

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This is Fantastic. It is a hard pill for the martial artist to swallow, to find out that what they practise is rarley practical. The empirical techniques Geoff uses may seem like savagery but when you need to survive fights where £3000 worth of glass is broken, and when you have a gang of over a 100 people after you, your techniques and stratigies must be very economical and effective. This is also very funny, and is a brilliant insight into societies culture dish: The Nite Club.

Geoff is a great author who has undergone a few changes since this book was released in the early part of the 90's. His books give you the truth about physical confrontation and how to react in certain situations. He has no qualms about stating weaknesses in the Martial Arts of today that have not moved with the times and can be downright unsafe for those who think that combat in the dojo/training hall is the same when hit with the scary reality of an assault which is never announced in the same way as taught in the gym. This books pulls no punches and is as real as you can get without immersing yourself in the same dangerous role of doorman. He has released an updated book which encompasses his other books "Bouncer" & "On the Door" as well as this in the one volume of "Watch my back". He has risen was above his many counterparts in the Martial Arts and is now a major influence to a great many people with his views and positive outlook on life . His books now show the futility of violence and show how the bigger man can walk away and hold his head high without letting the ego get in the way My advice is to get reading from this great man, his knowledge and advice could help you in many aspects of life from physical training to being a better person. The world needs more like him.......

When I first came to the end of reading Watch My Back, I felt compelled to go right back to the start and read again. It isn't just a book about martial arts or bouncing - it is a book about life and the sort of fears and worries that we all have lurking within. And as with all of Geoff's other titles, there is something that we can all gain by reading them. Watch My Back really affected me and my life in many ways. Firstly, it made me realise that no matter who you are, we all have obsticals in life that can be overcome if we really want it. And secondly, it forced me to eventually meet and befriend Geoff, who is a great man. His advice has led me to try my hand at writing and I am now a published author myself. Watch My Back - simply superb!

Geoff T. takes you on a ride through the torid storm that was his life 'on the door.' He opens up his heart and allows you to share in his dreams and his fears in one of the most honest accounts that I have ever read. He unfolds entire situations for you to read that help you to better understand just what a cruel, sadistic, egotistical world it is that we live in but also leaves room for humour. GT battles his own demons, describes the various opponents he has faced and shows not only one of the toughest and dedicated minds but also one that came to learn discipline and philosophy to get him out of the rut that he found himself in. A must for any doorman (bouncer) or wannabe but a compeling read for any member of the general public.

This is one of the most insightful books that I have ever read. If you want to learn fighting, learn it from this guy, he knows what he is talking about. This book is great for the soul and body.

Geoff Thompson is a martial arts expert. A 6th Dan at Karate and 1st Dan at Judo as well as studying many other styles. However buying this on the basis that you might learn something about martial arts would be a mistake.

The story basically covers his life as a doorman with small periods covered before and after these years. Its a violent true story and the tales he tells are compelling reading. Working in Coventry in the 1980's, he dealt with some of the nastiest hoods and nutcakes around. As a Doorman Thompsons main tactic was to initially try and sort the problem out without resorting to violence. However when it came to the crunch and a troublemaker had to be dealt with - "BANG" he would nail them with a knock-out punch (to the side of the jaw I guess) before they could do anything. Invariably one punch was enough, however sometimes if the mood took him he would roundhouse kick their head as they fell to the floor!

There is one particularly unpleasant incident, which Geoff Thompson was not involved in, that he recounts that I found hard to read. Partly this is because I knew he was describing something that was a true story. So if you are easily upset by descriptions of acts of violence this not a book to buy.

Geoff Thompson has gone on to write, appear on TV, and produce a huge amount of material on martial arts and the psychology of fighting and self-defence. Everything I have read of his so far has been of interest. You will probably only read this one once (I did in 3 days) but its well worth getting.