Defense Against The Bearhug

[MJS]

Pretty much every art out there has a number of defenses against the bearhug, both front and rear. I thought that we could discuss some of the best defenses that you've seen for this type of attack, as well as things that may be overlooked in some defenses.

Some things to keep in mind while discussing the techniques:

The intention of the attack- what they want to acheive once they get the grab.

Arms pinned or free

If the arms are pinned, where are they grabbing us on the arm?

What tools are available to us at the time.

 

[samurai69]

I think what ever position the bear hug is done from, its important to drop bodyweight

unless being lifted from behind with arms pinned in which case back kicks to legs/groin then as weight drops forward, drop body weight and then push back to head butt attackers chin


.

 

[thetruth]

Though you can't actually practice this at your school. If you get caught in a front bear hug with your arms pinned start with spitting in their face or if the top of their head is below your face spit in their hair. This works better for guys as a violent confrontation for a guy is usually dealt with via striking. Once they start bear hugging you the escalation has diminished a little which will mean the adrenaline they have built up won't stop them being truly disgusted by what you just did to the point they may let go or loosen. From there it is up to you to follow up.

Plus if they have you in a bear hug both of their arms are tied up so a few lung biscuits in their face or hair won't put you at risk of being hit. However if they just wanted a hug to start with you have now started a fight

Cheers
Sam

 

[SFC JeffJ]

Great stuff! Foot/instep stomps can be great too.

 

[MJS]

I think what ever position the bear hug is done from, its important to drop bodyweight

unless being lifted from behind with arms pinned in which case back kicks to legs/groin then as weight drops forward, drop body weight and then push back to head butt attackers chin


.

Good point! That should make it harder, should the person grabbing attempt to lift and throw you to the ground.

Though you can't actually practice this at your school. If you get caught in a front bear hug with your arms pinned start with spitting in their face or if the top of their head is below your face spit in their hair. This works better for guys as a violent confrontation for a guy is usually dealt with via striking. Once they start bear hugging you the escalation has diminished a little which will mean the adrenaline they have built up won't stop them being truly disgusted by what you just did to the point they may let go or loosen. From there it is up to you to follow up.

Plus if they have you in a bear hug both of their arms are tied up so a few lung biscuits in their face or hair won't put you at risk of being hit. However if they just wanted a hug to start with you have now started a fight

Cheers
Sam

Certainly a nasty thing to do, but it just may buy some time inbetween moves.

Great stuff! Foot/instep stomps can be great too.

Agreed!


Some great replies! Thanks to all of those that posted! I was also hoping that we could look at some various techniques from the arts that we study.

Mike

 

[bushidomartialarts]

headbutts are key here, whether you're really slamming them or pressing with your forehead to manipulate the face. it'll at the very least get their attention off the hold for a moment.

from my system, vs. a bear hug from behind, arms pinned or free...

step hard right into a horse stance, pulling the badguy off balance. step aroud behind with your left leg. make sure to press your left knee into the pit of his right knee. turn your torso counterclockwise while flailing both arms. he'll fall over. if he takes you with him, you get to put your elbow in is gut a la wwe.

 

[Odin]

My fav is to dig your hands under their ribcage and pull it up (if you can get your hands high enough if you can he wont be able to hold that hold for long) if not head butts are the one,or even knees to the groin.

 

[SFC JeffJ]

At my ikkyu testing, a memeber of the testing board came up and put me in a front bearhug with arms pinned for me to escape from. Dropped my center and my knee went right into his groin. Not a particuraly hard blow, but not soft either. Found out he wasn't wearing wearing a cup. Said they were uncomfortable. From his reaction, my knee there was a lot less comfy than wearing a cup though.

Little off topic, but it does involve bearhugs and a good defense against them.

Oh, and the other memebers of the board laughed thier butts off.

Jeff

 

[Odin]

you know I just thought when i was in high school and used to play fight with my mates a good defence for a bear hug from behind was to simply shout 'errrrghhh he's trying to rape me!!'....most would just let go,who knows it might work now.

 

[Henderson]

This must all be taken within the context of the attack itself. If the assailant is alone, and bearhugs you from behind with arms pinned, just relax. Why do anything? His arms are occupied. He can't kick you from this hold. I don't care how strong he is, he can't hold my 225 lbs in the air that long. He will become tired and drop me.

Arms free is another story. If grabbed from behind, I am fond of testing the flexibility of his fingers. No matter what grip he chooses, all the fingers cannot be concealed.

Keeping with the humor in this thread...If grabbed in a bearhug from the front? Kiss him on the forehead. You are pretty much guaranteed to be released.

 

[bignick]

Keeping with the humor in this thread...If grabbed in a bearhug from the front? Kiss him on the forehead. You are pretty much guaranteed to be released.

Or taken home for dinner...

 

[swiftpete]

I've found that dropping weight forward onto my right leg and pushing matching arm forward and slightly up simultaneusly, with a little shoulder shimmy move can easily throw someone even if they have a hard grip from behind. Secret as with a lot of techniques is to relax and not be tense. My instructor was showing us this really simple release the other day and my friend who is 3" taller and about 40 lbs heavier, couldn't keep hold of me.
it's not easy with words to explain exactly what i mean though unfortunately!

 

[7starmantis]

headbutts are key here, whether you're really slamming them or pressing with your forehead to manipulate the face. it'll at the very least get their attention off the hold for a moment.

from my system, vs. a bear hug from behind, arms pinned or free...

step hard right into a horse stance, pulling the badguy off balance. step aroud behind with your left leg. make sure to press your left knee into the pit of his right knee. turn your torso counterclockwise while flailing both arms. he'll fall over. if he takes you with him, you get to put your elbow in is gut a la wwe.

Part the Horses Main - Tai Chi

This works great from a variety of behind grabs including arm grabs and such and works from either side too.

7sm

 

[Henderson]

For those familiar with kata Seuinchin, the extension of the arms to the front with crossed wrists, then rotating them over and thrusting elbow to the rear while sinking into neko ashi dachi is a fine bunkai for a rear bearhug.

 

[Henderson]

Then again...from a true self-defense point of view, what were we doing and where were our awareness skills the whole time this assumed agressor was getting close enough to grab us? But alas, that is another discussion.

 

[7starmantis]

Then again...from a true self-defense point of view, what were we doing and where were our awareness skills the whole time this assumed agressor was getting close enough to grab us? But alas, that is another discussion.

Haha, very good! My instructor says that all the time when people ask about certain situations.

7sm

 

[KenpoTex]

If they're trying to drag you or move you around, establish your base by dropping your weight. Follow up with head-butts, foot-stomps, and groin attacks (strikes or grabs) until they release. Then finish the fight in whatever manner you prefer (takedown, striking, etc.)

If they try to pick you up, "grapevine" with ONE leg until they set you back down, then start attacking.

If your arms are free, they've just made it that much easier for you to inflict damage.

 

[still learning]

Hello, Great stuffs here guys!

Just want to share a story. My son was grab from behind with a bear hug and his first instincts was a headbutt. It turn out to be his friend playing around. His buddy let go right away, and had a very sore head.

The one that is taught in our classes is (bear hug from behind) to squat down, moving the left leg out down and pushing both hands straight out. From here we go into one of our attack mode. examples: right back elbow, right hammer fist the groin,and right elbow up to chin and left rear hook kick to groin, turn around and if the person needs more attention, we can always add more.............Aloha

 

[Hand Sword]

Yep! That will do just fine, in most cases.

 

[Jonathan Randall]

This must all be taken within the context of the attack itself. If the assailant is alone, and bearhugs you from behind with arms pinned, just relax. Why do anything? His arms are occupied. He can't kick you from this hold. I don't care how strong he is, he can't hold my 225 lbs in the air that long. He will become tired and drop me.

True, given your size - but sometimes the person will attempt to THROW you into something from a rear-bearhug, so if there are objects around you could be hurled into a delay of even a split-second could be costly. As for myself, I am smaller than you are and cannot afford to wait.