The bear hug

[Evergrey]

Often I see people talking about defending against a bear hug, how you need to learn to defend yourself against it "out on the street."

But I've never actually heard of anyone being attacked with a bear hug.

Is this something that happens much? Have you ever had someone grab you with a bear hug? Do you know anyone who has? Have you heard of it happening?

I just wonder, because they always have self defense classes and seminars and stuff that are about bear hugs, or having the front of your shirt grabbed, or being choked.

Me, I was grabbed from behind and attacked once, but I was seven years old, and it wasn't a bear hug, I was grabbed by my arms.

So, why so much emphasis on bear hugs and being grabbed by the shoulder or the front of your shirt? Am I missing something, does this actually happen a lot?

[Raycetpfl]

Abduction, rape or a bigger person attempting to overpower a smaller person is the type of scenario where a bear hug would come into play.
Also the only public school sponsored martial art in the USA is wrasslin. It's called a bodylock in wrestling not a bear hug. Chris Lytle actually hit the Gracie Basics bear hug\body lock defense in a UFC fight.
The counter is a rolling kneebar.

[slamdunc]

Years ago, we trained self-defense arts against grabs (including bear hugs) and admittedly, it was partially to be more well-rounded in training and secondarily, as filler material. I got grabbed by one of my very large, freak-show strong friends one night and after all that 'training', I couldn't do shit to get out of that one because he not only had the lock, but he had position. If this had been someone really trying to hurt me, I would have been hurt. If I were going to initiate an altercation from the rear, I would use a rear take-down or RNC and not the bear hug.

[Holy Moment]

It's a Street move.

[Hadzu]

The counter is a rolling kneebar.

I've also been taught a technique involving prying one of the arms loose and locking up a kimura. I think I've seen a video somewhere of one of the Diaz brothers teaching that technique.

[Raycetpfl]

I've also been taught a technique involving prying one of the arms loose and locking up a kimura. I think I've seen a video somewhere of one of the Diaz brothers teaching that technique.

If they are a good wrestler they will suplex. Examples : Rory Mcdonald vs. Nate Diaz he suplexes him like 5 times in that fight because that's the defense he was using.
This year's adcc HW final match Orlando Sanchez landed about 4 suplexes because his opponent chose to grip fight instead of roll to the ground. It won Orlando the Crown basically.
It's not that it doesn't work, it's just that it can be countered in that fashion.
A suplex on concrete will remove IQ points. It's definitely something you wanna have an answer for.

[ChenPengFi]

I've also been taught a technique involving prying one of the arms loose and locking up a kimura. I think I've seen a video somewhere of one of the Diaz brothers teaching that technique.

[Raycetpfl]

The Bodylock is badass. Lateral drops,suplexes, hip tosses, sacrafice thows into mount ,trips plus double and single leg transitions.
If you don't have answers for the bodylocks/bear hugs shit could go south fast.

[Raycetpfl]

Renzo is aware of that move working.
I love that picture of them after that fight all smiles and what not. Official Tough Guy Shit.

[W. Rabbit]

Abduction, rape or a bigger person attempting to overpower a smaller person is the type of scenario where a bear hug would come into play.
Also the only public school sponsored martial art in the USA is wrasslin. It's called a bodylock in wrestling not a bear hug. Chris Lytle actually hit the Gracie Basics bear hug\body lock defense in a UFC fight.
The counter is a rolling kneebar.

[ChenPengFi]

Renzo is aware of that move working.
I love that picture of them after that fight all smiles and what not. Official Tough Guy Shit.

Seriously.
I like the look on Saku's face when the arm goes.

[W. Rabbit]

Seriously.
I like the look on Saku's face when the arm goes.

Que'd this up just for you:

https://youtu.be/KH3ZiOEUksc?t=674

[Raycetpfl]

I thought this thread needed more street
https://youtu.be/iOXB7hbBv_8

Oh yeah only click that if you wanna see a KO by "bear Hug"

[Holy Moment]

The key to defending is keeping your hips away. A dude looking for a bodylock is going to want to hike you up and suck you in. You have to clamp down on his arms and get your hips out of there until you can pummel in and reassert control; if need be, a forearm across the throat can help you keep your distance and make your opponent's face red if he keeps pressing forward like a gotard (I used to do this to a dude on my junior college team named Caveman Ken. Like a dog that keeps choking himself on his own leash, he never learned). For the back clinch, get your hips away and press down on his grip.

Bad things can happen if gets the death grip.

[The Cap]

Is this something that happens much? Have you ever had someone grab you with a bear hug? Do you know anyone who has? Have you heard of it happening?

I grabbed someone in a bearhug on the street just Thursday. An angry old scottish man tried to push me and steal my cab, so I locked him up in a front bodylock and swung him right out of the thing. 100% street effective, he'd clearly never learnt how to escape one.