How To Get Out of a Bear Hug From the Back?

[april]

In one of our karate classes, we had a self defense lesson. The instructor had a big guy do a big hug from the back on one of the female students. His hug was so strong that her arms were stuck on her sides. She tried to reach back with her hands to grab something but no deal because her arms were stuck on the sides. This guy is strong. Next she tried to lift up her legs to back kick his shins but couldn't reach the legs because he knew that would happen so he did a deep solid front stance. So she tried to swing her head around to bite him or hit his head with hers. He buried his head in her neck so deep that she couldn't move her head. She even tried to lift up herself so she can fall down and hope to get out of the grip. He purposely fell on top of her so he pinned her down. We were all watching this and felt really helpless.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[MasterPain]

The most important part is to bring your hips down and forward.

What did the instructor say to do?

If nothing else you learned that having a big strong man on your back is an unpleasant experience. So don't let them get there.

[april]

My instructor was the one who suggested she should drop on the floor. Obviously that did not turn out well.

I wonder if she can force herself to turn completely around and face him. If she can, then it will be interesting to watch.

[MasterPain]

Is this a women's self defense course? Those usuall don't last long enough to develop much real skill. Even if they did, the thing that sucks so much about being smaller and weaker than your attacker is that you are smaller and weaker. This makes defending yourself an terrible experience. That should be one of the main things you take away from the class. Be aware of what's going on around you. Try not to be alone in places where you are vulnerable. If you do have to defend yourself, attack viciously until they let go of you then run somewhere where there are people. The idea is not to win a fight, but to escape as unharmed as possible.

[JusticeZero]

Unfortunately that's a bad situation. It's not the position that's bad, it's more that having someone double your mass who can hold your weight off the ground grab hold of you is not a great position. Most of the ways out I know involve hitting them with all your unbalanced weight to make them fall, but doing it in a way that you end up with your feet under you so that you can pop back up against them at an angle to twist away. Also, screaming a lot to get attention. Yeah, that and not going places where you will be isolated enough not to have some sort of backup soon.

[Montana]

From Nahachi Shodan kata...hands close together, drop and bend your knees about half way thrusting your butt into your opponent and bending slightly forward, this throws his center of gravity off..then thrust your elbows up and out while keeping your hands close together. Should break his grip if done correctly.

The only problem can be if yoru opponent lifts you into the air.

If the opponent is taller or the same height, you can always try to slam your head back into his face if possible.

If your opponet grabs from behind and his arms are on the upper part of your arms (above your elbow), try side stepping slightly to one side and bring one arm up and the other over to your oppsite hip (easier to show than describe) then step behind with your foot ande twist your body towards your opponent...this can cause you to actually throw him to the ground.i

Every situation is different...depends on how they grab you, their/your height, etc.

[Montana]

Another option if you can is to try to pry one finger loose...ANY finger..and pull it back until it breaks...most people will let go.

[sensei8]

I could post a few ways to escape from a bear hug, but I feel that I would be amiss if I first didn't express my honest opinion.

Almost every style of the martial arts "teaches" how to escape from a bear hug; imho, some are effective and some aren't effective.

Having said that, just about every bear hug escape that I've seen had one bad element to it. Could you guess what that bad element is? Imho...it's A COMPLIANT UKE!!

If your training partner isn't willing to put up a fight to keep you in that bear hug, and just let you do whatever you want to do to escape from that bear hug, then your escape is ineffective. Yes, learn the proper ways of "that" said method of escaping from a bear hug, then the compliant Uke is important to learning.

PLEASE RESIST ME; NO MATTER WHAT!! Have many different training partners because not everyone reacts the same way.

[MasterPain]

I could post a few ways to escape from a bear hug, but I feel that I would be amiss if I first didn't express my honest opinion.

Almost every style of the martial arts "teaches" how to escape from a bear hug; imho, some are effective and some aren't effective.

Having said that, just about every bear hug escape that I've seen had one bad element to it. Could you guess what that bad element is? Imho...it's A COMPLIANT UKE!!

If your training partner isn't willing to put up a fight to keep you in that bear hug, and just let you do whatever you want to do to escape from that bear hug, then your escape is ineffective. Yes, learn the proper ways of "that" said method of escaping from a bear hug, then the compliant Uke is important to learning.

PLEASE RESIST ME; NO MATTER WHAT!! Have many different training partners because not everyone reacts the same way.

Where's the thumbs up button? That's why I put up a video of Sakuraba defending from the waist-hold position. Nobody will grab you over your arms, even if they did, what are they going to do from there? It's just not much of an attack.

[Liver Punch]

I could post a few ways to escape from a bear hug, but I feel that I would be amiss if I first didn't express my honest opinion.

Almost every style of the martial arts "teaches" how to escape from a bear hug; imho, some are effective and some aren't effective.

Having said that, just about every bear hug escape that I've seen had one bad element to it. Could you guess what that bad element is? Imho...it's A COMPLIANT UKE!!

If your training partner isn't willing to put up a fight to keep you in that bear hug, and just let you do whatever you want to do to escape from that bear hug, then your escape is ineffective. Yes, learn the proper ways of "that" said method of escaping from a bear hug, then the compliant Uke is important to learning.

PLEASE RESIST ME; NO MATTER WHAT!! Have many different training partners because not everyone reacts the same way.

Where's the thumbs up button? That's why I put up a video of Sakuraba defending from the waist-hold position. Nobody will grab you over your arms, even if they did, what are they going to do from there? It's just not much of an attack.

This pretty much sums it up. I'd start with reverse headbutts, foot stomping, and screaming my head off.