There was clearly some confusion about the Bear Hug Front article, given the questions I had from a few of my advanced instructors and students.
The objective of the article was to provide information about the INIITATING MOVEMENT the hands make in a bear hug from the front defense. Below, I’ve take some of the text from the article last week and highlighted the language with quotes the portions of the language that address the concerns voiced recently.
To be clear, I’m calling for an initiating movement that allows the defender to be in position to make a groin strike if the attacker presses forward faster than anticipated and/or if the defender is simply late with his/her defense (for the purposes of creating room where there otherwise may not be).
In the video below, I explain “the initial motion to best address the risks associated with missing a groin strike during a fast-closing bear hug.” The essence of the concept is to mitigate known risks by utilizing movement that can work whether the initial hand movement is early or late.
By joining the thumbs, for example and as a marker of sorts, and allowing the fingers to then come together as the hands travel forward, defenders achieve two key tactics, (1) the defender makes the probability of an initial groin strike much higher, and (2) the hands are in a position to role from the meeting of the thumbs, then fingers, “and then the palms/inside of the wrist in moving from striking to bracing the attackers hips during the bear hug defense.”
Notice the language at the end of the passage in quotations in the second paragraph just after the number two. By utilizing the initial movement that could result in a groin strike if the space if limited or closed (between the defender’s and attacker’s hips), we can also better set-up the bracing of the palms at the attackers hips – specifically, we are more likely when using the initiating movement to have a better result in the bracing of the attackers hips (as opposed to missing and/or slipping off of the hips by moving to wide with our hands initially).
I trust this clarifies the issue, and I’d encourage you to try this in training with various partners and at various speeds. This movement works much more effectively and with much greater success. Try it, and you’ll see for yourself.
…walk in peace.
Richard Lindsey
Chief! Very informative once again. In my bearhugs from front I use chops, instead of slapping motion to the groin. Also as the old quote says you are killing 2 birds with one stone. You can pop the hips also. I compete in powerlifting, so it limits my flexibility to some defenses. Same as choke from behind. I can’t reach over and pluck. So I do choke from behind with push. Turning and bringing arm down to brake hold. Then finish with combatives. Got to improvise sometimes. Once again thank you. And walk in peace!!!