Sundar J. M. Brown: I am Sundar J. M. Brown with Joe Diamond's Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Today, we’re discussing practical self-defense. In this segment, we are going to look at how to defend ourselves against a bear hug from the back. Typically, my attacker will approach me and wrapping his arms over mine, his goal is to lift me up and throw me on the ground and perhaps, he can punch or kick me from here or he may hold me and his accomplices may come and rob or beat me. So, when this happens, my move is this.
Now, let’s break it down step by step. If I am grabbed unexpectedly from behind, like always, my first thing to do is drop into base. So, I widen my stance, I soften my knees and I lower my hips. In this instance, I also want to lift both arms, palm up at the same time, like this. This relieves a bit of the pressure from the bear hug and at least makes it harder for him to pick me up. If I don’t do this, he has control of my full body and my arms are pinned at my side and he can do whatever he like.
So, as I drop into base, I lift my arms to create a little bit of resistance. This buys me the time I need to notice how my hips are soft. And I want to choose any side, in this instance, I am going to my right, and I tilt my hips this way so that my left leg can pass out and around my opponent's body. You noticed a similar position. I am going to winch down now and with my open hands, grab my opponent behind his knees. I don’t need to grab firmly, I simply need to place my hands here so that I have a decent grip.
Now, for this next portion, because these movements are designed to work against big or stronger attackers, you have to be confident that your weight displacement and your balance is solid. In order to secure this, I want to move my hips below his. If I am standing up too straight, I won’t be able to throw my opponent the way I need to. So, make sure that you are still in a base position. I am stepping from here, which is a base position to here, which is a base position. So, my opponent bear hugs me from behind, I drop him to base, I raise my arms, I step to the side and now, I reach down and secure the knees and make sure that my base is solid.
Now, I simply need to stand up straight. I am going to reach the arc, I let go. Even if my opponent is much larger, he will fall. If I don’t let go, I am just going to keep my opponent on me and I’ll never be able to lift someone like this. So, one more time, if I am grabbed from behind, I drop to a base position and I lift both arms like this. I choose a side for my hips to go to, in this instance; I am going to my right. I move my hips up to the right and I step back and through with my left leg. Now, I reach down and with both hands, I secure my opponent behind the knees. I make sure my hips are lower than his and as I stand up straight, I must lift both his knees at the top of my arc, one more time; full speed.
In our next segment, we’re going to discuss how to defend yourself against basic punches.
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