Rear Bear Hug (Under the Arm) is escaped by which technique?

• A. Hammer & Bar
• B. The Shovel Under Escape
• C. Hip Push Escape
• D. Push Bar

Answer: (A)

In this situation the goal is to disrupt the grip quickly and create a clear path to escape. The Hammer & Bar escape does that by combining a compact, close-range strike with a controlling hand position to break the hug and open space.

A hammer-fist strike directed to the attacker’s grip or forearm delivers a sharp, fast disruption to the hold, which weakens their grip strength in that moment. At the same time, the other hand traps and bars the arm, helping to pry the hug apart and keep their arm from re-gripping you. This combination creates just enough space to rotate offline and slip out to the side, turning a tight rear hug into a controllable exit.

Other approaches can be useful in different contexts, but they tend to rely more on pushing or shifting weight without directly breaking the grip as quickly. The shovel-under maneuver focuses on slipping under the arm, the hip push relies on shifting the body’s angle from behind, and the push-bar approach emphasizes pushing away rather than immediately breaking the hold. In this specific rear bear hug scenario, the Hammer & Bar sequence addresses the grip first and foremost, making it the most effective path to escape.