Which description matches the hammer and bar escape (repetition)?

• A. The subject has attacked the officer with a rear bear hug UNDER THE ARMS.
• B. The officer is on his back after being tackled to the ground and the subject is punching at the officer's head from between the officer's legs.
• C. The officer has escaped the subject's mount by bridging and rolling the subject over.
• D. The subject is on his knees beside and choking the officer with two hands.

Answer: (A)

Hammer and bar escape tests your ability to break free when someone has grabbed you from behind in a bear hug with their arms under yours, and then repeat the motion to ensure you stay free. The move starts from that grip situation: the attacker wraps arms around your torso from behind, under your arms, which controls your upper body and limits your vision and options. To escape, you quickly create space and disrupt the grip in two coordinated steps.

First, you drive a quick, controlled hammer action with a forearm or elbow against the attacker’s grip to pry the hold apart. This immediate, focused contact targets the point where you’re being constricted, forcing the opponent’s arms to loosen their hold. Immediately after, you use a bar-like leverage by pivoting your hips and turning your body to bring the freed arm across and around, pushing outward and stepping laterally to face the attacker and establish distance. If the grip re-secures, you repeat the sequence—hammer to break the hold again, then bar to regain separation—until you’re free.

This sequence aligns with a rear bear hug under the arms, which is the setup for applying hammer and bar escape (repetition).