Bear Hug Takedown
Takedown · Standing
Takes you from double underhooks to side control by bending them backward and sitting them down. Use it when they lean back away from you. Lock your hands at the small of their back on the belt line and squeeze with the forearms; head on their chest or beside their head, knees bent, hips lower than theirs. Pull their hips in as you step forward and push your chest out, so their back bends and their weight goes behind their heels, then step to the outside and block or step behind one leg so they cannot plant to catch themselves. Sit them down and land on your knees beside them, keeping the lock until they hit the mat. If they post a hand behind, keep driving to side control; if they push your head with both hands, suplex. Never slam.
How to do it
- From double underhooks, lock your hands at the small of their back, at the belt line, and squeeze with the forearms, not just the hands.
- Pull their hips in and put your head on their chest or beside their head. Keep your knees bent, hips lower than theirs, back straight and head up.
- Step forward and drive your chest into them while the lock keeps pulling their hips toward you: hips in, chest out, so their back bends backward.
- Angle off by stepping to the outside, then block one leg with your leg from the outside, or step behind it, so they cannot plant the foot to catch themselves.
- Sit them down onto their back and follow on top, landing on your knees beside them rather than with your full weight. Keep the lock until they hit the mat, then release into side control.
Key details
- Pull the hips in and push the chest out: his back bends and his weight goes behind his heels, so he loses balance.
- Squeeze hard with the forearms, not just the hands: the forearms pin his lower back so the hips cannot slide away.
- Knees bent and hips lower than theirs, back straight, head up: from below you can drive into them without being pulled forward.
- Angle off before the trip: step to the outside so they cannot plant the feet.
- It is the simplest body lock takedown, good for beginners; keep the lock until they hit the mat, then release into side control.
- Your lead leg steps in between their feet to split the stance, then step around while pulling the lock to you and looking behind them: they fall where your head looks. For extra leverage slide the lock to their kidney on the side away from the fall.
Common mistakes
- Hands high on the ribs. — Their hips stay free and they sprawl them back, so you cannot bend them. — Lock at the belt line, forearms on the small of the back.
- Pulling without stepping in. — Pulling alone makes you lean back, and they fall onto you. — Step in so your chest drives into them while the hands pull the hips.
- Falling with your full weight. — Your weight lands on them as they hit the mat, and their head hits the mat hard. — Sit them down and land on your knees beside them.
How to drill it
Pummelling for double underhooks, 2 minutes; then bear hug takedowns, 5 each side; then live clinch rounds.
Safety
Keep the partner's head off the mat: sit them down, do not slam. Slams are illegal in BJJ.
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