Escape from Bear Hug

Escape from a bear hug with a Karate technique. Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate also teaches real-life applications like escape from holds as shown in this picture sequence.

Karate is not all about punching and kicking. Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate also teaches real-life applications like escape from holds. Often, the more sophisticated techniques are captured and tradited in Katas. The application and exploration of meaning of techniques in Katas is called Bunkai and represents an integral part of Karate.

Escape from bear hug

Escape from a bear hug with a Karate technique

The picture sequence shows the bunkai of a certain Kata. An attacker has rushed in and holds the defendent from behind with a bear hug. Just like in the kata, the defender executes a technique that uses the body like a spring loaded lever that throws the opponent right off her back.

Of course there are countless ways to escape bear hugs, including strikes with the back of the head, groin strikes with the fist, elbow strikes to the stomach, stomping on the attackers feet, hooking into the attackers knees etc etc. This particular technique is all but one way in which on can escape a bear hug – it is important to learn many techniques, because each real life situation is different, and may call for an instant variation of the theme. Only if you have a good repertoire of techniques will you be able to choose the right technique at the right time.