Under-Arms Bear Hug

According to Gracie Barra Twin Cities, your legs are critical because if you don't use them well, you won't be able to keep your opponent down. You need to open a wide base with your legs rather than putting your knee on the ground, which is ineffective even in tournament scoring—the only way to get your point is with a wide, stable base.

Gracie Barra Twin Cities emphasizes grabbing your wrist with all five fingers on the same side, avoiding placing your thumbs underneath the opponent's wrist, as this reduces your power. Your other hand should hold their shoulder while you close your elbows to your body and posture up to create leverage.

According to Bellingham BJJ, the priority is to prevent them from lifting you—if they pick you up, you need to hook their legs and ride them backward into their hips. Prevention is key: don't let them get behind you, and if they do, don't allow them to grab you around the waist in the first place.

The Under-Arms Bear Hug subfamily covers bear hug positions where the attacker's arms encircle the opponent's torso beneath the opponent's arms, leaving the opponent's arms free above the grip. While less controlling than the over-arms variant (the opponent retains arm mobility), the under-arms bear hug provides deeper body contact and a lower centre of control, making it effective for waist-level lifts and body lock takedowns.

The under-arms bear hug is the more common clinch position in practical grappling, as it naturally occurs when a fighter drives into the body from a lower level. It is fundamental to both Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling clinch work.

Unified MMA: разрешён — Legal — clinching is integral to MMA; IJF: разрешён — Legal — kumi-kata (grip fighting) is fundamental to judo; IBJJF: разрешён — Legal — standing grip fighting and clinch work permitted; IFMA: разрешён — Legal — the clinch is a core element of Muay Thai, clinch dominance is highly…; WBC/Boxing: ограничен — Holding is technically a foul — referee breaks clinch, excessive holding resu…; K: ограничен — 1/GLORY — One attack from clinch allowed, then referee breaks; WAKO: ограничен — Clinch generally broken by referee — limited or no clinch fighting in most fo…; UWW: разрешён — Legal — clinch is fundamental to wrestling, the primary position in Greco-Roman

Оценка опасности 4/10. Moderate — body clinch positions enable throws and takedowns; rib compression risk

Стандартная цепочка подготовки: Close Distance → Establish Primary Grip → Position the Hips → Apply Pressure.

Стандартные контрприёмы: Pummeling — fight for inside position by swimming arms under opponent's grips / Frame and Push — create distance using forearm frames against the chest or neck / Grip Break — systematically strip the opponent's controlling grips / Posture Up — straighten the spine and drive the hips forward to break clinch control.

Распространённые варианты: Front body lock (locked hands around the torso face-to-face); Rear body lock (hands locked around the torso from behind); Side body lock (angled body lock for trips and throws); Over-arms body lock (locking over both arms to pin the opponent's arms to thei…).

Under-arms bear hugs are used in Greco-Roman wrestling for gut-wrench and suplex entries at the highest levels of competition.

Основные ошибки, на которые стоит обратить внимание: Not clasping hands tightly — the deeper wrap makes the lock strong only if the hands are secured / Ignoring the opponent's free arms — they can frame, pummel, crossface, or post to block throws / Not pressing chest-to-chest — the under-arms bear hug requires tight body contact / Standing too upright — bend knees and get hips below the opponent for lifting power.

Under-Arms Bear Hug также известен как Andā Āmuzu Bea Hagu, Under-Arms Body Squeeze, Low Bear Hug, Free-Arms Bear Hug.