The Bear Hug is a common attack, especially if someone is trying to 'abduct' you, or if one assailant is holding you back while the other one hits you.
It is where someone closes in on you and grabs you around the waist, either with your arms trapped as well or without.
If you see it coming you can Bridge it off at his hips (explained below).
If you can not do this, at the very least, try to not get your arms pinned down underneath his.
To use the Bridge, put your elbows on your hips with your hands facing forward to push your assailant away at his hips.
This stops your attacker from getting in too close.
If caught in a Bear Hug from the front, but you have managed to keep your arms free, you can take the following steps to escape.
The first thing to do is attack him in any way you can eg scratch him in the eyes.
If you are able, try to create some distance by taking a step back, then pull his head back by his hair or by forcing your forearm under the bridge of his nose.
Grab under his jaw and above his head and twist his head until he loosens his grip.
When you are grabbed from the front but your arms are trapped, you best chance of attack will be to grab his groin and twist.
This grab and twist method is much more painful than just hitting his groin.
Continue to strike him however you can while trying to free your arms eg stick your chin in his eye, head but, Knee, bite etc.
(be careful of using head buts, you may do damage to yourself).
As soon as you get the opportunity, use the Bridge to create more of a gap, then wriggle out of his grip and slip down through his arms.
When wriggling out it will be easiest if you do not to bend forward.
Also, do not try to force his arms up.
Instead, raise your arms as his grip slackens.
Once your arms are free, escape in the same way as you would if your arms were free.
Should you be caught from behind, but lucky enough to have your arms free, use rear attacks eg rear head but, hooking back elbow.
Next, use the Finger Split.
The Finger Split is simply grabbing two of his fingers in one hand, and the other two of his fingers (from the same hand) in your other hand, then splitting them away from each other.
This is a very effective technique.
Once he lets go, either run forwards or turn on the balls of your feet to face him and attack.
You may have to attack him first before you can run.
Lastly, and the most dangerous one, is if you are grabbed from behind with your arms pinned.
As soon as he grabs you, link your hands together, but do not interlock your fingers.
This will bend your arms to a horizontal position so he can't come further down on your arms.
If he is already further down on your arms, you may be able to slip them up out of his grip, or failing that, you can try to wriggle down until you are in the right position.
Either way, throwing a few strikes his way first (eg rear elbows, rear head-but, stomping his shin and/or instep etc) will make things a lot easier.
While he's dazed from your attacks, take a deep breath to expand your diaphragm so he widens his grip, then, simultaneously let out the air to make yourself smaller, widen and lower your base by squatting, drive your rear into his hips as you drop and splay out your arms.
This must be done with speed and force to break his grip.
As soon as you can, move forward out of his reach then quickly turn and attack, or run forward to get away.