The bear is the most basic of fighting animal motions. It uses the most basic principles of body physics for speed and power. Using linear centerline shifts and direct line reinforcement, he lunges head-on into the attack with aggressive blocks and basic strikes.

The bear is an external art form, or hard motion. He uses hard bows and horse stances to move. Although his motion is not complex, it is very strong. The motions of the bear give the student the most basic understanding of proper body mechanics from which the other animal motions will be built upon. It is for this reason that the bear, or xioung, is the first animal motion to be perfected when learning the art of Shou' Shu'.

The bear motion is the motion that karate styles are based upon.