If he isn't your lover, keep it short! Another thing to remember while embracing your man pals is to be on time. Hugging causes you to physically and emotionally connect with someone, whether they're your partner or just a buddy. The longer you embrace, the stronger your bond gets. Maintain a safe distance between your arms and their necks and heads. Your arms may be at the level of the shorter person's head in either a side hug or a front-facing embrace. Because two persons of same height simply put their arms forward while hugging, the tendency is to do the same with any other hug.