Boxers wrap the hands with a thin band which is intended to provide protection to their tendons & muscles while lending additional support. Before putting on the right boxing gloves & entering the ring for fight. The amount of confidence that comes in with escaping the injuries comes with a basic good hand wrap.
Hand wrap is supposed to accomplish the following two things. Number one is protecting the fighter’s hands while giving him the sense of security. That punch exerted with full force will not damage his fist. Secondly, hand wrap should secure a boxer’s fists in a way that he can throw a punch with high force without experiencing a back impact on the joint of his hands.
Related: Check out few Benefits you can get from the High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Why Wrap Your Hands?
Hands are the most important weapon when it comes to boxing. They are made up of small joints & small bones that can get fractured, from the heavy impact of punching. Hand wraps hold the hand together and provide support to the wrists, joints, fingers, knuckles, & entire hand. Most of the people incorrectly assume that hand wraps serve as extra cushion.
Its purpose is not cushioning the impact like boxing gloves. Hand Wraps secure the loose joints & moveable bones. It fastens the joints together in a way that the shock is distributed across the hand. It prevents the free & independent movement of joints when they hand strike an object. Punching impact may loosen the joints; it can make small joints of your hands collapse. Hand Wrap prevents that from happening.
How to wrap your hands for boxing?
Let’s Begin knowing how to wrap your hands for boxing.
- Start by unrolling the hand wrap and till the thumb loop at its end.
- Place the wrap around your thumbs & and stretch the wrap at the back side of your hand. If you stretch it another way the hand wrap will loosen up as you clench a fist. And you will have to re-wrap midway.
- Then wrap it around the knuckles three times. It will provide appropriate support to your wrist. If your hands are bulky than normal or your hand wrap is short just do it for two times.
- Then wrap it around the knuckles three times. Make sure you wrap it high enough, that it comes roughly under your first when you clench a fist. And stretch it down crossing your thumb’s back.
- Come up & cross the palm & loop the hand wrap halfway. Then go back to cross the palm again, from the back & loop the hand wrap halfway from the opposite direction. Doing this will secure your thumb from both directions.
- Now create Xs by your hand back by stretching the hand wrap between the fingers & crosses. It will pull the knuckles together, provide them support and keep them separated so they won’t collapse or into each other. Wrap it between the pinky & ring fingers. Then stretch it to the side.
- Now stretch it down at the bottom of the hand. The hand wrap should form an “X” at your hand.
Then to the back and top of the thumb again. Form another “X” by stretching it between the middle & ring fingers. Cross it back at the top of your thumb & between the index & middle fingers. With the formation of third & final “X” all of your fingers will be separated properly. Complete it at the top of the thumb.
- Then wrap it around your thumb. Stretch it to the back of your hand and lock your thumb by stretching it to the back.
- Stretch it down to the palm and wrap it around your thumb. Doing this will secure your thumb & locks. To make sure it doesn’t lose when you fight.
- Then wrap it 3 times around your knuckles. Do an extra wrap & finish on your wrist. If you are left with extra wraps make more “Xs” by stretching it across the back. Finish wrapping at your wrist.
Tip for Hand Wrap
- Your wrap must feel good and comfortable. Make sure you do it before warm up.
- If the hands start hurting after 30 mins or the fingers start turning white, it is because you wrap your hand too tightly.
- Fighters prefer throwing straight, powerful with tight wraps, some prefer flexibility with loose punches; it depends on your choice.
- Consider using longer wraps & extra padding for the knuckles.
