Hand wraps are a training tool nearly as iconic to boxing as the heavy bag or boxing glove. Fighters wear them beneath gloves to protect their hands and wrists while training. Without the protection of wraps, a fighter can skin up knuckles, sprain a wrist, or even fracture the bones in the hand, wrist or forearm. Knowing how to wrap up properly is a vital part of boxing safety, even if you train only in the gym.
Step 1
Know when to wrap and when not to wrap. Bill Packer, world champion boxing and kickboxing coach, recommends wrapping for formal bouts, sparring and heavy bag work. For lighter workouts, Packer advises training without wraps. The same stabilization that protects the wrists also prevents stabilizing muscles from growing stronger.
Step 2
Hold the wrap in one hand. Position your opposite hand in front of your belly, palm down. Spread your fingers and extend your thumb.
Step 3
Slide the thumb loop over your thumb and wrap around your wrist three times. Test the fit with each loop. Your wrap should fit snugly enough that it doesn't go loose when you make a fist, but not so tight that it cuts off your circulation.
Step 4
Watch for tingling in the tips of your fingers as you wrap your hands. This is a sign that you've wrapped too tightly. If you experience this, unwrap the wrap and try again.
Step 5
Wrap in a figure-eight motion around your thumb and wrist a total of three times, ending with a final wrap around the wrist.
Step 6
Run the wrap on a diagonal over the top of your hand, running from the base of your thumb to the bottom of your pinkie finger.
Step 7
Bring your fingers together. Wrap three times around the knuckles. Overlap slightly on each pass so that the end result covers the bottom and middle knuckles of all four fingers.
Step 8
Run the wrap across your palm from the base of your pinkie to the bottom of your thumb. Wrap once more around your wrist.
Step 9
Pass the wrap between your middle and ring fingers, then wrap once more, over the top of your thumb.
Step 10
Take up any extra material by wrapping around your knuckles. Leave 9 to 12 inches for the final step.
Step 11
Finish by wrapping once more around the wrist, then tucking the loose end into one of the wrist loops.
Things You'll Need
- Hand wraps
References
- Bill Packer; Boxing and Kickboxing Coach (dec); Bad Company; Albuquerque, NM
- Dave Coffman; Martial Arts Instructor; Hillsboro, Oregon
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