Boxers may wear padding gloves to protect their hands during fights, but they still need the added protection of hand wrapping. While the glove provides cushioning, the hand wrap protects the delicate bones and joints of the hand. Boxing tape It is less likely that joints and bones will shift, slide over each other or be pushed in a way that could cause injury if they are not restricted from impact.
How Wrapping Works
Start with your fingers spread out and your wrist straight. The hand, wrist, and lower forearm are wrapped tightly with a cotton wrap that is made for boxers or an old-fashioned version of cotton gauze or athletic boxing tape. The wrapping becomes tighter when you make a fist, restricting movement of the bones and joints in your hand. This is what protects your hands. Additional layers of wrap or boxing tape can provide some cushioning. Boxing tape provides additional support for the wrist, keeping it from being over-extended or flexed. The wrapping does not cover the fingers and they are free to move.
Hand Wraps
Cloth hand wraps have a thumb loop. They are between 108 to 210 inches in length, with 180 inches being most common. Wraps that are longer can be reused and offer more protection as you can wrap more material around your wrist and hand. Boxers and those who regularly punch large bags during training prefer longer wraps. For those with smaller hands, or shadow boxing classes Badminton Nets that require no hand contact, the shorter wraps will be used.
Gauze and Boxing Tape
Before a fight, boxers use a mixture of gauze and athletic boxing tape to wrap their hands. You can place the gauze in a specific way to make it fit better for your boxer. It is also lighter than cotton wraps. Boxing tape is not recyclable like cotton wraps and must be used only once.
Tips
Use the reusable hand wraps for general fitness and sparring. Make sure you use gloves to punch any surface. Whatever wrapping method you choose, your hand shouldn’t be in pain. Your fingertips shouldn’t turn white. If the wrapping is too tight, it may be because it is not comfortable enough. Wrapping should feel snug when fingers are relaxed.
