How to Wrap Your Hands for Boxing and MMA

Wrapping your hands is critically important for protecting the bones and joints in your hands and wrists. Wraps’ main purpose is to protect the bones in your hands, which connect to each of your fingers. They also serve to stabilize and protect the wrists. This does more than protect from injury. It also gives a fighter the confidence to punch with full force. Knowing one can deliver an aggressive blow without feeling it in the bones of the hand has a definite impact on the force of the punch. To stay in proper fighting form, be sure you know the correct way to wrap.

Keep in mind that over-wrapping with tape or gauze can hinder a fighter. Sweat can build up, accumulating weight and slowing punches. Wraps should be firm and taut without affecting circulation. Ensure the wraps are free of wrinkles, which are uncomfortable and reduce the stabilizing effect.

1. Hook the loop over your thumb and lay the wrap over the back of your wrist
2. Pull the wrap under and wrap it three times around your wrist, ending just under the wrist near the base of the thumb
3. Pull the wrap across the wrist and over the back of your hand
4. Pull it under your hand and across your palm just under the knuckles; then wrap your hand three times and end on the inside of the hand near the thumb
5. Wrap over the back of the thumb, pulling over the back of the hand and looping between the small and ring fingers
6. Bring the wrap across toward the inside of the hand, between the index finger and thumb
7. Wrap across the back of your hand and under your wrist, bringing it up under the wrist near the base of the thumb, over the back of the hand and between the ring and middle finger
8. Bring it again to the inside of the hand between the index finger and thumb, over the back of the hand, and under toward the wrist/base of the thumb
9. Wind it over the hand and between the middle and index fingers
10. Wrap once more across your hand, then your wrist, and repeat in an X pattern until you can secure the wrap using the Velcro end 

Once the wrap is completed, throw a few punches and flex your hand to make sure it’s comfortable. If it’s too tight or loose, you’ll have to redo the wrap.