Kickboxing is a very fun and empowering combative sport. However, it can obviously be very dangerous and can take a toll on your body in a number of ways. This is why it’s so important to take the right precautions and gear up properly to protect yourself from injury.
Many possible injuries you might get are usually inflicted by your opponent. But you can also harm yourself while throwing kicks and punches in fights or during training.
This is why correct form and technique while training and sparring are helpful ways to protect yourself. However, proper hand wrapping is just as important and can really save you from a lot of pain, but you might not know how to wrap a wrist.
In this article, we will teach you a simple way about how to put on hand wrap.
Wrapping your hands is absolutely necessary anytime you’re in the gym or in the ring. This is needed to protect the fragile bones in your hands and wrists. It’s also very important to make sure that you wrap them properly and securely.
There are many ways to wrap for kickboxing and over time, you could find different methods that you prefer. But if you’re just starting out or you want to learn the simple way to cover all your bases, this is one way to do it.
The basic on how to correctly wrap your hands
Select an Appropriate Wrap
It’s important that you’re starting out using a good wrap. You’ll want to choose the one that best fits your needs. There are many different kinds of materials available to choose from. For example, cotton wraps offer good security.
They’re very durable and often have Velcro to keep them tight and in place. There’s also a Mexican-style wrap that is very flexible and fits the contours of the hands really comfortably. However, they tend to not be as durable and might break down quicker than cotton.
Put Your Thumb in the Loop and Wrap the Wrists
Your wrap should have a small loop on the end. With your hand open and relaxed, wrap that small loop around your thumb. You can then pull the wrap up and around your wrist about 2 to 3 times. Check your wrap because it might say there is a specific way it should be facing.
Be sure to keep your wrist straight during the entire process. If it’s bent or flexed, it could lead to the wrap being uncomfortable or supporting your wrist in the wrong spots.
Begin Wrapping Your Hand
Next, pull the end of the wrap over the backside of your hand and around to your palm. Wrap it around your hand 2 to 3 times. It should feel secure but not too tight that your hand becomes numb.
Start Wrapping the Knuckles and Fingers
Now, pull the wrap over your palm diagonally and around your knuckle. Once that’s done, wrap it 2 to 3 times. You can add more coverage to the knuckles by wrapping it around a few additional times if you’d like.
You can then pull the wrap between each individual finger, then back down over your palm and around your wrist again.
Reinforce
You’ll need to go over the thumb and across your palm once more to make sure the wrap is secure. Also, wrap it a few more times around the knuckle area. If there’s still extra wrap hanging down, you can just keep covering the wrist and palms until the whole thing is wrapped.
This is where Velcro can really come in handy. Reinforcement makes sure that everything is covered and it won’t likely unravel.
Female boxer getting ready to fight – dylan-nolte-588372-unsplash
Why Kickboxers Use Wraps
Now that you know how to use hand wraps, you might be wondering why this is necessary. Kickboxers need to be sure to always wrap correctly for protection against injuries. Your hands are very complex, with many small fragile bones and tendons.
Wrapping the knuckles adds surface area to your fist and protects your knuckles from the impact, which could actually break them. Punching also puts a massive amount of force and pressure on your wrists, so the wrap helps support and keep them stable.
Taking Care of Your Wraps
Rolling Them Up
If you kickbox regularly, you might want to buy several pairs of wrist wraps, as they should be washed in between each use. Also, they should be rolled up when stored. Start at the closed end when you roll them so that they’re easy to put on when you use them next.
Rolling them up also helps keep them from getting twisted with other wraps or getting knotted.
Washing
For washing, it might be helpful for you to get a separate wash bag for them because they can get tangled in your other clothes. They can be washed and dried in this separate bag. It’s also important to note that most wraps come in different colors, which can bleed in the washer.
This is why you might not want to have any whites or clothes that you’re concerned might get stained. Maybe wash the wraps with your other dark or athletic clothes.
If you love kickboxing, then taking the proper precautions to protect yourself from getting hurt is very important. Injuries can have you out of practice for a long time. Not only that, your hands and wrists are very fragile parts of your body.
Learning how to correctly wrap your hands will help keep you safe, whether you’re training with a punching bag or a fighting partner. Figuring out how to wrap your hands the right way can be a bit tricky at first.
However, have patience and really try to get it right – you’ll be happy you did. Follow the basics step-by-step and you’ll have it down in no time.
Once you master it, you can even teach those who are new to kickboxing how to wrap hands for MMA.