–

Preparation and ritual:  Wrapping your hands

 

Handwraps are what fighters wear under their gloves when sparring or training.  First and foremost, wrapping the hands is essential to protect the many small bones that make up your most valuable tools of the trade.  Believe it or not, it’s relatively easy to break a fighter’s hands if they are not wrapped properly, as the human hand is not actually built to slam against hard objects like someone else’s jawbone or head.  Gloves themselves provide limited protection against this – thus the need for additional protection like handwraps.

 

It is also a boxing ritual – a quiet time to center yourself and begin to concentrate on the workout to come. 

 

For actual competitive fights, the boxers’ hands are wrapped with gauze and medical tape with a sort of “ply set” laid upon the knuckles for extra protection.  For everyday training, however, most use cotton-based, reusable handwraps, which are about 8 feet long.  Start with 170” or 180” wraps and remember to wrap between each finger.  Use the kind with Velcro ties, which are easiest and most convenient. 

 

How exactly do I wrap my hands…?  Actually…once you’ve done it 10 times or so, it becomes pretty easy and quick.  To start…Click here (Hand Wrapping 101) to view a video put together by Joe Leinhauser owner/operator of Irongloves Boxing Gym located in Tempe, Arizona.  Definitely a place to stop by if you are ever in that area (maybe out in Mesa visiting our sister site within Rotorcraft) for any period of time (like more than 2 weeks).

 

Make sure you wrap your hands with your fingers spread and avoid wrapping so tightly that your hands crimp.  It’ll hurt like hell when you start hitting the bag.