Boxing Hand Wraps

[ReverendTim]

Are they to protect the knuckles or the wrists or both?

--
Rev. Tim

[Merryprankster]

I find they don't do much for the knuckles. They do more for the wrist.

Here's my opinions--take it or leave it.

Boxing gloves are, by nature, a little roomy and the foam shifts. The wraps help take up room in the glove that would otherwise be present and make your hand turn in funny directions, hurting the wrist. The wraps also wrap the wrist, helping too.

Just my opinion though.

[Leonidas]

Isn't it better to practice without gloves or wraps so that if you have to use your fists in a street fight caught off guard you wont break your hand or wrist. Ex.- Mike Tyson. I guess this depends on if your competing or training for self defense. But then again, even if your training for comp. in a combat sport you should beable to atleast defend yourself if only minimally, again i can use Mike Tyson as an example. Are there pro's annd cons for using/not using gloves and wraps.

[oldwolf]

It may have been true at some point, that wraps were used to protect the hands and wrist from torsion insude a loose glove, but now, they are probably used to increase the effect of a punch by creating a rock like fist.
I don't think it will be long untill some legislation in the boxing world limits the type of tape being used and therefore the solidity of the impact area.

On a general note there are many different types of wraps and methods of wrapping, depending on your trainer or individual preference. Although a 'traditional' Karateka with reasonably well conditioned knuckles, I wear wraps when working on the heavy bag, focus mitt drills and sparring with 16oz gloves, but this may just be personal taste from my boxing days.
I feel that the wraps offer some protection to me and prevent injury.:D

[Merryprankster]

Ok---there's a BIG difference between "wrapping," your hands, and "Taping them."

Hand wraps are just that--hand wraps, and they definitely DON'T turn your hands into rocks.

Now--Taping, on the other hand, with all the gauze, the knuckle shield (for some people) and the tape, is definitely designed to both protect the hand and to make it as much like a club as possible. There are rules on taping to ensure that you don't layer the tape with gauze to create a rock-hard cast that would amount to putting a brick in the glove. They also limit how much tape and gauze you can use.

I see that you know that oldwolf--is what I wrote above accurate in your estimation? I know my experiences with handwraps indicate support, but certainly not a rock hard fist. Ahhh..but TAPING....:D

[ReverendTim]

Thanks for all the responses...I got a free set of wraps with my heavy bag and was wondering whether to use them or not. I decided that for the time being anyway, some wrist support was probably good and have been giving 'em a try.

Any of you boxers out there have any tips on how to do it? I found some different ways of wrapping online, but everytime I try to run the wrap between my fingers, the whole thing ends up really loose by the end of my workout because it slips over the base of my thumb.

--
Rev. Tim

[Mr.Sleazy]

The wraps are especially good for the heavy bag in order to protect your wrist. They hold your fists in the correct orientation for striking, and provide extra support if you hit a little "off centre". Just like hiking boots protecting you from ankle sprains. My sensei also told me they would help me to develop proper form by always keeping my wrists straight.

The way I wrap is concentrated on the wrists, and the wraps don't go between any fingers. Sometimes the thumb wrap slips off, so you have to have it pretty tight.

[Merryprankster]

Good lord, what a long question to answer :)

I'll try to hit it when I get back from BJJ.

[Ka]

I had always been told that wraps brace the bones of the hand and wrist.

I don't beleive that training without them will make your hand unbreakable in street situations.

[oldwolf]

Mp - Yeah I reckon your about right, the sort of wraps that Rev Tim looks to have got are the ones that I would use for heavy bag work, and I reckon give very little protection to the knuckles, mostly wrist support. However when training recently with a pro boxer he advocated taping my hands 'properly' even for training sessions, layering the knuckle area with the wraps and taping up between the knuckles in an imitation of a proper fight night fist but using the cheaper option of crepe bandage and masking tape. To me its not worth the hassle and I just use the type of hand wraps commercially available in any boxing shop.
Rev. the problem of the hand wraps un ravelling particularly when frequently pulling bag gloves on and off is just a matter of experiment, use some masking tape, and as I've indicated I use little knuckle protection, mostly on wrist, a couple across the knuckles then diagonal then wrist.

[Merryprankster]

Rev,

I personally do not wrap my thumb, but do put material between my knuckles. I find it slips less this way.

The bottom line is that if you ask 10 different people, you'll get ten different answers.

[dnc101]

I have developed arthritus in my hands and use the wraps to support my wrists and thumbs. The wraps slip less for me if I don't go up near the fingers. But tape or a snug fitting glove over the wrap is the only way I've found to really minimize slippage. And even then, if you are really working, they slip.

[Kristoffer]

Nooo No no, you only use them to look cool :cool: