Boxing Classes: Hand Wraps

What are boxing hand wraps and why do I need them?

Striking anything with an unprotected fist is a bad idea. Sudden force applied to the small bones in your hand can result in breaks, dislocations and even permanent damage.

Your hands have to last a long time so it makes sense to protect them as much as you can during boxing classes and training. Boxing gloves alone cannot provide this level of protection – you will need some wraps to keep your hands secure underneath your gloves.

Boxing hand wraps are inexpensive and your hands will thank you for the investment. It’s a great idea to get some, for the following reasons:

1. Hand wraps protect your knuckles. They add an extra layer of protection over the striking part of your hands – especially important if you’re going to be sparring with a fellow boxer or hitting the heavy bag.
2. Hand wraps provide structural hand and wrist support. Fabric hand wraps secure your entire hand and wrist in place while you are boxing, making injury much less likely.
3. Hand wraps protect the inner of your boxing gloves. It’s a lot easier to wash a sweaty pair of hand wraps than it is to clean the inside of your boxing gloves – you can just throw them in the washing machine with the rest of your kit.

What type of boxing hand wraps should I get?

Thankfully, there’s not a bewildering amount of choice here! Hand wraps mainly come in two flavours:

Traditional boxing hand wraps

These are made of tightly woven material that offer a bit of stretch, and generally come in a choice of two lengths: 300 cm (120 in) and the more common 450 cm (180 in). Unless you have very small hands, opt for the latter, as any spare wrap can be used up around the wrist. They all work in the same way – a loop at one end of the wrap anchors it to your thumb and a Velcro fastening at the other end secures it around your wrist.

There’s a bit of a knack to wrapping – and more than one way of doing it – so it’s a bit like learning to tie your shoe laces all over again. It might take you a few dozen tries to truly perfect it, but your hands will thank you in the long run.

You can expect to pay about £10 for a pair and they are available in a wide range of colours.

Gel padded inner gloves

These are a more recent innovation and are mainly sold on the merit of convenience: there’s no ceremony of having to wrap each hand before a session, just pop them on and secure them with the Velcro straps. You can expect to pay a little bit more for inner gloves than you would for traditional wraps – the cost of convenience!

Because they don’t bind the hands like traditional wraps, inner gloves don’t offer anything like the same structural support for your hands, but they will at least protect your knuckles. Look for models with a longer securing strap that will wrap around the wrist a couple of times to provide some support.

If you opt for inner gloves, it’s important that you get the right size so that they don’t move around on your hands. Also, look for a pair that have smooth seams – especially between the fingers. Anything that chafes the skin persistently will quickly become a problem, so read some reviews first – the cheapest options might not be the best.

Summary

Many beginners choose padded inner gloves simply for the convenience they provide and these are ok – just make sure they are comfortable and you get the right size.

Traditional fabric wraps provide much better support if you are willing to spend a small amount of time learning to wrap your hands properly – a better investment down the stretch.