On initial observation, the method of hand wrapping while learning MMA or boxing may appear complex and awkward. However, mastering this technique is crucial to protect your hands.
There are plenty of videos online about how to wrap your hands where you can follow the steps and it makes sense to learn this technique before you go to a class, to save yourself time and embarrassment in front of everyone.
Here is a quick guide on how to wrap hands for MMA:
- Put the loop around your thumb
- Start to wrap across the back of your hand
- Pass the wrap around your wrist three to four times
- Next, pass the wrap around your thumb and then your wrist, twice each
- Now you need to pass the wrap around your knuckles three times
- Next wrap in between your fingers, once each
- The wrap should go across the top of your hand and around your wrist after it goes between each finger
- Finally, wrap the remainder around your wrist and secure the strap
Why Do I Need to Wrap My Hands for MMA?
It’s vital to learn how to wrap your hands correctly for MMA because the wraps will help to keep your wrists safe and stable as well as keep your knuckles protected during blows, whether to an opponent or a punching bag.
Hand wraps are important for helping to keep all the bones in your hands in place to help prevent fractures and breaks to these tiny bones whenever you strike. A trained boxer can punch with more than a thousand pounds worth of force so you need to be protected against that blow.
Wearing hand wraps creates a protective layer for your hands, keeping your thumb in place, cushioning your knuckles, and preventing nasty hand injuries while you practice all your fighting skills.
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How Do I Know if I’ve Wrapped Correctly?
If you have carried out your MMA hand wrapping correctly, your hands should feel snug and protected, but as a beginner, there are some common mistakes that people do make when it comes to hand wrapping:
- You lose feeling in your hands
You need your hands to be snug but if you start to lose feeling in them or they turn blue then you have wrapped them too tight. Another sign is if you start to feel a bit lightheaded. You need to take them off and wrap them more loosely.
- Your wraps fall off
If your wraps start falling off or coming apart during a bout then you either did them wrong or they are too loose so you need to stop and rewrap your hands again, properly and securely to prevent this from happening.
- You get wrist pains when you punch
It’s really important that your wrists are supported properly while fighting as if they are not, you could end up with sprains or worse. If your wrists hurt while practicing then you need to improve your wraps.
- Problems with your skin
Cheap wraps can be made with rough material leaving you with blisters, cuts or itchy skin so make sure you buy really good quality and ask advice at your boxing gym if you are not sure which one to go for.
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How Do Hand Wraps Stop My Hands Hurting?
There is a belief that hand wraps hold the bones tight in your hands, which enables you to hit harder, and by holding a tighter fist you feel less pain in your hands which also enables you to hit harder, so it’s a double win if you wrap your hands. The hand wraps protect your hands but can also enhance your skills at the same time so you always need to take the time to do it properly.
Conclusion
Wrapping your hands for MMA might feel like an annoyance and when you are first starting out it can seem complicated to master and will be frustrating as you try to learn the techniques involved to start with.
But learning how to wrap your hands before you start MMA will save a lot of time in the long run and will help to ensure your hands are properly protected before every bout and every practice session in the gym.
If you can master how to wrap your hands at home, it will give you an advantage when you are ready to undertake your first proper MMA stint. Wraps are there for your own protection, to prevent breaks and fractures in the tiny bones in your hands, by holding them in place securely and compressing them for safety. They can also help you to punch your opponent harder.
