Boxing is one of the best ways out there to get exercise, learn new skills, and make new friends. The basics of boxing are important for making the most of the experience, and knowing how to wrap your hands is key. It might seem complicated at first, especially when you look at that long band of hand wrap and wonder where on earth it’s all supposed to go, but once you get it down it will come easily, like tying your shoelaces.

Wrapping your hands is important, but not for the reason that many people think. Hand wrap is not used to add extra padding for your knuckles. That is what your boxing gloves are for. You wrap your hands to protect the many little joints in your hands and to add support for your hand’s relatively delicate structure. These steps will help you do it right.

Step 1: Loop the Thumb

The first step is to unroll the end of your hand wrap to find the loop at the end. Place this around your thumb.

Step 2: Start with the Back of the Hand

Once the wrap is secure around your thumb, wrap around the back of the hand. A common mistake is to go around the palm, but starting with the back gives you the support you need by having the wrap tighten when you make a fist.

Step 3: Wrap Around the Knuckles

The next step is to wrap around your knuckles three times. Keep the wrap flat and make sure it is snug without being so tight that your fingers start turning white.

Step 4: Wrap the Wrist

Move the wrap from your knuckles over the back of your hand and then wrap your wrist three times. Some people like the wrist tight for extra support, while others like it looser for more flexibility for hook punches. Experiment to see what works for you.

Step 5: Loop around the Thumb from Both Directions

From the last loop around your wrist, cross your palm and loop around your thumb, half way up. Then cross around the back of your hand and loop around your thumb again from the other direction.

Step 6: Wrap Between Each Finger

Use your thumb to keep the wrap taught, then cross over the back of your hand to the gap between your pinky and ring finger. Then cross over the back of your hand and move on to the next finger gap, and then the next. This keeps your fingers from getting crushed into each other while boxing.

Step 7: Back to the Knuckles

Cross over the back of your hand again to your knuckles and wrap your knuckles three more times.

Step 8: Back to the Wrist

Cross the back of the hand to your wrist again and wrap it three more times.

Step 9: Extra Wrap

If you still have more hand wrap remaining, you can cross over the back of your hand a few more times and once more around the wrist.

Step 10: Secure the Wrap

Once you have reached the end of the wrap, secure it with the velcro end. See how it feels. It should feel secure but not so tight that your hand isn’t getting enough circulation.

The next step is to join a boxing class at Legends Boxing and have a great time in class.

2024