How to wrap your hands for boxing and kickboxing

Hand wraps go under your boxing gloves. They support your wrists and knuckles and absorb sweat. Wrapping takes a little practice. The method below is simple and works well for training. Your trainer may teach you a slightly different method, and that's fine too.

GLADTS boxing hand wraps in black, 460 cm

What you need

A pair of hand wraps. GLADTS hand wraps are 460 cm long and made of soft, elastic fabric, with a thumb loop to start and a hook-and-loop closure to finish.

Step by step

  1. Thumb loop. Put the loop over your thumb, with the wrap running over the back of your hand. Keep your fingers spread while you wrap.
  2. Wrist. Wrap around your wrist three times: firm, but not too tight.
  3. Knuckles. Go diagonally across the back of your hand to your knuckles and wrap around them three times.
  4. Back to the wrist. Bring the wrap diagonally across the back of your hand back to your wrist.
  5. Between the fingers. From your wrist, go over the back of your hand and through the gap between your little finger and ring finger, then back to your wrist. Do the same between your ring finger and middle finger, and between your middle finger and index finger.
  6. Thumb. Wrap once around your thumb and go back to your wrist.
  7. Knuckles again. If you have enough wrap left, go around your knuckles once more.
  8. Finish at the wrist. Wrap the rest around your wrist and close the hook-and-loop.

Then wrap your other hand in the same way.

Is it right?

  • You can make a fist easily and the wrap lies flat, without big creases.
  • Your fingers don't tingle or change colour. If they do, the wrap is too tight: take it off and wrap again a little looser.
  • Your wrist feels supported and the wrap doesn't slide.

Looking after your hand wraps

  • Let your hand wraps dry after every training session.
  • Wash them regularly. Close the hook-and-loop first so it doesn't catch on other laundry; a laundry bag helps too.
  • Roll them up starting at the hook-and-loop end. The thumb loop then ends up on the outside, ready for your next training session.

GLADTS hand wraps come in six colours: blue, green, red, pink, white and black. The starter sets include black hand wraps. More basics for beginners: Kickboxing for beginners: what gear do you need?

FIGHT FOR GLORY.