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WABUKAN Arsenal · Protection and armour · Europe

Hand wrap

A strip of cloth wound around the wrist, palm and base of the thumb under the glove, keeping the joints aligned and the hand compressed when punching.

Hand wrap
Hand wrap WABUKAN illustration

Also known as

hand wrap, wrist wrap, boxing wraps; gauze and tape (competition)

Origin and history

Hand wraps are used by boxers and other combat-sport athletes to protect the hand and wrist against punching injuries. They support the wrist when a punch lands with the wrong part of the hand, secure the thumb against sprains when it hits an elbow, and above all strengthen the metacarpus against the “boxer’s fracture”, usually of the neck of the fourth or fifth metacarpal. Every fighter, cornerman or cutman has a preferred method, and competition rules may give each fighter a limited amount of gauze and tape.

Martial arts that use it

Boxing Kickboxing MMA

Construction

Training wraps are usually reusable cloth closed with a tie tab or hook-and-loop. Conventional wraps are non-elastic; Mexican-style wraps are slightly elastic and popular with many boxers. Length depends on rules, hand size and glove, with shorter wraps under the fingerless gloves of MMA. Foam or gel-lined inner gloves are a newer alternative.

Basic techniques

Training

Protective equipment is part of training itself: students learn to put it on correctly, check straps and padding, and move and breathe while wearing it before any contact work.

Safety

Protection only works if it fits: replace cracked, torn or compressed padding, check helmets and grilles regularly and let damp gear dry fully to avoid skin infections.

Legality (general information)

This is training or traditional equipment, not a weapon, and is generally free to buy and own. Clubs and federations may still set rules on approved models and condition. General information, not legal advice.

Did you know?

Boxers say wrapped hands let them hit harder and feel less pain, because the compression holds the bones and tissues of the hand together.

More weapons

Shin guard Boxing gloves Mouthguard Hogu (chest protector) Bogu Gambeson

Sources

Original WABUKAN text, written from these cross-checked sources (facts, not sentences).

  1. Wikipedia — Hand wrap
  2. Wikipedia — Boxer’s fracture