If you are just beginning your kickboxing journey, you are probably wondering if you’ll need ALL the gear. There are quite a few pieces of equipment that can be important in kickboxing, but I have discovered that there is nothing more essential than a pair of hand wraps.
Hand wraps are not necessary for a cardio kickboxing class if punching bags are not being utilized. But hand wraps are crucial for kickboxing when sparring or training with a heavy bag. Although gloves are also essential in providing padding and shock absorption, wraps are what give the hands and wrists support needed to avoid many injuries.
If your cardio kickboxing class has more of a fitness focus and your punches and kicks are aimed at the air rather than a person or a bag, wraps and gloves really aren’t needed at all. This being said, I do love wearing these weighted gloves in my cardio kickboxing classes. They add a strength training component to my workout and help to burn more calories. Check the price of these weighted gloves here.
But if you are going to be doing any heavy bag training or sparring it is extremely important that you wrap your hands before you put your gloves on. Your hands and wrists are comprised of 27 delicate bones. Repeatedly striking an object with your hand without protection can cause fractures in these bones.
This can also cause tremendous stress and strain on the over 100 ligaments in the hand. Your gloves will absorb much of the shock, but hand wraps will ensure that the bones and ligaments are supported and kept in the proper position. Wraps will put lateral pressure on the hand helping to keep the metacarpals (hand bones) in alignment when punching a solid object.
Many boxers and kickboxers claim that they don’t feel the need for wraps because their hands and wrists feel fine when they punch without them. But although this might be true at first, if one continues to train without wraps, damage is being done inside the hand that will eventually lead to problems. You may not feel it in the beginning, but the continuous strain will catch up with anyone.
There are several injuries you could endure if you choose not to wear hand wraps. Let’s take a look at a few of the more common injuries.
Common Hand Injuries from Kickboxing
Carpal Bossing
Carpal Bossing is a condition that causes a lump to form on the back of the hand near where the hand and wrist bones intersect. This lump results from the thinning of the cartilage lining. This can cause swelling and pain.
Boxers Fracture
A boxer’s fracture is a break just below the knuckles on the fourth or fifth metacarpal. This type of fracture will cause immediate pain and swelling. It often also results in the inability to move the fingers.
Skier’s Thumb
Skier’s thumb refers to an injury in which there is a tear in the ligament of the thumb joint. This is the most common hand injury in boxing.
Can You Wear Gloves Without Hand Wraps?
You can wear gloves without hand wraps, but doing so will most likely eventually lead to some form of injury. Hand wraps provide support to the 27 delicate bones and 100+ ligaments in your hands and wrists. They hold your metacarpals in position, decreasing expansion, movement, and damage to those bones when striking something with your hand. Although your gloves provide shock absorption which is also a key component in protecting you from injury, your gloves cannot give you the type of support that hand wraps can. This is why it is critical that you wear both hand wraps and gloves when kickboxing.
Should You Get 120″ or 180″ Hand Wraps?
Hand wraps typically come in 120” and 180” lengths. For small hands, 120” gloves will work great. If you have larger hands you will want to use 180” wraps. The longer wraps are also ideal for anyone who wants more padding and support, but this extra material could also cause your gloves to fit too tight. Because they are very inexpensive and can also be returned without charge through Amazon Prime, I highly suggest that you buy both lengths to decide which works best for your particular needs and situation.
Can You Hit a Heavy Bag with Just Hand Wraps?
I know we all want to save money! Nobody wants to go out and drop $100 on a pair of gloves, especially if you aren’t even sure if you’re going to stick with the sport. So a lot of first time kickboxers try training on a punching bag with only a pair of inexpensive hand wraps. This is NOT a good idea!
You should not hit a heavy bag with hand wraps alone. This will greatly increase your chances of sustaining many different injuries. Not only will you be putting a lot of stress on the hand and wrist joint, this pressure will be transferred into the elbow and shoulder joints as well.
If you’re going to be hitting a punching bag consistently, you are going to want a quality pair of 14-16 oz. boxing gloves along with also wrapping your hands. The combination of securely wrapped hands and wrists, and a nicely padded boxing glove will give you the support and shock absorption needed to help keep you training injury free for many years. You will be surprised to learn what a difference the right gloves can make. Check out this article about how to choose the right gloves for kickboxing to learn everything you need to know about kickboxing gloves.
Boxing Inner Gloves Vs. Hand Wraps
Boxing Inner Gloves are an alternative to traditional hand wraps. They are often made of neoprene and many have a gel padding over the knuckles and back of the hand. They are convenient in that they require very little time to put on.
In opposition, regular hand wraps must be wrapped around the fingers and hand many times which can be a little time consuming. Some boxers and kickboxers wear inner gloves because of their extra gel padding. For those who have a hand injury of any kind, these gloves can provide some relief.
The drawback to inner gloves is the inability to adjust the fit to your hand. With traditional hand wraps you are able to wrap them as tightly or loosely as you need. Sometimes it is difficult to get an inner hand wrap that provides the same amount of support as a traditional hand wrap because they often don’t fit as securely. This is really something you are going to need to experiment with.
Get both a pair of traditional hand wraps and a pair of inner gloves and try each of them under your boxing gloves. I have a pair of both inner gloves and hand wraps so that I always have a backup. If you can get a pair of inner gloves that fit as snugly as you need, then you will love the convenience of being able to quickly pull them on and wrap them around your wrist. But if you can’t get the fit you need with the inner gloves, stick with the traditional hand wraps and just plan to spend an extra minute or two putting them on. It will be worth the time!
Should You Wash Hand Wraps?
It is very important to wash your hand wraps regularly. Think of your hand wraps like socks. You wouldn’t wear enclosed shoes without socks- PEW! And you shouldn’t wear gloves without hand wraps. When you are training, your wraps will absorb a lot of sweat, helping to keep your more expensive gloves clean and dry.
If you continually wear your wraps without cleaning them, you will introduce mold and bacteria into the inside of your gloves which will eventually make them very stinky! Just like wearing shoes with dirty socks. All it takes is one time of wearing smelly dirty hand wraps to ruin your gloves.
To wash your hand wraps, simply throw them in the washing machine with your regular wash. The key is to put them in a garment bag so that they stay tangle free. Then you can throw that garment bag into the dryer on low heat and they’ll be ready to go.
It’s also very helpful to have a couple pairs of hand wraps, especially if you are kickboxing more than once a week. That way you will always have a clean pair when you need them. And thankfully most hand wraps cost less than $10 so it won’t break the bank to buy more than one.
How to Wrap Your Hands for Kickboxing
- Place the loop around thumb
- Pull the wrap under and over wrist 3 times
- Pull wrap over top of hand/knuckle once
- Cross back over hand to just below the thumb
- Pull wrap under and around the thumb 1 time
- Pull wrap under palm, then over the hand below the knuckles 2 times
- On 2nd pull over hand, cross over to below the thumb
- Pull wrap under the palm and then up between the pinky and ring finger
- Pull over the hand to below the thumb, under the palm, then between the ring and middle finger
- Repeat between middle and index finger
- Pull wrap under the palm, over the back of the hand to the knuckle of the index finger
- Go under the palm, then cross back over the back of the hand to below the thumb
- Circle back around the top of the hand a few times
- Circle around the wrist a few times
- Repeat crossing around the hand, then back around the wrist until you’ve reached the end.
- Velcro in place
Be sure to keep the wraps snug, and as flat and unwrinkled as possible. When wrapping between the fingers, don’t wrap too tight. Wrapping too tight between the fingers will prohibit you from making a fist.
The Best Hand Wraps
There are elasticized hand wraps and un-elasticized hand wraps. They will all come with a loop at one end and most will have a Velcro closure at the other end. I personally prefer an elasticized hand wrap because it is easier to fit them to my hand. I use these Sanabul 180” hand wraps. They are very inexpensive, semi elasticized, and really durable. Look at the price on these wraps here. If you prefer 120” wraps these wraps are great as well. They are also elasticized and very inexpensive.
As mentioned previously there are also inner gloves that serve the same purpose as hand wraps. If you are interested in trying the inner gloves, I also have a pair of these that I use when I’m in a hurry and don’t want to mess with wrapping my hands. Here is a link to the inner gloves that I really like and use.
Conclusion
I hope you can now see how extremely crucial it is to always wrap your hands when you’re kickboxing. As with any safety gear, it takes an extra step and a little extra time, but you only have one pair of hands! Treat them with care and you’ll be able to keep doing ALL the things you love to do with your hands into your golden years.