How to Wrap Your Hands For Muay Thai | Step Wise Guide

The right hand wrapping in Muay Thai is done by placing the wrap between your fingers and securing it around your wrist. Avoid wrapping your hands beyond the first knuckle, as it will restrict your fingers. 

Hand wraps are the first line of defense that protects your hands and wrist from injuries that occur at a rate of 347 injuries per 1000 hours of competition. To wrap your hands professionally, you must understand every step properly, as the wrong wrapping can increase the risk of fractures, sprains, and long-term damage. It is recommended to always use traditional Muay Thai hand wraps, even during light sparring or training, to avoid cumulative stress on hand joints, tendons, and ligaments. 

Key Takeaways

• Hand and wrist injuries are a common risk in combat sports, exacerbated by improper hand wrapping.
• Proper hand wrapping starts with the thumb loop, wrapping around the wrist, weaving through each finger, covering the knuckles, and being secured with Velcro around the wrist.
• Properly wrapped hands reduce the risk of fractures, sprains, and chronic conditions like arthritis.
• Improper wrapping or not wrapping at all increases the chance of injury, potentially leading to long-term damage. 

Step by Step Guide to Properly Wrap Your Hands for Muay Thai

The right and important technique to wrap your hands for Muay Thai is to ensure protection for your knuckles, wrists, and thumb while maintaining flexibility for movement. 

Though quick hand wraps for Thai boxing are also there that do not require any wrapping skills but still, the demand of cloth wraps, tape/guaze wraps elastic wraps, and gel wraps is high due to their effectiveness. Follow these steps and get your custom hand wrap perfectly in place under your gloves for any training session or competition. 

1. Unroll Your Wrap and Slip The Thumb In – Set the Foundation 

Start by unrolling your hand wrap. One end usually has a loop, and the other has Velcro or adhesive to secure it. With your hand stretched out wide and your wrist straight, slide your thumb through the loop. This sets the foundation of your wrap, so make sure it feels comfortable. 

Tip: Always keep your wrap flat, not twisted, to avoid any pressure points later on.

2. Secure Your Wrist – The Key to Strong Punches

Now, wrap the band around your wrist 3-4 times. It’s key to keep the tension snug but not tight; this will protect your wrist when you’re throwing those heavy punches. Stats show that proper wrist support decreases injury risk by up to 60%, especially when sparring or using heavy bags.

3. Wrap Your Hand – Protect Those Knuckles Like a Pro

Move on to wrapping your palm 3 times, going across the back of your hand and ending near the thumb’s base. Keeping it even and flat here ensures balanced protection for your knuckles. Studies suggest that improper palm wrapping can lead to knuckle strain, so take your time here.

4. Lock Down the Thumb – Stability is Everything

For the thumb, start at the base, circle up, and come back down. This locks your thumb into place and provides much-needed stability. Wrapping the thumb is often overlooked, but it can reduce the risk of thumb injuries by 40%.

5. Weave Through the Fingers – Maximize Grip and Comfort

Starting with your pinkie and ring finger, thread the wrap between each finger. This gives each digit extra protection and prevents the wrap from shifting. Wrapping between fingers helps with better grip and reduces hand fatigue during intense sessions.

6. Reinforce with Another Hand Wrap – Build a Stronger Defense

Give your wrist one more go-around, then wrap over the back of your hand once more for added stability. This second wrap strengthens the overall structure of the wrap and ensures a snug fit. Professional fighters often do this step to maintain consistency in hand security, especially during long training sessions.

7. Fasten and Check the Fit– Get Ready to Throw Solid Punches

Finally, fasten the Velcro securely. After wrapping, take a moment to flex and extend your fingers, ensuring comfortable movement. If it feels too tight, loosen it a bit. It should feel like a firm glove that is secure but not restrictive.

Muay Thai Rules for Hand Bandages

In competitive Muay Thai boxing, specific regulations govern the use of hand wraps to ensure fairness and safety. Here’s a rundown of these rules:

1. Boxers must use hand bandages made of soft gauze, limited to six meters in length and five centimeters in width for each hand.
2. While boxers can use plaster or rubber-glue tapes to reinforce the wraps, these must not exceed 2.5 meters in length and 2.5 centimeters in width, and can only be applied to the wrist or back of the hand, not on the knuckles.
3. Only the hand bandages provided by the boxing stadium manager or the event promoter are permitted for use in the ring.
4. All hand wraps must be inspected and officially approved by the WBC commissioner, who will stamp them to confirm they meet all regulations, before boxers are allowed to wear their gloves.

Difference Between Proper and Improper Hand Wrapping

Improper hand wrapping increases the risk of bone fractures, particularly to the knuckles and fingers. This leads to approximately 13.5% of total injuries being hand injuries, especially due to repeated high-impact punches. A study indicates that the addition of 1.2 cm padding reduced impact force by approximately 9-12%. This effectively minimizes the strain on the hand and wrist and protects against long-term injuries. 

Choosing the Right Muay Thai Wraps for Hand Protection 

You cannot afford to go without a good set of Muay Thai hand protectors whether for pounding the heavy bag or sparring in training. These tapes require a few wrapping techniques to perfectly serve the purpose of protecting and supporting your hand knuckles. You also need to be careful when choosing these hand wraps in terms of quality, type, width and length.

When selecting hand wraps, choose about 180 inches long and 2 inches wide. This size provides proper coverage for both protection and wrist support. Go for cotton or semi-elastic wraps, as they offer a snug, comfortable fit that adapts to your hands during training.

Infinitude Fight offers an extensive collection of custom hand wraps for Muay Thai, boxing, and other martial arts, and they are available in all types and sizes. Each Thai boxing wrap is made from the highest quality materials and ensures a perfect fit. They are fully customizable in any color, logo, print, material and type to suit the diverse needs of Muay Thai fighters. Explore our selection and find the best hand wraps that elevate your training experience.

FAQs

Do hand wraps make your punches harder?

Hand wraps primarily protect your hands, fingers, and wrists rather than making punches harder. They help in stabilizing the joints and preventing injuries.

How to maintain your Thai boxing handwraps?

Always start with clean hand wraps for each training session. Wash them after every use to maintain hygiene and prevent odors.

Should you get 120 or 180 hand wraps for Muay Thai?

Go for 180-inch hand wraps as they provide more coverage and better protection for all hand sizes, essential in a sport where hand and wrist protection is crucial.