HOW TO WRAP HANDS FOR MMA: THE RIGHT WAY

Step 1

Roll out the wrap and find the thumb loop

Use a 120 inch (3 meter) hand wrap, not the 180 inch boxing wraps. MMA wraps are shorter because the 4oz glove has less room and you need your fingers free. Unroll the wrap, find the thumb loop at the end, and hook it over your thumb so the rolled wrap sits on top of your hand.

A1's note: 120 inches for MMA, 180 for boxing. Shorter wraps fit under 4oz gloves without bunching.

Step 2

Lock the wrist first

Wrap around your wrist three full times. Keep the wrap flat and snug, pulling tension from the roll, not yanking with the loose end. The wrist takes the brunt of impact in MMA, especially when you throw overhand punches and hooks in small gloves, so this base layer is the most important part of the whole wrap.

A1's note: Three wrist wraps minimum. Your wrist is your career in MMA, protect it first.

Step 3

Anchor the knuckles

Bring the wrap up over your knuckles and take three full passes across the back of the hand. In MMA you land on exposed knuckles far more often than in boxing, so build this layer thick. End each pass just past the knuckles, with the wrap pulled tight but not cutting circulation.

A1's note: Three across the knuckles. Thick here, because small gloves forgive nothing.

Step 4

Protect between the knuckles (X pattern)

After the knuckle passes, wrap between each knuckle in an X pattern: down through the fingers, around the wrist, back up through the next gap. Two or three gaps is enough. This pads the impact zones and keeps the wrap from sliding around once your hands sweat.

A1's note: The X pattern locks the pad to your hand. If the wrap slides, this layer was skipped.

Step 5

Support the thumb

Run the wrap around your thumb once or twice, pulling it snug against the palm. MMA gloves are small and thumbs get jammed on clinch entries and takedown sprawls. A supported thumb sits tight instead of sticking out to catch on elbows and gloves.

A1's note: Tuck the thumb to the hand. A loose thumb in MMA is an injury waiting to happen.

Step 6

Lock the knuckle pad down

Finish with two more passes across the knuckles over everything you built. This caps the pad so nothing unravels mid-round. When you are done, the knuckle side should feel like a firm pad and your fingers should still move completely freely.

A1's note: Cap the knuckles last. Padding on top, fingers free underneath.

Step 7

Velcro it down and test it

Finish with the velcro strap on the wrist. Then make a fist, spread your fingers, and twist your wrist. The wrap should move with your hand, not slide against it. If your fingertips tingle or your hand goes pale, unwrap and redo it looser. Too tight is worse than too loose for the first week of wrapping.

A1's note: Make a fist. If the wrap slides on the skin, it is loose. If your hand throbs, it is tight.

Wrap length

MMA uses 120 inch wraps, boxing uses 180 inch. The shorter wrap fits under 4oz gloves without bunching at the knuckles, and leaves less bulk around the palm.

Finger freedom

MMA wraps leave the fingers completely open so you can grip wrists, hook gloves, and finish chokes. Boxing wraps bury the fingers in padding because the boxing glove does the protecting.

Knuckle exposure

4oz MMA gloves cover far less of the hand, so the wrap itself has to do more knuckle padding work. Three knuckle passes is the floor in MMA, not the ceiling.

Grappling movement

Your hands grip, grab, and post constantly in MMA. A boxing-style wrap locks the hand into a fist shape and fails the moment you open your hand to grapple. MMA wraps must support a fist AND a flat, open hand.