How to wrap your hands like a Thai

In combat sports, hand wraps provide an additional layer of protection from injury and some extra stability. Different fight disciplines demand different moves so it’s no wonder that Western style boxers and Thai boxers wrap their hands with different objectives in mind. Thai fighters need to keep some wrist flexibility to effectively clinch and catch kicks. Whereas western style boxers want to immobilize their wrist as much as possible. Some Nak Muays prefer to wear hand wraps underneath their boxing gloves while others prefer not to wear them at all. It’s a personal preference that should be taken into consideration. Much like your fight game, finding a style of hand wrapping and perfecting it takes time – and practice!

Of course, there are also differences in preferences of fighters in the same discipline when it comes to wrapping their hands. Today, we’re looking at the outline provided by Muay Thai giant, Fairtex, as we provide instructions on Thai style hand wrapping

What type of hand wraps do Muay Thai fighters use?

Elasticated cotton hand wraps are a must. They give a comfortable amount of compression while allowing movement and flexibility for your Muay Thai training. We recommend Fairtex HW2 Handwraps. They are available in a variety of colors and patterns, with a single Velcro closure at the wrist.

How to wrap your hands like a Thai?

According to Fairtex, use these easy to follow instructions for Thai style wrapping. 

1. Starting with the loop in the palm of your hand, bring the wraps towards your thumb and up over the knuckles. 
2. Complete (at least) 1 full circle across the knuckles. Then, bring the wraps from between your thumb and index finger down towards the opposite side of your wrist. 
3. Bring the wraps from the pinky finger side of your wrist and wrap it across the bottom of your palm towards your wrist. Do 1 full circle. 
4. Starting on the thumb side of your wrist, bring the wraps across the back of your hand to go between your pinky and ring finger. 
5. Bring it back along the palm of your knuckles to between the index and thumb. Make an ‘X’ as you bring it back to the pinky side of your wrist. Wrap around the wrist to start again underneath the thumb.
6. Repeat step #5 twice more in between each finger. 
7. Starting at your wrist, wrap around the thumb knuckle and back down to the wrist. 
8. Repeat step #7 until you achieve the optimal amount of thumb stability. 
9. Finish by wrapping around the wrist until you reach the end of the length. 
10. Secure the wrap using the velcro strap.

Extra tips to make wrapping your hands for Muay Thai easier: 

• Wash them after each use. If you’re using a machine, be sure to secure the velcro strap before throwing them in. Hang them to dry to prevent the elastic fibers from deteriorating. Keeping your wraps clean prevents bacteria growth. Fresh wraps will also help to extend the life of your boxing gloves. 
• Make sure they’re detangled before you start wrapping. An easy way to ensure this is to roll them up after they are dry. Wrapping from a rolled-up ball will allow you to easily keep the right amount of tension as you weave between your fingers. 

Hand wraps are a great way to give your gloves that extra bit of padding and protection. We recommend buying a few pairs of Fairtex hand wraps so you have them available throughout the week. They come in a variety of different colors so you can pick the pairs that best match your style. You can’t go wrong with these affordable, high-quality wraps. An easy way to up your fight game.