How to wrap your hands for boxing (step by step)

To wrap your hands for boxing, put your thumb through the loop, wrap your wrist, then your knuckles, run the wrap between your fingers and around your thumb, and finish back at the wrist. Keep the wrap flat, your fingers spread and the wrap snug, not tight. Here is the full step-by-step method for 180 in wraps like our 180 in hand wraps, how tight to go, the mistakes to avoid, and when quick wraps make more sense.

Why boxers wrap their hands

Hand wraps hold your wrist straight and keep the small bones and joints of your hand together when you punch. They add a thin layer over the knuckles and soak up sweat, which keeps the inside of your gloves drier. They don't replace gloves: wrap first, then glove up.

What you need

• Hand wraps. 180 in is the standard length for adults: enough to cover the wrist, the knuckles and the thumb. Shorter 120 in wraps suit small hands and kids. Ours are 180 in long and 2 in wide, in a stretch spandex-polyester blend with a reinforced thumb loop and a wide hook-and-loop closure, made in the USA.
• Gloves that fit with your wraps on. Wraps take up room inside a glove, so try gloves on with them. Our PG Professional gloves and SFX Deluxe gloves are sized in our boxing glove size chart.
• Clean, dry hands. Wraps go on more evenly and stay put better on dry skin.

How to wrap your hands for boxing, step by step

This is the standard method for 180 in wraps. Wrap both hands the same way, keep the wrap flat with no twists or wrinkles, and keep your fingers spread wide every time the wrap goes over your hand.

1. Thumb through the loop. Hold your hand out flat with your fingers spread and put your thumb through the thumb loop. Lay the wrap across the back of your hand, not your palm, heading for your wrist.
2. Wrap your wrist three times. Keep each pass flat and snug, just below the base of your hand. Add a fourth pass if you want more wrist support.
3. Wrap your knuckles three times. Bring the wrap up across the back of your hand and around your knuckles, fingers spread wide.
4. Back to the wrist. Take the wrap diagonally down across the back of your hand and once around your wrist.
5. Between your fingers. From the wrist, take the wrap up across the back of your hand, through the gap between your little finger and ring finger, and back down to the wrist. Do the same between your ring and middle fingers, then between your middle and index fingers, going around the wrist after each one.
6. Around the thumb. From the wrist, wrap once around the base of your thumb and come back to the wrist.
7. Knuckles again. Go back up and wrap your knuckles once or twice more, fingers still spread.
8. Cross the back of your hand. Use what's left crossing the back of your hand in an X, from the knuckles down to the wrist.
9. Finish at the wrist. End with a pass around the wrist and press the hook-and-loop closure down flat.

Then make a fist and open your hand a few times. The wrap should feel firm and even all over, with nothing pinching.

How tight should hand wraps be?

Snug, not tight. Your wrist should feel supported and your knuckles covered, but you should be able to make a full fist and open your hand comfortably. If your fingers tingle, go numb or change color, or your hand starts to throb, take the wrap off and do it again a little looser. Wraps give a little as you train and sweat, so start firm rather than loose.

Our hand wraps in 14 colors

Every color is the same wrap: 180 in long and 2 in wide, a stretch spandex-polyester blend, a reinforced thumb loop and a wide hook-and-loop closure, made in the USA. Pick a color to see it:

• Black
• Smoke Grey
• Snow White
• Tiffany Blue
• Blue
• Plum Purple
• Pink
• Camo Pink
• Fury Red
• Orange Punch
• Brilliant Yellow
• Citrus Smash
• Hunter Green
• Military Green

Keep two pairs and switch between them, so one pair is always dry when you train.

Common hand wrap mistakes

• Wrapping with a closed hand. A wrap put on over a closed hand gets tight the moment you make a fist. Keep your fingers spread.
• Wrapping too tight. Tingling, numbness or color change in your fingers means it's cutting off circulation. Rewrap it looser.
• Leaving it loose or wrinkled. A loose wrap slides around inside the glove, and folds and twists rub.
• Skipping the wrist. The wrist passes do most of the support work. Don't rush them to get to the knuckles.
• Too little on the knuckles. The knuckles take the impact, so give them at least three passes.
• Putting damp wraps back in your bag. That's where the smell comes from. Hang them up to dry straight after training (see how to clean boxing gloves and wraps).

Quick wraps: the fast option

Quick wraps slip on like a fingerless glove, so there's nothing to wrap. Our Quick Wraps have padded knuckles, open fingertips, a breathable mesh palm and an adjustable Velcro wrist strap, in sizes small to extra large, made in the USA. They're faster for bag work and classes. Traditional wraps take longer, but you set the support yourself and can wrap your wrist as firmly as you like.

Wrapping for Muay Thai, kickboxing and the heavy bag

The same method works for Muay Thai, kickboxing and heavy bag work. Some people add an extra pass around the wrist or the knuckles for long bag sessions. Always wear gloves over your wraps on a heavy bag. On a speed bag, wraps alone or light speed bag gloves are common (see our speed bag guide). In sanctioned fights, hands are usually wrapped with gauze and tape under the event's rules; reusable wraps like ours are for training.

Rolling, washing and replacing hand wraps

Rolling: roll your wraps up once they're dry. Start at the hook-and-loop end, fold the closure back on itself so it doesn't catch, and roll toward the thumb loop, keeping the wrap flat. The thumb loop ends up on the outside, ready for next time.

Washing: wash them after every session, in a mesh laundry bag on a gentle cycle, then hang them up to dry. Our guide on how to clean boxing gloves covers the rest of your gear.

Replacing: replace them when the stretch has gone, the hook-and-loop stops holding or the edges start to fray.

Frequently asked questions

How long should hand wraps be?

180 in (15 ft) is the standard length for adults. 120 in (10 ft) wraps suit small hands and kids. Ours are 180 in long and 2 in wide.

Do I need 120 or 180 hand wraps?

180 in for most adults: it's enough to cover the wrist, knuckles and thumb properly. If your hands are small, 180 in wraps still work; use the extra length on your wrist.

Should you wrap your hands when boxing?

Yes. Wrap your hands for bag work, pad work and sparring. Wraps support the wrist, hold the hand together and keep sweat out of your gloves.

Do you need hand wraps for a punching bag?

Yes, with gloves over them. A heavy bag is where wraps matter most, because you hit it hard and often.

How do I know if my hand wraps are too tight?

If your fingers tingle, go numb or change color, or you can't make a full fist comfortably, they're too tight. Take them off and wrap again a little looser.

Can you wear hand wraps without gloves?

Not for a heavy bag, pads or sparring: wraps support your hand but don't pad it enough on their own. On a speed bag, wraps alone are common.

Are quick wraps as good as hand wraps?

They're faster and pad the knuckles, which suits bag work and classes. Traditional wraps let you set the wrist support yourself. Many people keep both.

How do you roll up hand wraps?

Start at the hook-and-loop end with the closure folded back on itself, and roll toward the thumb loop, keeping the wrap flat. The thumb loop ends up on the outside, ready to use.

How often should you wash hand wraps?

After every session: in a mesh laundry bag on a gentle cycle, then hung up to dry.

Do hand wraps change what size gloves I need?

They take up a little room inside the glove, so always try gloves on with your wraps on. Our boxing glove size chart covers glove sizes and weights.