September 6, 2019 10:00 am

// Boxing and martial arts

Already at the first lessons of classical or Thai boxing, and indeed at the beginning of classes in any kind of martial arts, athletes learn to understand — there are no trifles here. Every detail, no matter how insignificant it may seem at first glance, can play a decisive role in the outcome of the fight, depending on whether it helps the fighter or hinders. Elastic bandages are hidden under boxing gloves, they are not visible to the outside eye, but this is the most important attribute of individual protection during training, which absolutely cannot be underestimated.

Bandages for boxing play an extremely important role — they fix the joints of the wrists of the athlete in the correct physiological position and prevent the appearance of abrasions and other damage to the upper layers of the skin. In addition, they perform a number of important functional tasks. Every experienced fighter knows that sports boxing bandages bring him invaluable benefits, and choosing them is a serious and responsible task.

Modern boxing bandages — functions and purpose

A boxer’s hands are his weapon, and boxing gloves are his protection. At the same time, gloves protect not only the wrist joint of a fighter from injury, but also his partner during training or an opponent in the ring. But boxing sports bandages are already part of individual protection, the task of which is to prevent deformation and displacement of the wrist elements.

The skeleton of the human hand consists of many bones and a huge number of joints, each of which is at risk. Beginners and insufficiently trained boxers inevitably make mistakes, shifting their fists when hitting from an anatomically correct plane. The consequences of these errors are natural — dislocations and sprains, and sometimes fractures. 

Bandages for boxing perform the following important functions:

Bandages for boxing are necessary not only for novice athletes, but also for professional boxers, because even an impeccable strike can overtake an opponent on the trajectory of movement and shift to the side, hitting the wrong place. Under the force of the blow, small bones of an un-bandaged hand can simply crack.

Sports bandages for boxing — varieties and features of each type

The prototype of high-tech materials, from which modern companies produce protective bandages for boxing, are considered to be bovine leather belts that were wound on their hands by fist fighters in ancient times. I must say that the modernization of sports equipment has since stepped very, very far forward. The efforts of modern manufacturers are constantly developing new synthetic additives designed to improve the protection and increase the elasticity of natural materials, individual models of bandages are equipped with gel inserts. 

In general, bandages for boxing (Thai and classical), which are on sale, are divided into three large groups:

Let’s consider in detail the features of each variety.

Cotton bandages for boxing

This type of protection is a tape made of one hundred percent cotton, which has a loop for the thumb and Velcro for fixing. Such bandages for Thai boxing perfectly absorb sweat and provide the skin with the opportunity to “breathe” freely. 

Features of protection:

• in the process of winding a short or long bandage, excessive efforts should not be made to prevent compression of blood vessels and loss of sensitivity of nerve endings;
• fast bandaging with cotton ribbons requires certain skills, the skill will definitely be developed after a long practice.

For regular intensive training, such protection is considered the best option due to its operational characteristics.

Elastic (Mexican) bandages

Elastic bandages look similar to cotton ones and are also an excellent option for training, duels and competitions. Elastic and semi-elastic bandages are especially convenient when it is necessary to apply a method of bandaging between the fingers. The standard length of the Mexican protection is 4.6 m. They are fixed with Velcro. Elastic bandages for boxing consist of a mixed material — natural and synthetic fibers. The most common additives are fiber, elastane, spandex, the presence of which increases the stretchability of the tape several times.

Characteristic features:

• The tight fit ensures reliable fixation of the wrist and fist, without compromising its mobility.;
• the indicators of breathability and hydroscopicity are somewhat inferior to cotton analogues;
• novice boxers, taping their hands with Mexican bandages, do not always correctly feel the right degree of tension, which leads to numbness of the limbs and forces them to rewind the protection;
• elastic bandages for Thai boxing stretch over time, lose their elasticity and cope worse with their direct task.

We recommend purchasing elastic bandages exclusively from reputable proven manufacturers that guarantee both the durability of products and maximum ventilation of combat sports equipment.

Bandage gloves or shingarts

This type of protection does not require winding the tape, takes a minimum of time and is intended for express taping. With classic boxing bandages, such protection has only one thing in common — a functional purpose. Externally, bandage gloves with gel filler are similar to light shell gloves without fingers (and can replace them on occasion). The price of this protection option is relatively higher than that of the previous categories, although it all depends on the manufacturer, materials and quality characteristics of each particular product.

Features of bandage gloves and their use:

• it is convenient for an athlete to put on gloves, it is done very quickly;
• the level of support and fixation of the wrist is inferior to that of cotton and elastic bandages;
• premium quality materials provide the bandage gloves with high strength and durability (they can be washed in the washing machine);
• reinforced seams and elastic materials are responsible for a tight fit and safety, so it is extremely important to choose the right size for an optimal fit of the product.

Any beginner can easily put on this type of equipment, no special skills and dexterity are required for this. But for professional boxing, bandage gloves are practically not used.

How to choose sports bandages for boxing gloves for training and fights

The choice of material is considered a personal matter for everyone and a matter of individual preferences, but for novice athletes and children, the use of cotton bandages is recommended. Since such binties for boxing do not stretch, the risk of constricting blood vessels and disrupting blood circulation during the training process is minimized.

Many people prefer cotton protection under boxing gloves precisely because of the ease of winding the tape, but professional athletes often choose elastic. Having trained well and developed the appropriate skill, the risk of excessive tug of the brush is already reduced to zero. Tighter rewinding (up to minimal numbness of the fingers) is practiced when the purpose of training is intense percussive work in full force. Then the elastic winding lies down as needed, already in the process of working out the blows.

The choice of the manufacturer is a key point that deserves maximum attention. The following brands are among the world’s best manufacturers of bandages for amateur and professional boxing: Adidas, TITLE, Everlast, Fighting. Market leaders are constantly improving their products, investing a lot of money in the development and implementation of innovative technologies. The decision to buy branded bandages, even if their price is higher than that of nameless analogues, is fully justified by the high quality of products, the level of comfort, safety and durability.