Bag gloves

[ninjandrew]

Im wondering the pros and cons of wearing gloves or wraps when training on the heavy bag. Im on a budget and was hoping I wouldnt need a pair for my own bag.

If anyone could add to this it would be appreciated.
Pros of no gloves: Knuckle skin conditioning
Cons: Bleeding on bags in gyms is unacceptable and a risk of infection.

As you can see Im not to keen on bag gloves...

[Andrew Green]

Pro - Saves your wrists from long term damage.

Been there done that, don't reccomend it.

Wraps and gloves are important, very important.

Yes, it probably doesn't hurt much now. But after a few years you'll wish you'd been wearing them.

[eric hargrove]

greetings.

bag gloves are the way to go with wraps.

but don't just train with them only.

Started out in boxing and only realized I had developed a dependancy on the wrist support when I had a fight and crimped my wrist.

Now I mix up my training with just wraps and without anything.

What saves me is the use of bruise and tendon lotion known as Dit Da Jow. Takes down the swelling and relieves the aches and bruises almost immediatley. it does stain your clothes though.

you can get it in any chinese mail order or MA store.

eric hargrove
ngokfei@juno.com

[blck_soft_hit_hard]

Don't use them...I know I don't...you can't depend on the wraps and gloves because you're not going to have them if you get into it in the street...your opponent is not gonna stop and let you put your wraps on...do knuckle push ups as well to help strengthen your wrist and callous your knuckles....that way you don't bleed on the bag and your wrist is strong enough to support the impact of a strike..

[gabriel]

i agree entirely with the last post, also you should be striking with all other parts of the hand and arm. hammer fist, palm, back of the hand, elbow, single knuckle etc.


______________________

gary stevens

[KINGB]

You should absolutely use something to wrap your wrist starting out. After you build up some strength you can take them off. That's my opinion anyway. I jammed my wrist big time punching a bag once. Damn thing hurt for like 6 months...

Brandon Coker

[Becky_Sheetz]

When I first started MA and I'd use a bag I didn't wrap my wrists OR wear gloves. That stuff was for sissies!

Then I took some time off of bag work--some number of years, since I no longer trained at home and near a heavy bag.

Now, during this time, I started doing a joint locking martial art. As those who do these know, you really do develop wrist and forearm strength and flexibility from doing such a MA. I have "jujitsu wrists" now, which means you can't see the bump of the bone on the outside of the wrist, all just muscle. I'm not a doctor, but it is clear to those who are that the anatomy of each of my wrists have changed. And they have gotten considerably stronger.

Fast forward to the time when I start using the bag again after a few years off. Keep in mind that I had been using focus mits intermittedly, so the idea of hitting a reasonably hard surface had not been foreign. Here's what I learned: During those several years, I had gotten more powerful and learned to hit much harder. So when I'd hit the heavy bag, after a short while in my workout, I'd really start to zing my wrist. Now I'm sure skeptics could say this was because my forearms/wrists were not conditioned, but, as I said, they most certainly were. Lack of focus or poor form could also be assumed, but those have never been problem areas for me.

A student of mine who is a body builder realized after one session that he needed to wrap his wrists. He zinged his pretty good on the heavy bag and it's not because he had weak wrists.

So I would say, Andrew, if you are hitting hard, or ever have any aspirations to do so, please wrap your wrists! The bag gloves are advised, IMO, basically to keep the wraps from coming off.

[stephen TKD]

I have wraps for my wrists ..but i dont know how to wrap properly .. can anyone tell me how to wrap them or post a sourse that does ????

[Cliff Hargrave]

Here are five ways:

http://www.boxinggyms.com/tips/handwraps.htm

[khujo78]

yes, wraps and/or gloves are the way to go, especially when just beginning to get you used to the right hand and wrist position. also, as mentioned before, you run a greater chance of injuring yourself if you bend your wrist during a punch. as for knuckle conditioning, do knuckle push ups on the ground

[John Lucas]

I have a problem with wraps. It sounds funny, but I have irregularly shaped hands, and so far I havent been able to find a good way to support the wrist without cutting off the circulation to my hand.

I am going to try a couple of the methods on that site Cliff listed, but usually I just hit the bag without them, because I have been told its dangerous to impede the flow of blood to your hands while you are punching. Of course, the trade off is that Im damaging my wrists, and with all of the time I spend at a computer (typing, mousing), and doing pullups I probably need to start using handwraps to prevent from damaging them.

[fightgrrl]

It is dangerous to impede the flow of blood to your hands.
John, you're obviously wrapping too tightly.
There is a pretty specific method to properly support the wrist and hand bones that you are trying to protect.
You have flexible wraps right? kind of stretchy like Ace bandage?

I'm giving the thumbs down(!) to all the methods on Cliff's link because they isolate the thumb...if you aren't using gloves you'll definitely be risking thumb injury trying any of those ways. If my idea doesn't make sense, just think about this...any good boxing glove has an attached thumb-opposite of what they are doing by wrapping the thumb away from the hand.

see the video here,
wrap video (www.ironglovesboxing.com/ html/video_clips.html)and just skip the thumb part and keep alternating hand and wrist until you run out of wrap. very close to how we wrap, the direction is important, too.
hope that helps

[John Lucas]

I think I should show you a picture of my hand, its hard to explain. I dont know if there is too much space between my knuckles, or what, but the knife edge of my hand has a large curve, and the bone of the hand actually seems to extend beyond the knuckle.

I have tried wrapping and re-wrapping, but even when I do a crappy loose wrap I cant feel my fingers. I am definitely open to trying some new methods though, if you can find me some good examples, I will try them.

[Cliff Hargrave]

Tell me more about the thumb thing. I actually don't use any of those, my personal way is a combo of some of them.

If you really can't use wraps try this:

http://www.boxingdepot.com/catalog/images/items/bx-ac-17.jpg

Or this:

http://us.st11.yimg.com/store1.yimg.com/I/yhst-86564106502080_1878_19124050

I prefer the second ones.

[fightgrrl]

you don't have flexible wraps do you?

[Cliff Hargrave]

I use "Mexican" wraps, the ones with a little stretch to them.

[fightgrrl]

I meant John, since it sounds like he can't get them to conform to his hands.
Mexican w/velcro...the only way to go for day to day stuff.
I have classic yellow, black, lime green,purple, blue and PINK ones!
The only color we had that I didn't get is red.

never tried the gel wraps, the second style is something I have considered, but I think I am all set now!

[Gene Williams]

These are nice:

[John Lucas]

I use black mexican style wraps.

Here, I know the pictures arent the best quality but I think they give you a good idea.

[Cliff Hargrave]

never tried the gel wraps, the second style is something I have considered, but I think I am all set now!

I have tried them, I like the TKO wraps because you can tighten them however you want. You cant tighten the Everlast ones.

[Gene Williams]

And, for you macho guys:

[Gene Williams]

Now, here's a pair :D

[fightgrrl]

Geez Gene!

I don't know what the problem could be John, your hand looks like a normal hand.

[Gene Williams]

Now, Cliff, you may want to consider accessorizing with this pair of cheek shredders!

[John Lucas]

You know, I just wrapped them without isolating the thumb like you were talking about, and I clenched my fist a little while I wrapped them to keep them from rolling over the pinky knuckle and they work perfectly now.

I guess it didnt have anything to do with the shape of my hand, just bad technique. Although my hand is different (Most people cant spread their fingers 90 degrees apart.)

[fightgrrl]

Yay!

Gene, if I wasn't saving up money I'd grab up those fuzzy pink ones!
what a hoot!

[Gene Williams]

They are kinda' cute...

[TCBA_Joe]

i have a pair of these, they seem to support the wrist pretty well, but i havent used them a lot yet.
what do you think of em?

Century Bag gloves (http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_1/601-1820760-6912109?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B0000ATJ17)

[fightgrrl]

i had those, padding didn't sit right for me, breaks in the padding the right places to catch the bag and roll over wrist. just not a good fit and then there's that whole thumb issue I have.

I had THESE (http://www.ringside.com/IMAGES/PSGV.JPG) for a while after nearly ripping my thumbs off on double end bag and heavy bag, now I just use my regular 12oz boxing gloves for everything, wraps underneath, so you just pull them off for speed bag.

[Cliff Hargrave]

..now I just use my regular 12oz boxing gloves for everything, wraps underneath, so you just pull them off for speed bag.

Me too, I just use 12oz gloves for bag work. Some cheapie Everlast gloves:


http://us.st11.yimg.com/store1.yimg.com/I/everlast-worldwide_1878_15376930

[fightgrrl]

oooh,
ask Jeff about those merchandise selections Cliff.


I have these (http://woldorf.com/images/Shop/thumb/w-117.jpg)
and these (http://woldorf.com/images/Shop/images/w35pro_01-w35pro_Layer-10_o.jpg)
and the Pink ones in my picture

[Cliff Hargrave]

I went cheap so I could throw them away when they got stinky. :)

We have Ringside stuff at the school but I really hate wearing other people's sweat.