HOW TO TAPE FINGERS FOR BJJ

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a highly strenuous Martial Art, with its intensity for transition, and its ferocious submission game. Athletes can choose between training in the Gi, and the No Gi disciplines, as both versions of BJJ are vastly different. In the Gi an athlete must use a series of grips, and controls that can become extremely hard on an athlete's fingers. There are multiple techniques that involve an athlete to get their fingers twisted up in the Gi, techniques like the cross collar choke, the clock choke, the loop choke, pocket grips, pistol grips, and lapel wraps. Athletes must condition their hands so they can become strong enough to handle the grip battle during a competitive match. Sometimes fatigue in an athlete's hand is what can ultimately lose them a match, as their opponents will end up passing their guard, or finishing the submission. 

What this article covers:

• Why Do Athletes Need to Tape Their Fingers
• What Are the Benefits of Using Finger Tape
• What Is the Best Way to Tape an Athletes Fingers
• What Are the Risks of Not Taping Injured Fingers
• The Best Finger Tape for BJJ

WHY DO ATHLETES NEED TO TAPE THEIR FINGERS

There are many reasons why athletes will need to tape their fingers. Injuries in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are extremely common because of the rough nature of a grappling match. Athletes who use their hands to grip onto the Gi, can result in fingers being broken, dislocated, torn ligaments, and torn tendons. Usually an athlete can persevere with finger injuries, as there are other ways to compete in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu without using specific finger grips. Using tape on an athlete's fingers will help solidify the strength within the digits, helping an athlete to last throughout their training session without further damage to their hands. Finger issues are common injuries in jiu jitsu, which is why they should be looked after, and strengthened so that injuries can be avoided. Sometimes they cannot be avoided, and this is why athletes will use different taping methods to help keep their fingers strong, and most of all prevent them from any further risk of injury.

Learn to MASTER THE FUNDAMENTALS OF HALF GUARD PASSING with 10X World Champion Xande Ribeiro.  Available now at BJJFanatics.com!

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING FINGER TAPE

Strapping an athlete's fingers can be crucial to preventing any ongoing injuries. Fingers are extremely important for gripping onto an athlete's Gi, and they are just as important in No Gi, as they are used to cup necks, and hold wrists and ankles. This is why athletes need to take care of their hands, so they can maximise their opportunity to win the grip battle. The main injury concerns regarding the hands are joints, tendons, and ligaments, where athletes can break, and fracture bones, strain, and tear ligaments, and tendons. Using strapping tape will significantly help with bjj recovery, as the tape can act like a strengthening tool for athletes. Using tape will considerably increase an athlete's grip strength, which in turn will improve an athlete's gripping technique. Using tape can help an athlete prevent injuries to their joints, and will lower the risk of suffering from broken bones, or tearing tendons or ligaments. Wearing tape around an athlete's finger can also improve the confidence of the athlete, which can enable them to use more stringent grip based attacks.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO TAPE AN ATHLETES FINGERS

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu athletes are experts when it comes to injury prevention, as they have a constant need for using strapping tape. Athletes can suffer from many injuries, so learning how to prevent neck injuries, or how to avoid cauliflower ear bjj are crucial learning processes. There are specific ways that athletes need to tape their fingers for grappling, and these ways are dependent upon the type of injury that an athlete is trying to prevent. Knuckle taping is used for injured, or sore knuckles, and is commonly for older BJJ athletes. The best way to wrap a knuckle is to tape around the affected area one, or two times, and then wrap the tape around the finger joint just below the sore knuckle. Another way that an athlete can tape their knuckles is called x taping. This method of strapping is used predominantly by more experienced grapplers, as it provides more support, and at the same time giving an athlete more flexibility, and movement. This method involves starting the wrap from the top of the finger, and wrapping diagonally down the inside of the finger. The wrap will then start from the top stretching down around the outside of the finger, forming an x pattern. This method of taping will act like braces, which can provide a stronger stability to the tendons, ligaments, and finger joints.

Another great way to strap an injured finger is taping it to another finger. This is one of the best methods that will support injured finger joints, and is used in many sports worldwide. An injured finger will lose stability, which can lead to a greater risk of more serious injury. This will seriously affect the mobility of an athlete, especially when they are trying to utilise grips on their opponents Gi. Using this supportive system, an athlete will simply wrap tape around their injured finger, and bind it to the next finger in its succession. This is how an athlete can lower any risk of overextending, or reinjuring their joints, tendons, or ligaments during a BJJ match. There are simple solutions to an injured finger, and that is to tape the finger in between the finger joints to help stabilise the fingers. This may not be the most comprehensive way to strap an injury, but it can still help an athlete through their training or competition matches

Taping the thumb is always a much more comprehensive system than simply wrapping a finger. The thumb injury is the worst injury that an athlete can receive to their fingers, as the thumb is the most important part of the gripping mechanism in the hand. Although adding significant tape to a thumb can hinder the grip strength of an athlete, it will also considerably enhance their ability to avoid cauliflower ear or more serious injury. Taping the thumb can be a delicate procedure just like taping bjj cauliflower ear, as both extremities need to be taped correctly for a worthwhile benefit. A thumb strapping will usually start with tape from the inside, or the tip of the thumb, curling around the inner part of the thumb, and circling towards the outside of the thumb bone. This strapping can be wrapped several times for extra support, and can even continue on around the wrist for a more stable strapping. 

Another way to strap the thumb is to do a singular wrap around the tip of the thumb, and a singular wrap around the wrist. The next step is to add stirrups from the thumb all the way to the wrist, before circling around as if the strap were making the number six. Each way to strap the thumb needs to be diligently wrapped, and tested so an athlete can keep flexibility in their thumb, and so that the thumb is not getting dragged too far into an awkward position. Wrapping finger joints too tightly can cut off blood circulation, which is never a good idea, as this will only worsen an athlete's injury. Some athletes do not use enough tape, and this can be quite common to see strapping fall off during a fight, as this is a common denominator due to the nature of grappling. Athletes must make sure they use a generous amount of tape, so the strapping can stay on for the entirety of a BJJ fight.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF NOT TAPING INJURED FINGERS 

Injuries are extremely common during Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training sessions, or competitions. Fingers and toes are usually the first injuries that students will receive when they start BJJ, and this can continue on later into their careers. There are significant risks with not taping an injured finger, as in most cases an athlete will continue to re-injure the same finger over and over. Fingers are extremely hard to heal for BJJ competitors, and this is due to the rigorous nature of grappling. Athletes will continue to train during competitive fights even with injured fingers. Although this may seem brave it can also be stupid, as an athlete with sore fingers will find it extremely hard to grip onto their opponents, and their opponents will find it easier to break their grips. This can be an extremely daunting problem for an athlete, and this is why there is an apparent need for finger strapping. An athlete that has a slightly injured finger may find not taping their fingers will lead to more serious injuries like broken fingers, dislocations, torn ligaments, or torn tendons. Sometimes ligaments can be torn off of the bone, and can create lifelong problems within the fingers. Athletes must protect their hands at all costs, because of how important they are for executing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques.

THE BEST FINGER TAPE FOR BJJ

There are many different brands of strapping, but only two basic types of tape. Most athletes will use 1.5, or 0.3 inch tape, and each size will work for different types of injury. The larger tape has a bigger width, meaning it will cover a larger area of the finger. The downside to using the larger tape means it will have to be cut in order to fit appropriately around each individual injury. The upside is that athletes can specifically design certain shapes to fit awkward areas of injury around their fingers. The smaller tape is good to fit perfectly around fingers, as it is specifically designed to meet the contours of an athlete's hands. Smaller tape does not need to be cut, which means it is easier, and faster to apply on an athlete before, during, and after training. Taping fingers are essential for athletes that have injured hands, and especially for athletes that are older, as arthritis can also play a big part. The best finger tapes are the ones that tear easy, and give an athlete better durability, and adhesive quality. Tape that can be removed without leaving an adhesive residue is what an athlete should be searching for.

Johnson and Johnson Coach sports tape is where sports strapping basically began. This tape was not specifically designed for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighting, but still has been one of the premier choices for most other sports, especially combat. This tape comes in a 3.8 centimetre width, meaning it can also be used for wrists, ankles, and a multitude of other injuries. This means that the tape will need to be torn into more narrower strips to accommodate the size of the finger. This adjustable tape has proven to be one of the best on the market with its versatility, durability, and affordability. The upside to this tape is that it won't come off easily during training, and it doesn't leave any sticky residue after removal. The downside is that due to its extreme adhesiveness, sometimes finding the end to tear off can be quite troublesome. At the end of the day a tape that is hard to take off means it won't fall off, and will most definitely provide a much stronger support for athletes.

Learn to MASTER THE FUNDAMENTALS OF HALF GUARD PASSING with 10X World Champion Xande Ribeiro.  Available now at BJJFanatics.com!

Gold Jiu Jitsu tape is an incredibly strong athletic tape, which is designed specifically for BJJ. This tape is perfect for Jiu Jitsu, but will also work well for MMA, Judo, Wrestling, and Rock Climbing. This tape is made by a BJJ Gi manufacturer, which means they understand the challenges that injuries in BJJ will demand. This tape has an incredibly powerful adhesive that is guaranteed to stay on during the toughest of training sessions. The downside to Gold BJJ tape is that it can leave a residue after the tape is removed, but with a light wash all traces can be removed. This tape may also bother athletes that have sensitive skin, as the super strong adhesive may rip out hairs if it is removed too quickly.

There are many different types of finger tapes that athletes can use, as the quality will differ between the brands. Using the right type of strapping can help athletes overcome their injuries, and even slow the arthritis process for many of the older grapplers. Finger tape should be used to help stabilise an injury, but should not be relied upon as the solitary support system. A common issue that BJJ fighters face is their reliability upon strapping, and even though it is used to help an injury, it can also be detrimental. An injury that relies heavily on tape over a long period of time, may become too reliant on the strapping, which can cause the injury to become weaker. It is important that students only use tape if it is absolutely necessary, and they should make sure to try and rehabilitate the injury so they can train without the need for tape.

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