Thoughts on finger tape
2 week(s) ago • 178 views • 17 replies
So what are your thoughts on taping your fingers for normal training? I have taped my fingers and toes after injuries in the past, but I have not done so in the course of normal training. At my school I have only ever seen people taped up after injuries or for comps. Still as an older grappler injury prevention is at the forefront of my mind. As such I have come to all of you for your opinions. To be clear I have no issues with my fingers or toes, they are healthy and pain free. |
I have never used tape, but see a lot of people in my gym that do. Some do things with tape that look like they might provide support for the joints. Others do things that make me want to roll my eyes. I suspect 99% of finger taping is completely useless and people would be better off learning how to use their grips properly. |
I will always tape my fingers. I mainly tape 3 fingers on my right hand, which I had serious injury and surgeries for. Taping is not completely useless, it actually can help. It improves stability in the joints which actually can lead to stronger grips. It can also protect those joints from future injury or problems. This is proven and something I learned from doing it and my academic studies for my degree’s in performance enhancement and injury prevention. I can imagine that Joe meant with his comment, that most people do not tape correctly and thus it doesn’t work as effectively as it should. But working on grip strength exercises outside of BJJ will 100% help more than just taping. I have made a few devices for this type of exercise. I drilled thru a few soft balls and put an eye bolt thru the ball, and made an attachment for weights and pullups using the balls. Did the same with hockey pucks. It is amazing the benifit gained from a little extra work.  |
Well, I tape every single finger for every Gi session I do. If not I know latest next day why I should have done. Of course there are some different causes: There is my age and more than 4 decades of grappling for my fingers so far. And another thing is my kumi kata, my way of gripping and gripfighting which is maybe not gently as it could be for older fingers and ankles. -But after all these years I won‘ t change that (and it is obviously still a tough weapon against all the younger testo-bulls 😅). |
"Could you possible link the video for others to see what helped you?" Keenan teaches only to tape injured fingers. From my pov all of my fingers had been injured in tha past and are still injured body parts. That to be said about Keenans vid, which is easy to find at yt. However, the taping I usually use is this classical one: https://youtu.be/GdI_0FvK[...]ure=shared |
I have very large hands, but my fingers are skinny, so I’m prone to joint injuries during gi grappling. Judo was especially hard on my knuckles. I always tape my fingers for gi training using the X-method. It helps to minimize wear-and-tear arthritis. I’m 48 and I have learned the hard way that you have to take care of your body if you want to train for a lifetime. It’s best to do grip strengthening exercises outside of class to make your hands less injury-prone (for example, with the GripMaster). In sparring, it’s too easy to have fingers get caught in the fabric and torqued in the wrong direction before you can release your grip. Tape provides “exterior ligaments” to help protect the joints. |
"Could you possible link the video for others to see what helped you?" Sorry for the delay. As stated above Keenan only shows taping 2 injured fingers. However, I just tape all my fingers like he shows, except of course I don't tape them all together and it helps tremendously. It may not be a new magic way but it has been very helpful for my fingers. I have learned over the last couple of years that with healthy-ish fingers you don't have to "lattice" the tape quite as much as he does in the video. I do 2 wraps per finger like he does but I simply overlap the tape on itself (the X method mentioned above). https://www.youtube.com/w[...]mIUEDdFWak (Edited 2 week(s) ago) |
"May I recommend being ready to abandon a grip at any time, aggressively? And to explore more grip-less play, especially when in no gi? It tends to be finger preserving, and especially in practice. And, after all, what the upside to broken and crippled fingers..." „too late the prophets cry“ moaned in the quietest moments... But it did not happen mainly because of aggressively moves from my side, it is more the stubbornness of my younger Judo-years to never give up a grip, once successfully fought for. My noGi nower days is mostly without needing the single fingers of human hands at all, it would easily work with the claws of a sloth, too.😂 [But to be mentioned: the harpy eagle is the only creature able to separate a sloth claws from the tree…☝🏼] (Edited 2 week(s) ago) |
yah, midway through blue belt I had a much older Judo Blackbelt that I was working with who kind of guided me to relaxing my grips unless I absolutely needed them. So far I have had only one finger injury and that was someone jamming my finger with their knee while sliding into me on the mat. Been years and it is still always stiff and does not close without a bit of effort. As such I consider myself lucky. |
"So what are your thoughts on taping your fingers for normal training? I have taped my fingers and toes after injuries in the past, but I have not done so in the course of normal training. At my school I have only ever seen people taped up after injuries or for comps. Still as an older grappler injury prevention is at the forefront of my mind. As such I have come to all of you for your opinions. To be clear I have no issues with my fingers or toes, they are healthy and pain free." I think it just depends on frequency of training and if you're actually getting a benefit out of it. I do when I I'm sore and beat down.....I should do it more but I'm lazy |
