How and Why to Tape Your Fingers in BJJ

Stephan Kesting and Rob Biernacki talk about when and how to tape your fingers in BJJ. More tips and techniques at www.grapplearts.com/articles

[@SSniperFly-lr7zb]

lets be honest here, it looks pretty damn cool

[@belatorius3442]

I tried taping my fingers for one class and of course I was the white biting looking "too serious" and had a few jokes thrown my way. But the difference is noticeable and worth it. My knuckles didn't feel so raw. At least taping your main hand. $4 gets you a pack of 3 mueller at walmart. Worth a try

[@timkang5190]

i'm 3 months into training and i need it. lol. i'll take the tease and save my fingers :D

[@user-pp6ze6iz9c]

Most people in my bjj club tape there hands. No big deal. Some tape there toes and feet too. It's only tape.

[@kivsa85]

That was helpful beyond what I was seeking, thank you for the info

[@afhostie]

Stephan Kesting Thanks for sharing, I can't wait to try this out.

[@AndiTheValkyrie]

Great advice! I often play spiderguard because I don't weigh a lot and I'm not very strong, so it gives me more chance against the bigger guys, but it's killing my fingers. I'm gonna try this next training!

[@MatthiasGruber78]

Seeing this I do wish I had taped my knuckles in the beginning years :) On the other hand, a few weeks of training with a cast every few years is also an instructive experience. And I learned how to protect my fingers in a fight. It's a little bit like using walking sticks in the mountain. If you use them all the time, you will forget how to walk. But in some passages they can save your life.

[@zachmoman9554]

This helps me a lot thanks a lot keep up the good work

[@christiangerhardt2408]

Rock climbers know how to tape fingers. I am lucky that I started BJJ after I already did some rock climbing. I never go on the map without taping pinkie to middle finger on both hands. Guys joke about it but that is what I do and it helps.

[@bigbobabc123]

Do you wrap differently to these guys?

[@ohnenamen5951]

Who ask?

[@christiangerhardt2408]

@@bigbobabc123 yes we do.

[@bigbobabc123]

@@christiangerhardt2408 how?

[@christiangerhardt2408]

@@bigbobabc123 we tear the tape into thinner strips. Then cross tape the back of each joint first. Then tape it down by taping round the finger. There are a couple of rock climbing finger taping videos out there have a look.

[@ianvictory8469]

I've been trying to find you for so long! Hell yes

[@jholmes45]

I've been training for around 9 months, and my wedding ring now only fits my pinky. Knuckles are very swollen. I need to start doing this.

[@0fficer_friendly]

Are you still training?

[@timkang5190]

stay faithful my bratha

[@carlosandres1835]

Not sounds good

[@Kurdaehe1]

Nice video for the fighters, I see a lot of guys don't protecting themselves, my father hurt himself one day, pretty bad, I dont know the terms in english, but he lost some of the movement of his finger... and he is a surgeon... thank god its was the "useless" finger. Congratulations for the video.

[@FL_Cordis]

Man i love you channel :)

[@MrFlynt93]

Hello Stephan, I bought the five volumes of Eliott Bayev's series (itunes) and I must say it's amazing. Eliott is a wonderful teacher. Do you realize another project with him ? Again, good work !

[@Ryan599187]

What about protecting the space between your top knuckle (right before the fingertip) and the middle knuckle?

[@iFlowWithTheGo]

This is great advice even for beginners. I remember snapping a finger tendon in my second lesson lol.

[@ottico84]

I just did that a few days ago. Gotta keep the damn finger straight in a splint for 8 weeks! ... hope you healed well

[@iFlowWithTheGo]

@@ottico84 Ah man that's bad luck. They do heal fairly quick where fingers are concerned. What takes a while is getting it bending again. You just got to keep heavily massaging the finger and bending it after, stretching the tendon and getting it moving. Good luck!

[@ottico84]

@@iFlowWithTheGo thanks, hopefully I didn't damage it further because when it happened I tried to pull and snap it back in place 🤣 damn it. Oss 🥋

[@iFlowWithTheGo]

@@ottico84 LOL I did the same thing thinking I'd dislocated it.

[@ottico84]

@@iFlowWithTheGo I blame 80s and 90s action movies, lol. I'm glad to know I'm not the only practicing self care on the mats

[@joeytan7986]

Is there like a special type of glove to protect your finger joints without ruining the grips?

[@Kurdaehe1]

Are you guys going to ADCC here in SP?

[@somebodys7404]

Do you have any advice for people who have serious commitments to musical instruments or other tasks requiring extreme fine motor precision, who are considering BJJ but can't afford to compromise more than a little on the other activity?

[@prandz420]

Somebody S do this and do nogi

[@guztavofreitaz]

Dont give up

[@jonathanhughey9673]

what do you do for sore thumb, im a BJJ newbie(training for 3 months and i am obsessed with BJJ). i think i hyper extended my thumb and it hasn't been the same since. Advice from anyone will be awesome.

[@TRA25]

If you’re still finding it painful go find a physiotherapist and tell them about it.

[@fabioturcios2734]

Does taping help with arthritis?

[@fsabouni]

I do a session of boxing and then a session of jiu-jitsu (or vice versa) 3 times a week and man my knuckles and fingers are killing me. I bought surgical tape (3M micropore), is that okay?

[@Ana_dee]

fsabouni anything is better than nothing! Tape them every time man!

[@jamilamubarak6402]

Thanks alot

[@ninjamaster7724]

My pinkie knuckle is smashed.Still hurst months later when i roll and aggrevate it sometimes.

[@adrianaperezz3351]

I literally got athletic tape for Christmas so that’s why I’m here

[@ksungjin10]

what if its the finger tip. the joint next to the fingernail

[@codinginflow]

I broke my ring finger first day with Gi from gripping too hard

[@Turismo69]

I was baby toe, day 2 😅

[@codinginflow]

@@Turismo69 Damn bro

[@MrRobKaos]

Myeah. I just let go/relax whenever I'm starting to grip too hard.

[@jonzwikk1582]

How would you prevent finger sprains?

[@vicb3134]

What type of tape do you use?

[@jarodmcdonald2041]

Any athletic tape works

[@isaacalvarez3622]

Blue belt here, I've never worn tape because I have always wanted to train my grip and fingers to be able to endure more pain, but I want to know if I should tape them and if that would bring me any problem in the future

[@kevinsonline]

Look up bjj knuckles. I'm also a blue belt and I'm seeing my knuckles starting to change. Wife is not happy.

[@diegolopezzz18]

Also prevents arthritis, when anyone out there who needs their hands for work

[@19121s]

Trying to learn

[@KingA777AA]

Should I tape all fingers??

[@iconpanik7150]

2:19 my boys

[@heshamlaradhi7092]

which tape is better, J&J Coach or Zonas?

[@kivsa85]

How about a chinese one? whats the difference? (Asking)

[@johnsmith-ij9by]

serious noob question here can I use regular tape and just shave it down in width for fingers???

[@MetalGamer666]

+john smith Use regular sports tape and rip it off in thin strips.

[@johnsmith-ij9by]

ty all

[@healingleafwave6963]

Use what u have at the moment untell u get good tape jimmy rig it at least

[@jdbxhxbsbsbsjxhd1825]

Lmao just takes the tape from inside the gi haha

[@Justanotherdude-kk4ix]

What kinds of tape? I can assume but need to know exactly

[@dashh77]

He said at the end he used tape armour

[@andrewbalmer274]

I dont understand. What does taping your fingers actually do? Does it definitely stop them hurting/damage?

[@JohnWick-bd3uv]

I tape my weiner.

[@Ana_dee]

Andrew Balmer yes! It works by compressing the joint and that in return supports it. Like a knee brace when you hurt your knee. Think of it like adding extra support. I tape mine for jiu jitsu and it makes my grip stronger and grip doesn't hurt the next day, works Like those lifting gloves.

[@Madeyoulook123]

John Wick DONT forget the buddy system

[@acethereactor6170]

Does the swelling go down, eventually?

[@nextlevelbjj3083]

Basically only people with weak hands and feeble fingers wear tape

[@justfell1]

my pinky got caught in between the mats yesterday. hurts like hell

[@SindreEide93]

+Daniel Henrique that is why I'm happy my club got a wall to wall mat so no spaces where the fingers or toes can get caught

[@taserface5354]

PLS i need to know at what age do yall start to do bjj? im 17, is it too late?

[@MrRobKaos]

Are you for real dude 😭😭😭 fast forward 20 years you’d be pissing yourself reading your comment... I started at 30+. Never too late mate.

[@speedracer77]

Would you tape up your thumbs also?

[@jeremypaulskinner]

speedracer77 Personally, I don't since almost all of the gripping is with the fingers. Never had sore thumbs, only sore fingers.

[@aminshahsavar8348]

how do both these "black belts" have zero cauliflower ear

[@Brandon-vy6uw]

I dont know how people get away without tape n their fingers. I get way to many cuts and burns if I dont.

[@SindreEide93]

+Įncognîto S A bit over 2 years on my journey and I never taped a single finger and it's completely fine. I do think about trying it for cometition this weekend to increase my grip strength. I do tape toes from time to time because they are messed up XD

[@nextlevelbjj3083]

Hard work made my hands not bitch like

[@supasye]

He has left both knuckles on the finger exposed, that is where the wear and tear happens for me. So i make sure i cover the knuckles. Is there something im missing?

[@couzo]

supasye He's considering the tendons in his fingers more than the actual knuckle. If I have a cut or my knuckles are sore I do tape over them but only a few times and also have my finger bent so I can still flex them properly when training. I have recently stopped taping them as much as my fingers have gotten used to it but are not all gnarled up.

[@supasye]

couzo Interesting, in the video they go on about mangling knuckles and taping the knuckles and then they go and tape every part of the finger apart from the knuckle lol. thanks for the info.

[@kirkd81]

+supasye if you tape directly over the knuckle itself you won't be able to bend the finger very well at all , the way he tapes his finger here is to support the tendons in the finger and take away the strain from the knuckles when you grip constantly , it offers support to stop your tendons getting sore

[@supasye]

kirkd81 I get it now. I recently sprained my index finger lol. learned the hard way. could have been worse though. Originally, i thought the tape was for protecting the skin on ur fingers and to avoid the dirty hard skin on the knuckles that develops.

[@nextlevelbjj3083]

If you just work a hard labor job for a few years then do Jiu Jitsu you will be fine and never have to tape your fingers. I’ve been doing maintenance for 3 years and different landscaping and I have no issues with my fingers yet. Although I am only a month into it

[@graphstyle]

Drop finger here. White belt, learned two lessons tape finger and hold your arms in when your opponent does a roll while his back is being taken.

[@nextlevelbjj3083]

The most important part you forgot to mention. What kind of tape and what brand

[@MrRobKaos]

Generic athletic tape.

[@awentimes]

Something looks different about John Danaher in this video. I can't put my finger on it.

[@Dadaadad268]

It’s the tape

[@MrZ1234]

So he tapes all fingers like this before every class?

[@Jasiel_Andrade]

is this why mj did it

[@plalelal]

After I broke my little toe in BJJ I purchased wrestling shoes and wear them now.

[@LivingLegacy77]

BodaBoom BigAl I suffer big time from toe injuries. It's my weakness for sure. Maybe I should get some wrestling shoes myself.

[@mertmeric5936]

BodaBoom BigAl I broke almost all of my toes, never used any tapes or wrestling shoes. I think breaking, spraining etc. are part of jj. They're unavoidable by a majority when you're in the process of how to move and fall more safely. Using that stuff is unnecessary because in time you can not do anything without that stuff. In first place rollin with bare footed and bare handed makes your ligaments and fingers more strong, there is a scientific explanation about that. I think you only need a gi and belt when you roll, maybe some tapes. Cheers.

[@fvdj2204]

+Mert Meriç but we need to go to work the next day its better to train safe and make money because if i make money my coaches do to but i understand the science but feeding the fam. is important and training without injuries is a plus

[@kozen-Ronin-19]

+Frederick Davis very true train safe as we all got to pay the bills at the end of the week. Oss...

[@SadaParkour]

BodaBoom BigAl I wouldnt allow you to come on the tatami with shoes !

[@pooppoop6279]

First to say first

[@krzysztofkris8891]

why is no voice???

[@andyssolutions5341]

Mankind found gloves and socks to protection,,, coaches should advice them to beginners to start with fun not with bruises and maybe stay away. but coach ego say its combat, so become hart. leave your ego on the door is not so easy sometimes ?

[@td4yd154]

A self defence system that stiffens my trigger finger? No thanks