With BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) participation at an all-time high, we're seeing more and more grapplers stocking up on their taping supplies.
Whether you're an experienced black belt, or rolling on the mats for the very first time, you might be wondering what you will and won't need in order to stay injury-free (for as long as possible). This is our quick and easy guide on exactly what tapes can be used for BJJ.
Let's roll...
THE BEST TAPING APPLICATIONS FOR BJJ:
FINGER TAPING
What's the most common taping application when it comes to BJJ? You guessed it, glute taping!
No. Not really. It's Finger Taping.
Finger Tape has been used by BJJ fighters in martial arts for decades, and correctly taping your fingers can be the difference between winning and losing. It's used to increase your grip strength and prevent injured fingers from moving in ways that you don't want them to.
Whether you're a seasoned grappler or just starting, understanding the benefits and techniques of finger taping can significantly enhance your performance on the BJJ mats and safeguard your fingers from potential harm.
WHAT TAPE WILL I NEED?
Fortunately for you, we have our very own specialist Finger Tape, which is very simply, a thinner version of our Zinc Oxide Tape. If the 1.25cm widths are too thin for you, then move up a size and use a 2.5cm roll.
If you'd like to learn exactly how to tape up your fingers, click here for quick and easy instructions.
WRIST TAPING
You might be surprised just how much of a difference this really simple application can make...
Taping your wrists before you jump on the mats can make them feel significantly stronger and generally more secure. By taping directly over the wrist joint line, you're restricting the range that you can flex or extend your wrist. This'll make them less susceptible to injuries too.
Grapplers tend to like this one, so that they can also use it as a sweatband during sparring.
WHAT TAPE WILL I NEED?
There's two tapes that you could use to tape your wrists. You could use a 5cm Zinc Oxide Tape, or a 5cm Tear EAB.
If you prefer a more rigid and locked-in feel, then give the Zinc Oxide a try first. It's a non-stretch tape that provides unrivalled support. However, choose Tearable EAB for a faster taping option. EAB is stretchy, lightweight, and strong and is probably the preferred choice for your wrists.
Nice and easy. Wrap the the tape around your wrist 2-3 times and remember not to apply it too tightly.
ANKLE TAPING
Ankle taping is probably one of the most common strapping applications. Mainly because you can do them yourself. Taping the ankle is pretty common in all sports that require a lot of lateral movement.
In BJJ, strength isn't just about raw power. It's about technical strength that complements your technique. Developing strong feet, and particularly ankles, enables you to power through opponents' defences and maintain dominant positions.
WHAT TAPE WILL I NEED?
It's definitely a preference thing here.
From our experience, Zinc Oxide Tan Tape tends to be the most popular ankle strapping tape, however, in BJJ, you may want something that still allows for a bit more free movement. Using a Tear EAB and locking it off with a strip of Zinc is a good starting point.
It's worth noting that there are other tapes that can be used to tape ankles, such as K Tape and Cohesive Bandage. Whatever tape you're using, the building blocks remain the same.
If you want to get a basic idea of how you can strap your ankles for BJJ, click here.
MAT BURN TAPING
Oh, how it burns!
Protect those beautiful feet of yours as best you can. Similar to the way that you tape your fingers, you might want to consider wrapping your toes up too. They're going to be rubbing against the mats a lot and that's how blisters occur in BJJ.
And don't stop at the toes. You can get some serious mat burn anywhere, but the feet always seem to be target number one.
WHAT TAPE WILL I NEED?
Exactly as you did the fingers, wrap your toes with some Zinc Oxide 1.25cm or 2.5cm Tape and that should give them enough armour for a full sparring session.
One technique that one of our BJJ affiliate athletes, Ash Williams (@awilliamsbjj), tends to use for mat burn is wrapping a couple layers of Underwrap around your feet and then one layer of Zinc Oxide 3.8cm or 5cm over the top. It definitely makes sense to us.
One other thing that Finger Tape is commonly used for in BJJ is actually for adding stripes to athlete's belts.
As frustrating as it can be, it takes a long time to get promoted from a White belt to a Blue belt and upwards. In between those promotions, you can be awarded stripes on your belt to show the progression you've made. Finger Tape is a common tool for adding stripes to BJJ belts.
Do you or somebody else you know use any other taping techniques in BJJ? Let us know how you use tape and if you have any questions about any of the above applications or you want to learn more, get in touch. We're happy to help!
