How to tape your thumbs like Max Lang

I can’t do anything without tape. Sounds sad – but it is.

Tape not only provides more grip on the barbell but also protects the inside of my thumb from nasty blisters. If you’ve ever had blisters on your feet and had to hike for 6.5 hours, you can imagine what it’s like to train with blisters on your hands. That’s why I always have tape at the start of training.

What do I look for when choosing my tape?

1. The Optimal Width
In my opinion, a tape should ideally be as wide as my thumb. Because if the tape is narrower, several layers are necessary to wrap the whole thumb nicely. However, multiple layers of tape make the thumb inflexible, limiting its grip on the barbell and also preventing it from being close enough to the barbell due to the thickness of the tape layer.

2. The Right Adhesive
Furthermore, a tape must stick with me really nice, why this is so important to me is obvious. Because there is nothing worse than noticing that the tape is slipping during pulls.

3. The Durability
Last but not least, the tape must be durable, it should last at least one training session without refreshing.

My Tape Routine

If you follow the above three points for choosing a professional Hook Grip Tape, nothing can go wrong and you can get started. There are a few things to keep in mind here as well:

Step 1: MAGNESIA
Before I start taping, I put my thumb in the magnesia box and make sure that the inside of my thumb is nice and dry, so the tape sticks a little better. But ATTENTION! The magnesia must be rubbed off again, it’s just a matter of making sure the thumb is dry!

Step 2: WRAPPING AND FIXING
Now it’s time for taping. First, I tear off the appropriate length of leuco tape. I’ll use that later to hold the Hook Grip Tape in place. Then I wrap a maximum of three layers of Hook Grip Tape around my thumb and fix it with a thin strip of Leuko-Tape at the beginning of the thumb. This way, the Hook Grip Tape sits bombproof.

Step 3: TIGHTNESS TEST
Once the ritual is complete, I check that the tape is not wrapped too tightly (the thumb gets cold because the blood is squeezed out) and that the thumb can still be moved flexibly.

Does everything fit? Ready to go!