Hi, I’m getting a new tattoo this week, full color in one or two bands around my lower leg. The thing is, I do contact sports about 5 times a week and have already missed a few sessions because I don’t want to risk bruising the area before my appt. I know people have asked questions about sports and working out after a new tattoo, but that seems to be for things like soccer and regular gym time. What I do is Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, so the area is always at risk of getting kicked, scratched and rubbed constantly by thick material. I frequently end up with large, dark bruises that I don’t even notice until later, just from people repeatedly grabbing the leg while grappling.
Obviously I’ll check with my artist as well but any idea how long I’ll likely need to wait to do that sort of thing again? My first tattoo was so long ago, I have almost no memory of the healing process and this one is quite a bit bigger and more involved, so as much as I’m dying to get back on the mats, of course I want to be sure that I’m not going to mess anything up first. Anyone else with tattoos out there do MMA?
until it is healed.. probably around a couple weeks to be safe. i wrestled when i got my chest piece and i stayed off of it for around 2 weeks. of course my coach was pissed and told me back when he got his tattoo he played football the day he got his out in 100 degree weather and his turned out fine.. i wouldn’t risk that.
you’ll definitely F your tat up doing BJJ and muay thai. just being on the mat puts it at a big risk of infection, there is a ton of bacteria on those mats
Thanks for the responses! Would you say it’s a risk going in for the standup work after a few days if I’m careful? For example, general cardio, punching, kicking with the opposite leg, etc. but wrapping up and avoiding any contact with the left leg (which is where the ink will be), and avoiding BJJ altogether for a few weeks. Or does it seem risky just being in that environment before it’s fully healed? One of the other girls at my gym recently got a new, fairy large tattoo on her shoulderblade, and was back on the mats within a week without a problem.
@thegingerkid 126469 wrote:
Thanks for the responses! Would you say it’s a risk going in for the standup work after a few days if I’m careful? For example, general cardio, punching, kicking with the opposite leg, etc. but wrapping up and avoiding any contact with the left leg (which is where the ink will be), and avoiding BJJ altogether for a few weeks. Or does it seem risky just being in that environment before it’s fully healed? One of the other girls at my gym recently got a new, fairy large tattoo on her shoulderblade, and was back on the mats within a week without a problem.
yeah that’s fine. just don’t let it come into contact with the mat and don’t accidentally kick with your tatted leg! also make sure you wash it & put ointment on it before and right after you’re done
@thegingerkid 126469 wrote:
Thanks for the responses! Would you say it’s a risk going in for the standup work after a few days if I’m careful? For example, general cardio, punching, kicking with the opposite leg, etc. but wrapping up and avoiding any contact with the left leg (which is where the ink will be), and avoiding BJJ altogether for a few weeks. Or does it seem risky just being in that environment before it’s fully healed? One of the other girls at my gym recently got a new, fairy large tattoo on her shoulderblade, and was back on the mats within a week without a problem.
@buttwheat 126467 wrote:
3 to 4 weeks it won’t kill you to miss that time at all but it will kill your tattoo if you don’t.
As I said before
It’s your tattoo and body do what you want but me with a huge open weeping wound the gym would be one of the last places you would find me.
Thanks, guys. I’ll definitely be careful. I’ll take a full week off for sure, see how it’s doing and then, depending on how it feels at the time, perhaps carefully go to the gym and be extra obsessively careful and clean about it for the next couple of weeks. Worst comes to worst, I’ll wait longer. Obviously, I’d rather feel fat and lazy for a few weeks than mess up a permanent picture on my skin, so that certainly comes first…and yes, an MMA gym is definitely a breeding ground for nasty things even when you don’t have an open wound so I understand it’s best to be cautious. Appreciate the input!
“a full week”
It is recommended that you don’t swim for at least 3 weeks. I’m going to be very blunt now. IF YOU DON”T WAIT AT LEAST THREE OR FOUR (I would go for four) WEEKS YOU ARE FUCKED IN THE HEAD.
On a lighter note (that felt good) To have a tattoo FULLY healed is at least three or four MONTHS.
Do what you want, but WE TOLD YOU SO!
By the way, Welcome to the forum!
The gym is the most bacteria-infested and unsanitary place you can find yourself in, (outside of a Kindergarten, I suppose) and I wouldn’t go near that shit with my new tattoo if I were you.
The dermis (into which you’re injecting your fresh and fantastic tattoo) needs up to 4 months to fully heal around and enclose the ink. If you’re constantly stretching the skin back and forth (which is what happens every time you move a limb) you WILL tear open the healed regions, slowing down the healing and possibly releasing some ink, causing the tattoo to ‘bleed’. Your tattoo is for life. Surely you can skip a month of practice, or just reschedule your tattoo session until off-season.
Got and pics of what you’re getting?
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