Anyone have MA Tattoos?

[Big Don]

Anyone have any Martial Arts Tats? Several of the Black Belts at my school have a small, understated black belt tattooed on their wrists. A couple of others have either Chinese or Japanese ideograms.
Me, I've been thinking of something a tad more elaborate. As I have a diving eagle on my left shoulder, I've been thinking of having the school's patch, a variation of the Parker Kenpo patch tattooed on my right shoulder.
Within minutes of having my first tattoo, I knew I would have to have more. Anyone share that? Horrible stories of regret? Something funny?

 

[jarrod]

tattoos are more addictive than potato chips. my first tat was a religious one which i later regretted, but now i just see it as part of my past. i don't have any MA tats yet, but i'm thinking of getting ginfaxi on my calf. (ginfaxi was a rune worn by nordic wrestlers for strength in combat).

personally, i would stay away from school or association tattoos. management might change, or your relationship with your instructor, the school may change it's name, etc...you just never know.

jf

 

[kaizasosei]

i dont have any tattoos. i once stabbed myself two tiny stars, one on the back of each forarm, but later on i removed them by cutting them out, brushing and burning them(barely visible little scars now-couple of cigscars are more prominent still).
if i ever got a tattoo, i would get a huge one of fudomyo on my back, preferably in japanese bamboo style. or maybe a kurikarafudomyo.
could be however, that such a tatoo must be bestowed and cannot just be chosen- not sure however, i also kind of value the relative purity of not having any additional toxins in the system.

this what you are talking about jarrod. pretty cool. are you going to get the left toes as well as the right heel,or i mean, vv?

http://www.vestfirdir.is/galdrasyning/magical_staves2.php

 

[jarrod]

this what you are talking about jarrod. pretty cool. are you going to get the left toes as well as the right heel,or i mean, vv?

http://www.vestfirdir.is/galdrasyning/magical_staves2.php

every tattoo i've seen that someone has got on their heels or toes rubs off or at least blurs after a while, so i'll probably go for a non-traditional placement. i figured i'd get one & see how it feels before i decide on the other.

speaking of blurring, i try to stick to basic shapes & simple colors (though i only have two tats so far). they aren't as striking as colorful tats, but my first tat is 13 yrs old & looks about the same as when i first got it. my second tat is about 8yrs old & looks exactly the same.

jf

 

[kaizasosei]

yeah, sorry, being so hotheaded, i failed to spot that you had clearly said you were getting the tattoo on the calf...i wanted to correct it, but figured it was too late.

interesting that you mention heel tattoos getting blurred. i often told people about the two small stars(relatively feint to begin with) that i managed to get them off and some people would think i was bs-ing them. but that tattoos on heels getting blurred is further proof that they are not set in stone, so to speak.

j

 

[jarrod]

don't worry about it, i didn't even realize you were being hotheaded. i knew a guy in high school who tattooed his girlfriend's name on his forearm, then when they broke up he burnt it off with a car lighter. nasty, nasty scar. on the other hand, i told a tattoo artist i was interested in getting my cross covered up. he just said "good luck".

jf

 

[tko4u]

There WAS a tradition at the school. It was to get the school pil sung symbol tattooed on your arm at black belt, but then a purple belt got it, and then no one else did. I thought about it real hard, but it seems the tradition has died.

 

[celtic_crippler]

I have the universal pattern on my left shoulder.

 

[Jade Tigress]

I have two tattoos. They aren't necessarily MA tattoos but they are MA inspired. I train CMA. I got my first one when I was training Sil Lum Kung Fu. It's an asian styled tiger with the Chinese symbols for "courage". (And yes, I checked and double checked the symbols to make sure they were correct )

I love tigers, and when I was training Sil Lum my favorite form was the tiger form, I just clicked with it and enjoyed that form the most. Tigers represent courage in Chinese culture and I was going through a difficult time in my life, I felt it would be a good reminder to stay strong.

I got my second tattoo after starting SPM training but it has nothing to do with SPM, instead it's more of a Chinese culture thing. It's an asian style dragon. I was born in the year of the dragon and I was still struggling with some home problems. Dragons represent luck and wisdom. It's also red, the lucky color, representing prosperity and joy.

A good artist can give you a color tattoo that is resiliant to fading. If it's in a location that will get sun, cover it with sunblock when you go out to prevent fading.

I agree about foot tattoos (hands too), poor locations if you want it to wear well.

I don't regret either of my tattoos and I know what you mean about becoming addicted to them. I would love to get another one, I know what I'd get and where I'd get it too. But my artist is in Tennesee and I won't go to anyone else. So it means a planned trip involving lots of time and money that I don't have right now.

 

[Mark L]

I have a yin-yang symbol with two kanji (chikara & yuuki, strength & courage) replacing the small circles internal to the symbol. Like JT, I researched extensively to make sure I got it right, and brought the exact rendition I wanted to the artist.

 

[Kwanjang]

Tattoo'd on my left shoulder is the Korean hongul for Pil Sung meaning Certain Victory!

 

[Jade Tigress]

What I've discovered is, if you choose a design with personal significance, and find an exceptional artist, you will never have a regret about your choice.

It's jumping into a quick decision based on the moments whim and running to the first artist with an opening without doing a some research on his/her work, that tends to get later regrets. Even so, if you think it through carefully the second time around, there are always coverups that can be done to improve it.

Have you made a decision Don?

 

[Traditionalist]

My whole back is tattooed. I have a koi, dragon, fire, water, and korean lettering. Everything has to do with my martial arts and the roll it plays.

 

[Touch Of Death]

I have two martial arts tattoos: One is a baby dragon hatching from the flesh; the other is a BADGER claw from the comic book series. They are on either arm so its sort of a Spirit Of The Badger and the Dragon thing.:mst:
Sean

 

[terryl965]

My wife has a Ying Yang fire and ice dragon on her thigh, it took like eight hours to do. Very nice, me nothing I hate those thing but enjoy seeing fine work.

 

[Nolerama]

I really want to get a tattoo of my Baby Momma on my neck in cursive. I hear that can get me all the ladies...

Actually, I want a Star Wars Rebel icon on my shoulder.

 

[Cryozombie]

Actually, I want a Star Wars Rebel icon on my shoulder.

Like mine?