Tattoos and the martial arts ...

[suicide]

do you have any martial arts oriented tattoos on your body ? like dragons & tigers ying yang symbols etc etc etc like chuck liddel gots a kempo tattoo on his arm ... %-}

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I've got 2, one of a katana wielding Oni and the other of a dancing Kali wielding blades from Japan, China, Rome and Egypt.

 

[Bruno@MT]

I have none. And being in a traditional Japanese art, I am not sure it would be appreciated. In Japan, criminals have tattoos. I was told that in Sumo, you can't even have tattoos if you want to make it to high level league. If you do, you need surgery / laser therapy / skin grafts to remove them before you are allowed to have a 'career' in sumo.

I've thought about tattoos more than once, because some are cool. But I've never found anything that I would want on my body for the rest of my life.

 

[Zero]

I've got one of Bruce Lee standing over a dead Chuck Norris from "Return of the Dragon".

 

[clfsean]

Ying yang on my right ankle

 

[just2kicku]

I've got the Kajukenbo emblem on my left wrist with the Chinese characters that say long life, happiness and fist style wrapping around it

 

[Drac]

Got 3 tats. None of them are MA oriented..

 

[Xue Sheng]

do you have any martial arts oriented tattoos on your body ?

Nope, no Tattoos at all.... a few scars though... do those count :EG:

 

[Sukerkin]

I've given my opinions on tattoo's here at MT before so I won't dig over that particular field.

I just wanted to echo Bruno's point above that, in koryu arts in particular, it might be found that tattoo's are a barrier to entry.

It's not such a stigma these days as it used to be, I'm given to understand; but the reason why koryu schools are koryu is that they have maintained their traditions and continued in existence.

 

[Nolerama]

I want a Tapout tattoo across my back... And some koi fishies on my arm so that when I walk around town without a shirt, people KNOW.... they just know... ;P

Actually, no tattoos as of yet. I don't think a MA-related tattoo is something I'd like. I mean, the MAs are just a part of me, but don't define me as a whole. Maybe some original artwork from my siblings on my back or something.

 

[jarrod]

i have two non-MA tats, my next two will be gapaldur & ginfaxi. they were runes used by icelandic wrestlers to induce something akin to a berserker state.

jf

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Martial Arts tattoo? Sure, the only one that matters:

U.S.M.C.
​

Universally recognized and feared throughout the world.

 

[stone_dragone]

I have tattoos on each Forearem (1/4 sleeve) and on each shoulder. On the left arm I have the characters for "China Hand" surrounded by Lotus and Sakura, the Right arm I have "Empty Hand" surrounded by a waterfall scene with a temple, crane Koi and a bonsai tree.

My left shoulder has my Nahate Goju instructor's patch on it.

My right is a western flying dragon.

 

[stone_dragone]

Martial Arts tattoo? Sure, the only one that matters:

U.S.M.C.
​

Universally recognized and feared throughout the world.

Bill...you mis-spelled "scum," you old devil dog

don't hit me..please don't hit me.... Everyone knows I Ain't Ready for the Marines Yet...

 

[girlbug2]

I think nothing defines the generation Y from every other these days like having tattoos. It seems that everybody under 30 has them, often several...I'm just old enough to remember when it was considered a low class, "white trash" image to have a tattoo. That's probably held me back more than anything else from getting one, and also, like another poster said, I can't think of any image so cool that I'd want it on me for the rest of my life.

That being said, some of them that I've seen on the biceps of guys working out aren't bad at all . At training I've noticed some particularly interesting ones:

A coffin on the right calf, signifying deadly kicks
boxing gloves with the japanese characters for "fighting spirit"
A beautifully rendered tiger walking out of a forest
Writings in Hebrew

Of course I also see the yin/yang symbol, dragons and Krav Maga symbols a lot, and some of the Gracie guys have the Gracie circle/triangle and one of them has Taz (so cute! Gracie Barra has an imaging problem there, Taz is funny and cuddly-looking, I dont' think most people are inspired to fear or awe by pictures of him).

It's fun to try to decipher the meanings behind people's tatts and then ask them about it later to see if you came close. They're definitely a good conversation starter.

Still, I cringe at the thought of getting one, myself.

 

[BLACK LION]

a dragon hovering over a warrior symbol.

 

[searcher]

No tats of yet. I choose to have no identifiable marks. It makes SERE so much easier.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Martial Arts tattoo? Sure, the only one that matters:

U.S.M.C.​

Universally recognized and feared throughout the world.

Is this accompanied by such a remark as, "I eat green berets for breakfast and right now, I'm very hungry." or a similar remark?

Daniel

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

do you have any martial arts oriented tattoos on your body ? like dragons & tigers ying yang symbols etc etc etc like chuck liddel gots a kempo tattoo on his arm ... %-}

Inkless myself. Do you?

Daniel

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Is this accompanied by such a remark as, "I eat green berets for breakfast and right now, I'm very hungry." or a similar remark?

Daniel

Nah, I have much love and respect for the other branches of the US Armed Forces. And some of them are very tough customers!

It's just that the Marines are a whole 'nother animal. We think we're that good because we are that good.

You cannot exaggerate about the Marines. They are convinced to the point of arrogance, that they are the most ferocious fighters on earth - and the amusing thing about it is that they are.
Father Kevin Keaney
1st Marine Division Chaplain
Korean War