T Nation

Powerlifting with a Tattoo

Powerlifting
#1

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Just got a tattoo yesterday, sort of a half sleeve from my shoulder down to just above my elbow. I have a meet in two and a half weeks so not training until then is out of the question. (My tattoo appointment was booked before I signed up for the meet so I kinda screwed that one up). I squat with a low bar and the bar just barely touches part of the tattoo, if it wasn’t for the meet coming up I’d squat high bar for awhile.

So my question is if I take care of it, keep it clean an moisturized and bandaged for my workouts am I going to have any issues? I’m thinking until it scabs under armour with a shirt over might be ok so it doesn’t rub? Anyone out there with this experience? Also anyone wondering I drew it myself says clutz.

#2

You will be fine tats are quite resiliant.

#3

[quote]Reed wrote:
You will be fine tats are quite resiliant. [/quote]

Any suggestions to take precautions when I’m in there?

#4

With a tattoo like that with no detailed shading, i wouldnt be afraid to mess it up. Absolute worst thing that could happen is dragging bar knurling on it and ripping scabs off, but i think you are safe on that spot. Worst case besides that, you lose a little color, which you are going to anyways with that amount of straight black fill. I wouldnt worry about it at all at the meet. Also depending how heavily you scab, i maybe even wouldnt worry about it for training, its not over any big ROM joints.

I have a full sleeve like that, and i went right on with training and my job was delivering furniture at that time. Only lost a bit of color at the elbow crease.

#5

Absolutely no issue whatsoever, aside from standard tattoo after care.
No special precautions needed, just do whatever it is you need to do!
And don’t go bandaging it haha - that would be really weird.

#6

[quote]mkral55 wrote:
With a tattoo like that with no detailed shading, i wouldnt be afraid to mess it up. Absolute worst thing that could happen is dragging bar knurling on it and ripping scabs off, but i think you are safe on that spot. Worst case besides that, you lose a little color, which you are going to anyways with that amount of straight black fill. I wouldnt worry about it at all at the meet. Also depending how heavily you scab, i maybe even wouldnt worry about it for training, its not over any big ROM joints.

I have a full sleeve like that, and i went right on with training and my job was delivering furniture at that time. Only lost a bit of color at the elbow crease.[/quote]

Hah, stupid elbow crease! I lost some ink there too. It’s just a bitch of a spot to heal, due to the movement.

#7

On this note, I’ve been holding off on a tattoo planned for my upper back because I’m afraid of putting the bar on a fresh tattoo… anyone happen to know how much that’s going to hurt when I’m squatting?

#8

I just did it yesterday, wasnt too bad. Its almost a bigger issue that I was thinking about it too much rather than focusing on the lift.

Actually was worse on the bench.

However Im getting this done in smaller sessions because of this too, so the area I got done is maybe 6x7 inches

#9

Awesome thanks guys. I had no intention of taking time off haha

#10

[quote]animus wrote:
On this note, I’ve been holding off on a tattoo planned for my upper back because I’m afraid of putting the bar on a fresh tattoo… anyone happen to know how much that’s going to hurt when I’m squatting?[/quote]

It will feel similar to squatting with a sun burn.

#11

i got a tattoo on my upper back last year. i was benching within 3 days and did deadlifts for the next week with no squats. 8 days after the tat i was squatting with no issues at all.

so dont worry about it much.

#12

For future interest it was all good. Definately didnt feel good getting under the bar but once the weight got heavy I never even noticed. Even set a PR!

#13

Nice squat. That weight would pancake my ass! What weight class are you in?

#14

[quote]MightyMouse17 wrote:
Nice squat. That weight would pancake my ass! What weight class are you in?[/quote]

Umm I’m a tweener. A heavy 74kg or light 83kg.

#15

Vitamin A&D lotion (gel). Rub that on and maybe wear a tight fitting shirt over like under armour if you simply have to fuck with the area at all.

#16

[quote]clutz15 wrote:
Umm I’m a tweener. A heavy 74kg or light 83kg. [/quote]

Damn…really impressive!

#17

I scheduled my tattoo for a deload week, just in case.

#18

[quote]StrengthDawg wrote:

It will feel similar to squatting with a sun burn. [/quote]

I haven’t been sunburned in over twenty years. I literally do not know what that feels like. Lol.