Jiu Jitsu Tattoo: Best BJJ Tattoo Designs and Tattoo Care for BJJ
As Jiu Jitsu becomes part of an athlete’s lifestyle, some want to perpetuate Jiu Jitsu on their body with more than just cauliflower ears. Over the years many great BJJ athletes decided to get a Jiu Jitsu tattoo. Maybe you’re considering getting a Jiu Jitsu tattoo yourself. But what BJJ tattoos designs are out there, which one is the best and which one suits you?
Jiu Jitsu Tattoos on popular BJJ Athletes
Gordon Ryan BJJ Tattoo
Many Jiu Jitsu athletes get Jiu Jitsu related tattoos nowadays. A well-known Jiu Jitsu tattoo is Gordon Ryan’s forearm tattoo that gets right to the point by simply stating “Jiu Jitsu”. No further explanation needed.
Gordon Ryan is considered the best No-Gi submission grappler of all time by many, and he simply loves the sport. This is also blatantly stated through his Instagram name @gordonlovesjiujitsu.
Jiu Jitsu Tattoo Design Ideas
There are many great Jiu Jitsu Tattoo designs out there. The following designs are variants of some of the most popular ones. Most of them either capture the essence of Jiu jitsu very well or consist of a nice little BJJ related joke. This is by no means an exhaustive list of Jiu Jitsu tattoo designs.
#1 Jiu Jitsu is like Chess
This design idea is great. It beautifully displays the resemblance between Jiu Jitsu and chess as both are very strategic and tactical. As a result, the design was perpetuated in different variants on many Jiu Jitsu athletes’ bodies over the years.
#2 Jiu Jitsu Belt Progression
With this tattoo you will never have to bring your belt again. You will always have the tattoo with you displaying your hard-earned Jiu Jitsu rank. Just don’t stop training or the belts will never be filled with color. Wouldn’t that be a shame?
#3 Jesus didn’t Tap Out
Sometimes there’s no easy way out and you need to keep fighting until the end. Your hard work, pain and suffering will be rewarded.
Obviously this one is a joke, and you should always stay save and tap early enough to ensure longevity.
#4 My Heart beats for Jiu Jitsu
We have to admit, even with all the love for Jiu Jitsu, this one is pretty cheesy… Nevertheless, if you feel like declaring your love for Jiu Jitsu, this might be the design you were looking for.
#5 Jiu Jitsu Kanji
The symbols in the tattoo above are called “Kanji”, which are Chinese characters that are used in Japanese writing. They spell “Jiu Jitsu”. Variations of tattoos including these symbols are widespread in the BJJ community. Jiu Jitsu originated in Japan since it developed from Judo and is consequently connected to Japanese culture and writing.
#6 Arte Suave
“Arte Suave” is Portuguese for “gentle art” which Jiu Jitsu is commonly described as. We have all heard this description for Jiu Jitsu before, but it surely doesn’t feel all that gentle in training and competition.
Should you get a Jiu Jitsu Tattoo?
There are certainly different opinions on tattoos out there. Some hate them, some love them. We advocate that you do whatever you want if the decision is well-considered. If you like being tattooed, you love Jiu Jitsu and have a nice design in mind, why not go for it?
Even if you stop doing Jiu jitsu at one point in your life and your love for the sport starts fading, it still was part of your journey.
On the other hand, you will probably have more than enough souvenirs from doing Jiu Jitsu for years: Painful joints, crooked fingers, cauliflowers ear… but also good memories, physical and mental strength, wins and losses, lessons learned and friendships.
When can you start rolling after getting tattooed?
We know it’s hard for every dedicated athlete to take time of and getting a Jiu Jitsu Tattoo proves dedication like nothing else. Nevertheless, don’t get back on the mats too early as it can ruin your new tattoo.
BJJ is very rough on the skin. Abrasions after training sessions are not rare at all. But they are exactly what needs to be avoided. Additionally, Jiu Jitsu involves a lot of sweat and germs that can lead to infections. Therefore, you should try to keep the tattooed area clean while not irritating the skin through excessive showering and hygiene.
The healing process is very individual. Usually, the outer layer of the skin is healed up within about 2 to 3 weeks. At this point you can consider training Jiu Jitsu again. This does not mean you should stop being careful or stop aftercare since deeper layers of the skin can take months to fully heal.
Taking care of your Jiu Jitsu Tattoo
When it comes to taking care of a tattoo, it generally comes down to keeping the wounds and affected skin smooth and moisturized as well as supplying additional nutrients and avoiding infections.
As always, it is smart to take a natural approach and don’t overengineer the process. Your body will do the healing, you can only do so much to assist it. Avoid straining the skin and keep it smooth. You don’t need any overpriced products. Don’t overthink it.
Simply get a tattoo aftercare product like the following off amazon. It is inexpensive, convenient, and reliable as well as tested and reviewed by thousands of users:
Hustle Butter Tattoo Aftercare
Conclusion
Tattoos are part of the wearer’s identity and usually reflect their character and affections. If you like Jiu Jitsu and you want to have a Jiu Jitsu Tattoo, why not? Many have done it before. With the right design in mind, a good tattoo artist and proper aftercare, you will have a great tattoo. Just make sure your decision is well considered.
