What do the most spectacular tattoos of Russian female athletes mean? Photo


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Today's young people increasingly adhere to a healthy lifestyle, engage in sports and improve their bodies through exercise. It should be noted that the tattoo is as much a decoration for the body as the muscular physique, so more and more often these two phenomena accompany each other.

Sports tattoo, despite its recent appearance, is gaining in popularity and adorns the bodies not only of professional athletes, but also their devoted fans, and thanks to the Olympic Games in London has gained universal importance.

Baseball fan tattoo

Sketches and meaning of sports tattoos

The founder of the tradition of sports tattoos can rightly be considered the famous footballer Vinnie Jones, who in honor of winning the 1988 FA Cup nail tattoos on his feet with a picture of his team logo and the cup.

Most carriers of sports tattoos put in them the meaning of a talisman or amulet, which helps to win their team and brings good luck. Fans also do tattoos as a sign of love or affiliation with a particular sports club, in addition, such a drawing helps to find like-minded people "in the crowd," to identify allies and opponents.

Boxing gloves and diving
Tattoos popular among boxers and swimmers

Tattoo of athletics, all-around and soccer ball
Tattoos popular among athletes and fans

TATTOOS AND SPORTS: THE STORY OF THE STAR MASTERS!

Hundreds of books and research papers have been written about the art, tradition and history of tattooing. We decided to touch on the exact topic: "sports and tattoos". Some believe that the originator of the fashion for sports tattoos is footballer Vinnie Jones. In 1989, in the English Cup, the athlete tattooed the emblem of his team and the cup on his legs in honor of his victory.

When did it start and become fashionable among athletes in Russia? Everything about getting a tattoo and doing sports. When is the best time to get one? What to do when you get one? How to take care of it?

SportKomanda met with experts, masters of their craft, who have thousands of jobs since the 90s, Pavel "Pate" Klimanov and Dmitry "Zack" Zakharov at their studio.

When did the fashion for tattoos come to athletes in Russia?

Until the early 2000s, mostly amateur athletes came to us, but since about 2001 representatives of big sports began to appear among our clients. Most likely, this was due to the fact that the perception of tattoos has changed. Previously, it was considered something taboo, a kind of symbol of the criminal world, then the fate of rock musicians, bikers and informal people. In the West there had already begun to appear athletes from professional and Olympic sports, who understood that tattooing is a display of their individuality, and simply beautiful and unusual. Probably even changed the opinion of coaches and sports officials, this began to be treated more loyally, because it is difficult to imagine such a thing in Soviet times.

Tattoos and sports...

There's a wide variety. Over the years we have given tattoos to volleyball players, footballers and soccer players, boxers, wrestlers, water polo players, bodybuilders, hockey players, swimmers, people from martial arts, etc. It's pretty hard to remember the representatives of all the sports. There have been enough of them in the last twenty years.

Athletes and their preferences

Athletes are the same people, their preferences are not much different from our other clients. Someone already comes with their own idea of what they want. Someone has to be prompted and we have to make a sketch together. The choice of plot is not always related to the specifics of their sport. Most often they want some kind of pattern or portrait of people or images of animals. Sometimes interest is limited to an image of a famous sports brand. One person we had three stripes embroidered all over his leg like lapels because he was a fan of a famous German sports company. Sometimes they came in groups and asked us to make everyone the same pattern. So one day a company of bodybuilders appeared and wanted a tattoo in the shape of the logo of their sports club, the main subject of which was a barbell. One day a water polo player approached and asked to have a tribal pattern (printed in black) done on his shoulder, moving to his scapula and neck, all in one session. The thing is, he was in the middle of a training process, so he couldn't take a long break. In the end, it lasted for two sessions: drawing, contouring, and coloring. He was pleased with the work and later told how his mother during the broadcast of the national team matches exclaimed: "There's my son sailed through!" That way he could easily be distinguished from the others by his tattoo.

How do you combine the "process" and the training?

The best time to get a tattoo is when there is no competition and no training process. Most athletes do just that. We warn that sports are not recommended after the session. And these are not empty words. This will help protect your health and the tattoo as much as possible in the first days after the procedure, when the skin in this place is extremely vulnerable. It is true that sometimes athletes themselves find some loopholes and tricks to take a short break from training when they have a fresh tattoo.

How long should I not exercise after getting a tattoo?

The first two days of sports after the application of tattoos is strictly prohibited. You should start exercising after the final stage of healing - peeling. Usually this period starts 5-7 days after the session. This is already a fairly safe time when you can already resume training. But it is worth understanding that not all people begin to exfoliate after this time. Some people need more time to recover. It is assumed that after some time, light exercises in the gym and running are acceptable. However, it is worth remembering to wash and dry your body in a timely manner after your workout. In this way, you can compensate for the adverse effects of sweat on the tattoo.

Factors affecting return to exercise after tattooing?

  • THE AGE OF THE TATTOO. A new tattoo will be much more vulnerable to damage than a tattoo that is already in the process of healing. You should give your body and skin at least a short period of time to heal;
  • THE LOCATION OF THE TATTOO. Tattoos that are placed in areas that are minimally affected during exercise or training will be less likely to be at risk for complications. For example, if you play soccer after a session with a small tattoo on your forearm that is covered by a long-sleeve shirt, there is little chance of complications. But at the same time, if you were playing with a new tattoo on your leg, things get a lot more dangerous;
  • THE INTENSITY OF THE WORKOUT. The harder and more intense you work out, the more likely your tattoo will be damaged. This means that you may forget about it for a moment and possibly do something to harm it. Second, heavy perspiration around the new tattoo can disrupt the pigment that has not yet fully taken root under the injured skin;
  • WORKOUT CLOTHES. Particular attention should be paid to clothing for sports after the tattoo. Tight clothing will chafe the tattoo, causing irritation. On the other hand, clothes that are too loose will expose your tattoo, making it more likely that dirt and bacteria will get on it, increasing the risk of infection.

The possible consequences of a workout after getting a tattoo...

During the workout we inevitably sweat, and the problem is exactly that. First, sweat is a great breeding ground for germs that live on our skin all the time. The skin on top of a recent tattoo is actually a wound area, so it needs to be protected from germs. If the wound gets infected, the skin will begin to itch, there will be inflammation, which you absolutely do not need. After that, it can leave scars on the skin, which will hopelessly spoil the design of the tattoo.

What to do if you really want to play sports after tattooing?

The best option is to wait for complete healing. Naturally, it is recommended not to exercise the newly tattooed area for at least 2-3 days. This does not mean that you should stop working out completely: just approach the issue wisely. If you have a stuffed sleeve that's healing, work out your legs. If you've got a tattoo on your thigh, do abs or pull-ups for now. Above all, keep it clean. It is best to use only soap and water. Care should be taken during grooming. You also cannot use a towel to dry the tattoo. In addition, the bandage should be changed 24 hours after the tattoo. There are ointments that accelerate healing. It is worth buying them - then the return to training will be much faster.

Skin stretching and tattooing...

The assumption is that a well-done tattoo can't stretch under any circumstances. If you lose weight or, conversely, gain weight, nothing is supposed to happen to your tattoo. If your weight does not change dramatically, your skin will stretch or shrink without deforming. Gaining weight or drying can only change the shape of the tattoo slightly as the shape of the muscles involved change. The color of the tattoo will hardly change noticeably: skin pigments are an incredibly stable thing.

How do I take care of my tattoo after it is applied?

  1. Leave the bandage on the tattoo for 2-4 hours after application;
  2. Wash your new tattoo best with an antibacterial, odorless liquid soap. At the same time it is not recommended to use a washcloth or wash with a strong pressure, as well as too hot or cold water;
  3. You can use products to care for the new tattoo - for example, "Baneocin" and "Bepanten Plus";
  4. Leave the tattoo open while sleeping to speed up the healing process;
  5. After a few days the skin may be covered with a dry crust, which in any case should not be torn off, otherwise in place of the tattoo scars will remain;
  6. The clothes should also allow the skin to breathe, so it is better not to wear anything tight. At the same time do not forget that the sun - the worst enemy of the new tattoos, so at least the first time (about two weeks) should be completely exclude direct sunlight on the skin.

Photo and video provided by Dmitry Zakharov, Pavel Klimanov, Sergey Butuzov

This article was prepared for you as part of the project of the Ministries of Sports and Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation - "Industry and Sport". Learn from the champions!

Tattoos of Athletes

The following tattoos are the most popular among athletes:

  • Sports symbols (Olympic rings, team emblems, cups);
  • Religious symbols and texts (crosses, prayers);
  • images of animals and objects that bring good luck (dragon, fish, clover, horseshoe).

Feedback:

Of course people are shocked by my tattoos because they cover almost half of my body! In any public place all eyes are only on me, but for the most part I feel good about the attention. My tattoos are my choice, my life, I can't even imagine my image without them! I always get tattoos when I'm not training, after fights and when the healing period is over I go back to the gym.

Anastasia, Thai Boxing Champion

Boxer girl with tattoos
The famous athlete's body is decorated with many tattoos of different subjects

Anastasia Davydova's butterflies

Five-time Olympic champion in synchronized swimming and Secretary General of the Russian Olympic Committee, Anastasia Davydova, is the owner of one of the most exquisite tattoos in world sport. The entire back from left shoulder to right hip of the athlete is crossed by a string of 17 butterflies of different colors, shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, the pictures that show the entire pattern are too revealing. But one of the butterflies can also be seen in photos from everyday life.

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Anastasia made a tattoo in 2004. It looks very spectacular, especially in pictures for fashion magazines. However, at the competitions, the audience almost never saw butterflies. The thing is that the girl covered up the tattoo with foundation cream for the duration of the performances.

Fan tattoos

Fan sports tattoos do not differ much from the tattoos of professional athletes and carry the meaning of love for sports in general or a certain kind of it, pride for the favorite team or athlete, devotion to the fan cause. Among fans the most common are tattoos of soccer club emblems, sports paraphernalia (balls, pucks, sticks, gloves), racing cars, motorcycles and so on. Of course, there are unique drawings and sketches that sports fans put on the body, for example, depicting the face of a favorite athlete.

Mike Tyson and a skateboard
Example of sports fan tattoos

Opinion of doctors and advice of masters

Most doctors believe that qualitatively made tattoo for the athlete does not bear a great danger, however they advise to choose carefully the tattoo salon, in which the sports fan or professional athlete is going to apply a tattoo. The salon must be clean and bright, and the master, in addition to having an impressive portfolio, must always work with sterile gloves and clean instruments.

Important! Do not hesitate to ask the master to disinfect the working instruments if you have doubts about their sterility. Not only the beauty of the tattoo depends on it, but also the client's health. No normal master would be offended by such a request.

Both doctors and masters assure professional athletes that it is necessary not to engage in physical exercises that traumatize the place of application. The main thing is that you should not get too fat or too thin, as this can cause stretch marks on the skin, which in itself (with or without the tattoo) does not look aesthetically pleasing.

Review:

I've never had doctors reprimand me about tattoos. In addition I did them during my rest period, and I did not start working out until after they had healed. I have never had any problems with my love of tattoos or professional sports. I often have to gain or lose weight, but none of the tattoos on my body have lost their appeal. I sometimes drew sketches for my tattoos myself. Through tattoos I bring beauty into the world!

Ilya, a boxer

Tattooed boxer
A professional boxer does not hide his almost completely battered body from prying eyes

Lyasan Utyasheva's symbols

Russian gymnast Lyasan Utyasheva also put several tattoos on her skin at once. And most of them are really mysterious. On the neck of the athlete there is an inscription Successful, meaning "successful". But there is a more interesting interpretation of this inscription. For a long time, the mascot of the young athlete was the perfume Success presented to her, and so Lyasan always remembers them.


Photo: instagram.com/liasanutiasheva/

On the right hand of the athlete - a six-pointed star, on the left - a black panther. And on her stomach there is an eye with wings - the athlete's amulet, which she put on at the age of 16, secretly from her mother.

Lyasan Utyasheva manages to lose weight even in quarantine. She has already become thinner than Volya
Lyasan Utyasheva manages to lose weight even in quarantine. She has already become thinner than Volya.

What Olympic champions stuff up

The most popular among athletes who have been to the Olympics is the image of the five Olympic rings or cups and medals won as a result of competitions (individual or group).

Olympic tattoos
Tattoos to commemorate participation in competitions

Soccer team crest
Tattoos of soccer club fans

Tattoo of champions

Olympic champions most often stuff themselves with symbols that remind them of their participation in the Olympic Games. Men's sports tattoos in this regard do not differ from women's and carry the same semantic meaning.

Often a sports symbol can be combined with a religious addition or element that carries meaning only to the owner of the tattoo. Sacred symbols help in achieving what you want, and when combined with themed sports tattoos, they are a powerful weapon to achieve your goal. In most cases, tattoos are made in color to emphasize the meaning and add power to the chosen symbol. According to the photo of sports tattoos, you can make new sketches and add interesting elements there.

Tips for caring for the tattoo during the healing period

In order for the tattoo to heal well and maintain its beauty and attractiveness for a long time, it is necessary to observe the following rules of tattoo care, relevant to both ordinary tattoo lovers and athletes:

  • You should not remove the protective bandage from the tattoo for 5 hours.
  • To wash a new tattoo it is better not to use a washcloth, but simply wash with antibacterial soap, in order to avoid infections, pre-setting the optimum temperature of water.
  • For better healing, masters advise to use different ointments to care for new tattoos.
  • During the healing process, the tattoo is covered with a dry crust, which should never be torn off! It can leave on the place of the tattoo not a beautiful drawing, but horrible scars.
  • You should choose clothing that prevents sweating of the scored area of the body, but do not forget that excessive exposure to sunlight will also not have a beneficial effect on your fresh tattoo.

Sports tattoo
Sports-themed tattoo

Jungle by Svetlana Kryuchkova

It often happens that a person who has put one drawing on the skin, wants more and more tattoos. The story of volleyball player Svetlana Kryuchkova is a confirmation of this.


Photo: RIA Novosti

In honor of winning the world championship in 2006, the girl tattooed a colored panther on her right arm. A few years later, the animal ended up in a real jungle. A single tattoo turned into an entire "arm. It looks impressive!


Photo: RIA Novosti

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