Excercising after getting a tattoo?

Question

Just hit level two, need to burn points and go backwards... :)

For those who keep a regular excercise regimen, how long do you wait before you return to the gym? I've been waiting as little as 5 days or so in the case of outlining, but larger areas I've waited two weeks.

Only thing is that two weeks is a long time to slack, and I'm naturally lazy (just consciously fight it a lot). I try to make up for no weight training by doing more cardiovascular, but it isn't the same.

To a certain extent I just follow the "does it hurt" test. However, sometimes it will feel fine and it isn't until I'm in the middle of a set that & move just the wrong way.

As an fyi, I tend to heal quickly but always wait until after the first 'peel' before I do anything. The question isn't so much of how fast can I go back, but (given that we'll all wait until it's safe), what people's usual waits are like.

Answer 1

As long as the tattoo is open, you have no biz in the gym. Far too many germs.

If you are compromised by pain, etc. it is all about location. If upper body, work the lower with a treadmill, etc. Just be sure before you break a sweat you are past the peel stage. Salty sweat on top of a new tattoo is bad news for it.

Answer 2

well i am a slacker too! and at one point i was going to the gym and running every day but then i started working on my back again and sports bras plus new tattoos don't equal comfort. so i stopped. that was in may! thankfully i am naturally in shape. you'd never know that i have been sitting on my couch for the past five hours watching t.v. plus i got my feet tattooed which meant no wearing shoes of any kind for two weeks and i limped for the duration of those two weeks. however. i would wait until i had finished peeling. or about six days. after that i just itch but it doesn't really seem to affect any activity. on the bright side... i bought a bike yesterday and am going to "try" to ride on a regular basis.

Answer 3

go when its not gross no mores :P