Can Marijuana Improve Your Workout? Tips for a Pre-Exercise Smoke Sesh
No, really, can marijuana improve your workout? You might be surprised.
We currently live in an era where workout supplements are the norm. We hear about athletes taking protein powder to add more muscle to their mass, and about bodybuilders taking creatine as a way to add more definition to their muscles.
There seems to be a health supplement for just about everyone's needs. Even beauty supplements are starting to take hold. It's just the way things are.
With the boom in cannabis business going on, many states where marijuana is now legalized are seeing a new type of supplement. Trainers are now discussing how to use cannabis to improve your workouts, and are even suggesting supplementation via edibles to do it.
Shocked? Curious about the effects? Can marijuana improve your workout? Here's what you should know...
The primary reason why cannabis has become legal in so many states is because the benefits of medical marijuana are difficult to ignore. Cannabis use is linked to pain relief, lowered levels of anxiety, and of course, better muscle recovery.
Because of this, it's safe to say that cannabis can help people who feel a bit stiff reduce their pain and potentially help them avoid a sprain or pulled muscle. It's easy to see how can marijuana improve your workout when you take a look at the perks it offers patients.
There are certain compounds that definitely appear to be more beneficial than others.
Let's just face it, pot will always be an enjoyable way to spend time before you actually hit the gym. However, it's not the giddy high of THC that typically tends to be what makes marijuana so good as a pre-workout treat. Rather, it tends to be the CBD that gives most people a benefit.
CBD, known as cannabidiol, is the second largest compound in cannabis. Unlike THC, which gives you a giddy, goofy high, CBD tends to offer up pain relief and relaxation. It's one of the best perks of cannabidiol that can improve your life in and out of the gym.
One of the most common reasons why people get injured while at the gym is due to improper stretching. By stretching your muscles and relaxing yourself, you are able to extend yourself more and also improve your chances of avoiding a gym-related injury.
For people who tend to get very sore post-workout, CBD may make you feel better after hitting the weights. This leads to a faster exercise recovery, and also allows you to work out a bit more the next day.
Can marijuana improve your workout without high amounts of CBD?
Of course! CBD isn't the only compound in marijuana that helps people get a good workout. THC can actually help people improve their exercise routines, too.
However, the way THC helps is more mental than physical, and some people react to THC's perks better than others. This is where the difference between the two compounds really starts to become noticeable—and why more trainers tend to suggest CBD-rich strains than those that are very heavy in THC.
If you ask most gym newbies, the hardest thing to do is to start getting into your workout. After all, walking on a treadmill can only be so entertaining, right?
For those of us who aren't really that interested in pumping iron, smoking weed might be a good way to remedy that demotivation that comes with realizing you have to gym it up.
The giddy, uplifting energy that THC offers users is what can help you spend another 5 minutes on the treadmill and get you laughing while you're pumping iron.
The "munchies" given by THC can also help build muscle.
When you're trying to gain muscle, sticking to a strict low-calorie diet isn't a wise decision. You need food in order to fuel muscle growth, and that means that you'll need to increase your food intake—particularly when it comes to protein.
Though most dieters would disagree, the munchies you get from THC dosing can be pretty good for you. People who have a difficult time trying to eat the amount needed to build muscle may find that a joint can give them the appetite they need to see gains at the gym.
If you're still wondering, let me put it to you this way: yes. Yes it can. Studies have shown that it's particularly good for gymgoers who want to build muscle or just get interested in walking on a treadmill for a little bit longer.
The effects of marijuana on exercise have become pretty noted in "green states." Businesses have also taken note. If you can get a medical marijuana card in California, you can even go to Power Plant Fitness so you can get your toke on.
That being said, the effects are not always that noticeable.
Just like with anything else cannabis-related, people react to cannabis differently. Some people will notice a pretty drastic change when it comes to their workout quality and their workout recoveries. Others, however, will notice little to no improvement in their overall work.
It's something you will need to try out in order to figure out.
Everyone knows that different strains of cannabis will have different potencies, different ratios of THC to CBD, and different effects. What one strain does for you may be totally different from what another does.
As a result, you will need to find a strain that works with your body—if you want to add this into your workout repertoire. While it's true that cannabis can improve your results, the fact is that you'll only enjoy it if you find a strain that works with you.
What you should know before you toke is that...
Can marijuana improve your workout? Absolutely. However, it all boils down to your body, your workout goals, and how you react to smoking weed. If it works, by all means, light up. However, if you naturally get lazy during smoke sessions, you might want to rethink things.
About the Creator
Rowan Marley
Rowan Marley is a 20-year-old sports enthusiast who hails from Brooklyn. When he's not hitting up a local Zumba class, he's drinking organic smoothies. That's just how he rolls.
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