Cannabis products are all the rage these days. More and more athletes are turning to cannabis as a means of relieving pain, inflammation, or stress. With the legalization of marijuana in many states, it’s easier than ever before to find your perfect product. From edibles and topicals to smart dabbing devices like Grasscity’s Puffco Smart Rig, there is something for everyone. More and more people are enjoying the benefits of cannabis every day, and athletes are no exception.
Since legalization, new scientific studies are being made regarding cannabis and CBD, which is one of the main active ingredients in cannabis and is not only a much healthier alternative to THC, but it also has an impact on exercise in a positive way. THC can also impact exercise and athletes are using both components in their sports to get an edge. Some prominent athletes who use marijuana include Michael Phelps, Mike Tyson, and Eugene Monroe and cannabis is not a pre-workout however it can be something that you can consider before your next training session, and here’s why.
Reduces inflammation
When inflammation occurs in the human body, chemicals from the white blood cells enter the tissues or the blood in order to protect the body from invaders. This then raises the blood flow to the injured or infected area and can cause warmth and redness. The chemicals will cause fluids to leak into the tissues which result in swelling and this protective process may cause pain by triggering the nerves. On one hand, inflammation is good because it fights off invaders and heals injuries, however, inflammation can also cause a list of disorders such as arthritis and asthma. Inflammation can impact your cognitive and physical performance and cannabis, specifically, CBD helps reduce this inflammation which benefits you by improving your lifestyle and reducing the risk of many medical disorders.
Pain relief
THC and CBD can significantly reduce pain by dampening the body’s pain-inducing responses. Cannabis is known to relieve pain which is ideal because it is common to experience muscle and joint pain during and after you exercise. By consuming cannabis, you won’t have to skip a workout because you are experiencing joint and muscle pain instead, the cannabis will help you maintain consistency with your workouts. It was found that consuming cannabis after exercise improves the recovery process and when you consume cannabis before or during your workout, your motivation to engage in workouts that are more demanding increases.
Recovery
Two very important aspects of exercise and building muscle are rest and recovery and cannabis helps with this. THC induces sleep and CBD induces good quality REM sleep while also decreasing fatigue during the day. Not only does cannabis induce sleep but it also increases the duration of sleep that you get which is a key component to the recovery process because rest is an essential part of muscle growth. Cannabis use also impacts your wellbeing by increasing your mood and it regulates your hunger which is good because if you want to have a successful workout and build muscle, you will need to eat a good diet, and not doing so will hinder your process and stall muscle growth as well as decrease your energy levels.
Flow state
For some time, it was believed that your brain function reduces when you consume marijuana but this is extremely false. THC restores cognitive functioning and people who consume cannabis as a pre-workout also claim that it reduces their anxiety and induces a state of calmness which enables them to focus their attention on tasks at hand better. Cannabis quiets the mind and gets users into a meditative headspace which allows them to experience deeper introspection. Cannabis also brings users into the present moment and when you combine cannabis with movement, it will strengthen your mind-body connection as well as increase your body awareness. This is important for exercise because many times when we challenge ourselves physically, our mind will start to convince us to give up, this is why a strong mind-body connection is useful because you can acknowledge the pain that comes with exercise and modify your workout which will allow you to complete with a feeling of accomplishment.
Cannabis is not only for recreational and medical use, but it can also be helpful for exercise and when incorporated into your fitness regimen, but you will also notice an overall improvement. Inflammation will be reduced, you will experience pain relief, it assists in your recovery by inducing sleep and an appetite and finally, it helps you focus and welcomes a stronger mind-body connection which is vital for a good workout.
