Colorado is well-known for two things: its cannabis industry and its fit populace. However, what if you combined the two? The advantages of exercising when high are numerous and diverse. According to studies, exercising while under the influence of cannabis can lower your heart rate, lessen muscle soreness, and boost endorphin release. Working out while high is a terrific method to keep in shape without experiencing soreness or fatigue afterward when paired with cannabis topicals for recovery!
Giving “Runner’s High” a Whole New Meaning
Most people have certain preconceived notions when they hear the term “stoner.” And no athlete can be seen in that picture. A couch, a pizza box, and a Family Guy episode are typically included.
But the cannabis community is striving to dispel that perception by lacing on their running shoes and getting off the sofa! The advantages of exercising when high are numerous and diverse. According to studies, exercising while under the influence of cannabis can lower your heart rate, lessen muscle soreness, and boost endorphin release.
The Reality of Stoner Athletes
The couch-bound pothead we often imagine is not as prevalent in reality, according to research examining health trends. Researchers in the US have shown that cannabis users often have a thinner physique than non-users. Eighty percent of cannabis consumers also claim to utilize the herb either before or after working out. Additionally, those that combine cannabis usage with fitness routines spend an average of 138 minutes per week working out as opposed to 124 minutes for non-users.
These figures indicate that there must be a special benefit to combining cannabis use with exercise. (After all, you don’t hear many people praising the virtues of working out when intoxicated).
Does Working Out While High Or Sober Affect Performance?
People who use cannabis and exercise frequently remark that it makes working out more enjoyable. This is hardly shocking because cannabis makes most activities more enjoyable. Furthermore, it makes sense that if something is more enjoyable, someone may engage in it more fervently and for a longer period. This translates into workouts that are longer and more fruitful.
Additionally, many users claim that consuming cannabis before work enables them to enter a meditative state and exert more effort, working until they are truly exhausted as opposed to just feeling fatigued.
Others claim that it enables them to focus on their running rhythm or particular muscle groups while being more aware of their bodies. This means that exercising while high can both encourage relaxation and be a form of meditation in and of itself.
Cannabis’s Effects On Your Muscles When You Exercise
Some claim that using cannabis before working out even affects how their bodies feel afterward. Working out while high on cannabis may not be as physically taxing if it puts the user in a calm condition. It is generally accepted that tight muscles during exercise make one more susceptible to pain and damage.
Cannabis can have an impact on more than simply how one feels right after working out; there are also important long-term advantages. According to one study, people who had used cannabis for at least six years had a considerably lower risk of becoming obese.
A Helpful Instrument for Exercise Recovery
All of this makes sense, and it certainly explains why cannabis use during exercise is appealing, but some research implies there may be more to it than just these chance associations.
There isn’t much-controlled research on marijuana and exercise right now. The government limits on cannabis research are also to blame for this. However, other experts assert that endocannabinoids may theoretically play a part in the euphoric effects of exercise.
In a 2003 study, it was discovered that following exercise, participants’ blood levels of the endocannabinoid molecule anandamide increased. These same receptors are targeted by cannabis, so it stands to reason that THC makes it simpler to experience a “runner’s high” after working out than it would be otherwise.
Working out while high also makes marijuana use for muscle recovery more successful since it allows for a deeper release of endorphins after exercise and improves overall body well-being.
How to Use Cannabis Before Exercise
Some cannabis products have a stronger “high” than others, thus they are not all recommended for use before a workout. Due to their slower onset and less distracting effects on coordination, some users claim that edibles are the greatest choice for a stoned workout.
Others find that eating something palatable simply isn’t realistic when attempting to fit in a workout in the morning or between leaving the office and dinner.
There is some disagreement about whether it is preferable to utilize indica or sativa strains for those who want to smoke or vape cannabis before working out.
Indicas typically provide a heavy body sensation that some people find distracting during workouts, but they are also frequently linked to relaxation and reduced anxiety, which may be good before exercise. Sativas are more energetic, therefore it’s likely that they could give some people an uncomfortable case of a racing heart.
In the end, there isn’t a right or incorrect response; it all depends on what suits your needs and circumstances the best.
Guidelines for Working Out While High
Here are some pointers on how to use marijuana while exercising:
- Avoid taking high THC doses before working out or while exercising because they can make a high distraction rather than relaxing.
- Take it easy. When taking cannabis for the first time while exercising, start with a low dose and gradually increase it. Before giving it a try, you truly can’t know how your body will respond.
- Avoid using any additional substances, such as caffeine or alcohol, before working out. This can ensure that you are mentally prepared for exercise and give you the post-workout support you require for recuperation.
- Ensure that you are in a secure setting. You might want to postpone going to the gym for your first workout. Check it out at home or during a brief neighborhood run. Likewise, avoid running in dense woodlands. Exercise in an area where assistance is nearby in case you need it.
- When managing post-workout pain, inflammation, soreness, and muscular cramping, think about utilizing CBD (more on this below).
- Water is also a must remember! Because of its diuretic effects, marijuana can cause dehydration, so drink plenty of water before, during, and after your workout.
What Marijuana Does to Your Body After Exercise
There are other ways to harness the effects of marijuana for working out if you feel like using it while working out could be a little too much for you or maybe too unsafe for your preferred technique of working out. Several cannabis non-psychoactive medicinal components, including CBD, have been demonstrated to help with post-workout pain reduction and muscle repair.
CBD for Recovering Muscle
CBD and marijuana can help you have a good experience with exercise, both before you go and after you get done. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, CBD can reduce soreness and muscular aches brought on by exercise programs. As a result, people’s bodies may recover from strenuous exercise more rapidly and with less overall body pain.
Before and after working out, CBD products can be used topically as lotion or cream or consumed orally as a tincture. Among the advantages of CBD for muscle repair are:
- anti-inflammatory qualities that can assist to lessen pain and inflammation after exercise.
- lowering the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles, which lessens pain following exercise.
- Additionally, CBD has some antimicrobial benefits on the skin. Therefore, if you’re interested in using CBD for your post-workout recuperation, it can also aid in lowering the risk of skin infections that might arise from wiping perspiration on an unclean towel.
Supplements for Cannabis Users’ Fitness
Athletic supplements based on marijuana are a rapidly expanding new sector in the world of marijuana and sports. The majority of the supplements are a blend of CBD and other substances obtained from cannabis. Depending on the athlete’s demands, these supplements may be used to provide them an edge or as a means for them to take medication without becoming intoxicated.
Few studies on these goods and their use have been conducted because this is a relatively new field. One study, in particular, revealed that the advantages of CBD for brain damage and recovery appeared to help lessen exercise-induced inflammation as well as injury-related stiffness.
Supplements containing marijuana are also frequently used as pre-workout stimulants. Athletes utilize them to help them focus and increase their energy levels before working out.
Using Marijuana to Get Swole
Exercise and marijuana might be a match made in heaven. While utilizing CBD lotions or tinctures before or after working out to lessen inflammation, pain, and muscle cramping is not advised for everyone, those who do use cannabis as part of their regimen are enjoying the advantages. Additionally, marijuana can help with post-workout pain reduction, which is particularly significant given that CBD has been demonstrated to support muscle regeneration and post-gym pain alleviation. CBD pills can be what you’re searching for if you want extra energy before working out but don’t want to get high while working out. Visit Bud Depot Dispensary to see our extensive inventory.
