People have been experimenting with different ways to improve their performance since the dawn of time. It is no surprise then, that just as marijuana becomes legal in more and more places, the stories of sportspeople smoking weed have started surfacing. Is it a good idea? In a second, you’ll learn whether marijuana can improve your workouts. Let’s go!
Motivation
Even if weed cannot help when it comes to breaking records, it could help you to stay motivated. If you are an athlete who regularly competes with other professionals, then it probably doesn’t apply to you, but if you are a regular Joe, then you might lack some discipline. It seems that our creativity gets a significant boost the moment we have to convince ourselves that going to the gym may not be that great of an idea after all.
If you’ve been partying all night, then you could make the transition into your healthy self easier if you smoke a blunt and go running. Even if you are in the capital of gambling, finding a Church of Weed-Smoking Saints, like Inyo Las Vegas, shouldn’t be a problem. Now, some people will say that when they light up a joint, their minds are all focused on silly Youtube videos and eating weird combinations of food. It might be true, but once you start exercising, you will find it more enthralling and well, more pleasurable than usual. Why? Everything seems more intense and exciting when you are high. If you don’t like jogging because it is quite repetitive, then some weed would undoubtedly make this experience much more enjoyable.
You could argue that if you get used to exercising while baked, then going back to doing it sober could be much less bland in comparison. Although there is some truth to it, some people might need to start somewhere, even if they need assistance. Once they start exercising, no longer will they feel that it is something out of reach.
Studies have shown that people who enjoy smoking a blunt before exercising report that it increases the amount of time that they spend on physical activity. If you haven’t ever exercised while blazed, it’s best to start your journey with a treadmill. You won’t have to make split-second decisions, and you won’t find yourself in an unfriendly environment. Once your brain gets used to this feeling, you could start doing even more complex stuff.
The peak performance
A 2017 study has found out that marijuana “does not enhance performance in aerobic exercise and may adversely affect coordination in some sports”. You won’t find top sportsmen lighting up a joint before a competition. It seems that if you want to hit a personal record, then it’s better to stay away from weed. Why? Your reaction times are impaired by THC, which means that in some sports, smoking a joint could lead to an injury. You wouldn’t be exactly great at football when baked. The studies have shown that although simple activities that don’t require a lot of thinking shouldn’t be a problem for people who have consumed products containing marijuana, when the complexity and the unpredictability of the activity increases, then it could be just too hard for smokers to keep up.
Despite all of this, the World Anti-Doping Agency has barred sportsmen from consuming products containing THC or CBD. Even if there aren’t any studies to prove that weed improves physical performance, everyone reacts to psychedelics differently, which means that it is impossible to predict the exact effects.
Pain & inflammation
Another reason why more and more people choose to exercise while baked is because marijuana is excellent when it comes to pain management. The pain might be caused by some minor injury, or perhaps it’s just the DOMS. If your injury could get aggravated by physical activity, then you shouldn’t unnecessarily risk your health, but if it’s something completely unrelated, then a blunt could make the experience less taxing.
Ideally, you would contact your doctor to ensure whether the inflammation is just inflammation and not something more serious. If the doctor says that it’s fine, then weed could be a great tool to help you get back on track more quickly. Just remember to be reasonable. Pain is a sign that our body gives us when something is wrong. Sometimes you could benefit from ignoring the pain, but don’t treat it as a general rule.
The secret element
If you are struggling with going to the gym several times a week, then marijuana could be of much help. It won’t help that much if your main goal is to finally bench 4 plates, but if it’s the motivation that you seek, then cannabis plants are your friends. Weed could be especially helpful when it comes to repetitive exercises, such as jogging. If you were to work out while baked, you would be far more focused on the activity and determined to give your best. Still, you should rather avoid sports that require fast reactions and complex analysis. The more difficult the exercise, the harder it would be to keep up with all the stimuli.