Can Cannabis Help With Training?

Nothing beats being in the flow of a kickass workout. Whether it’s stomping your feet on the pavement, pumping your arms while lifting kettlebells, or firing your glutes while swimming across a pool, a great workout will leave you feeling amazing.

However, the problem for many is finding the motivation to get started. When it comes time to put on your running shoes, waves of excuses can quash the best intentions to move.

But for some people, weed may be the answer to overcoming exercise apathy and enjoying exercise. While it has long been thought that cannabis users are less likely to exercise due to stereotypes of sedentary stoners, there is growing evidence that cannabis users have a positive relationship with physical activity.

Read on to learn more about how cannabis can affect your workout, and learn more about how people combine weed and exercise.

Why do people use weed before or after a workout?

Much of our understanding of cannabis and movement comes from polls and anecdotal reports over the past few years. Factors such as the legalization of recreational pursuits, increased access to weed, and reduced risk perception have made researchers curious to learn more about how the plant affects various aspects of lifestyle and health. However, federal restrictions make it difficult to conduct controlled cannabis studies.

In a survey of 605 cannabis users (creatively dubbed “The New Runner’s High?”), a whopping 81.7% of participants approved of using cannabis with exercise. The majority of these users cited specific benefits such as increased motivation, increased enjoyment, and faster recovery. In addition, 37.5% said performance was improved.

Consumers also showed preferences in how they were consumed: cannabis flower and concentrates were used more often than edibles by those who trained with weed.

Researchers delved further into the data to find out more about the exercise habits of people who use cannabis up to four hours before or after exercise. Of the respondents, 68.9% used weed within an hour prior to exercise, while 82% used cannabis within four hours of exercise. 67 percent of participants chose cannabis both before and after training.

These consumers engaged in aerobic exercise (like running) for an average of 159.7 minutes per week, compared to those not consuming weed at all, who exercised an average of 103.5 minutes.

40% of these cannabis users met or exceeded American College of Sports Medicine recommendations for at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week, while only 28.7% of non-users did.

Other intriguing data collected by Whitney Ogle, a physical therapist and cannabis researcher at Humboldt State University, shows that the 131 survey participants reported more than 55 physical activities they enjoyed when high. 60% liked to hike when stoned, 58% preferred yoga and 50% leaned towards aerobic machines.

Their top reasons for using cannabis before physical activity were ‘enhancing focus/concentration’ (66%), ‘enjoying the exercise experience’ (65%) and ‘improving the mind-body-spirit connection’ (65%). However, 25% of users also shared that consuming weed before a workout sometimes resulted in unexpected negative experiences, such as: B. an elevated heart rate or too high to continue exercising.

Is there evidence that cannabis can impair exercise performance?

When it comes to explaining why cannabis can produce uplifting, motivating effects, researchers still don’t have a clear answer. One hypothesis is that exercise increases levels of anandamide — a cannabinoid produced in the body that stimulates feelings of happiness and well-being. Cannabis targets the same receptors as anandamide, so using weed before a workout could help consumers get a head start on feel-good vibes.

Another theory is psychological: when cannabis increases enjoyment of exercise, it can create a positive feedback loop that encourages someone to do it more.

There isn’t much evidence that cannabis use improves or worsens athletic performance. In a recent review, researchers found no significant difference between users and non-users in maximal exercise capacity, cardiorespiratory fitness, perceived exertion, strength and endurance, or blood pressure. In other words, weed doesn’t seem to give you a competitive advantage that makes you stronger, runs longer, or lifts heavier weights.

Researchers even looked at the effects of chronic cannabis use on athletic performance and again found no evidence that heavy use – defined in most cases as at least once a week – significantly affected exercise. The only apparent difference in one study was that chronic cannabis users had a slightly higher resting heart rate.

Ultimately, the study’s authors concluded that given the results, there was little reason for sports regulators to restrict cannabis use.

Related

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How to use weed while exercising

Some people actively support training with cannabis, for example Stoned+Toned, an online workout platform created by Mike and Morgan English, cannabis users who want to share their vision of fun, 420-friendly fitness with the community. Workouts last an average of 30 minutes and include high and low intensity classes, puff and pedal for spin fans, and wake and bake for yoga lovers. There are even classes filmed on site at hemp farms.

“When I first discovered cannabis in my life, I felt a natural urge to exercise.”
thought Morgan. “The connection between my mind and my body has been strengthened.”

The business is mostly online because they “wanted people to be able to consume freely without judgment and exercise in a place where they feel safe,” according to Morgan. They also host live pop-ups to build community, with members lighting up together before moving on together for 45-60 minutes. At the end of the session, members can make a move and connect.

Mike and Morgan believe cannabis can support the movement in a number of ways.

“Not only does it help manage pain and inflammation and allow people to exercise without pain, cannabis really deepens the mind-body connection,” Morgan said. “The ability to tune into your body on a deeper level will help you train successfully.”

Morgan and Mike prefer smoking or vaping as these methods allow for better control of their high, and they have found that most Stoned+Toned members consume in the same way. However, individuals with asthma typically opt for low-dose edibles. Regardless of the delivery method, they believe the most important thing is to consume wisely.

“All you need is a few hits of your joint or a low-dose edible to get you in the right frame of mind for exercise. When it comes to smoking, we always go for a puff or two at the beginning and end of our classes,” Morgan said.

How and when to dose during training ultimately depends on the individual.

“Both cannabis and exercise are deeply personal journeys,” Morgan said. “Finding the right balance may take a try or two, but I promise it’s worth finding what works best for you.”

Emma Stone

Emma Stone is a New Zealand-based journalist specializing in cannabis, health and well-being. She has a Ph.D. in sociology and has worked as a researcher and lecturer, but prefers to be a writer. She would enjoy spending her days writing, reading, walking outdoors, eating, and swimming.

Check out Emma Stone’s articles

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