Will Cannabis Improve Your Workout?
A short list of the things you shouldn’t do while high: drive a car, shop online, watch any Pixar movie, a Venmo friend, give advice – but what about running or lifting weights?
While reactions to the intoxicating properties of cannabis are different for everyone ( some of us handle edibles better than others), and the research in this area is still new, there are a few things you should know before exercising while under the influence.
You could concentrate better
You may have heard of the magical benefits of cannabis, including increased focus, stamina, performance, and reduced soreness. Many of these benefits may be indirect – CBD products, in particular, can simply reduce inflammation and therefore increase your ability to focus or work harder, soothing any pulling pain that comes with it , according to Dr. Jun Chin, an integrated cannabis physician at MedLeaf RX . you feel. have.
But this inflammatory force does not yet have convincing scientific evidence. A 2016 study in rats found CBD may be beneficial for relieving arthritis pain and inflammation (again, in rats, not humans), although a number of professional athletes support their CBD products and improve performance on and off the pitch. court.
Different strains of cannabis can produce different effects, but this has not been proven.
Not all cannabis strains are created equal, Chin said. “Strains are a widely used marketing term, but in the medical field we call them chemical variants or chemovars,” she said. “Most of the hemovars of the cannabis plant are a combination of strains [called] sativa and indica. There is no pure sativa or indica plant, although there may be a sativa or indica dominant strain. These plants have different cannabinoid compositions, and strains [eg, indica dominant] may have a more sedative effect, or what we call a “couch”. Sometimes people use a more stimulating variety, and from a marketing point of view, the sativa tends to be a little invigorating. ”
So you may find that a sativa-based strain is better for an hour at the gym; keep this in mind when shopping at the pharmacy. However, the truth is that there is very little research on this either; some researchers argue that this distinction is not scientifically valid. ( O ne research even found that among over 80 cannabis strains that were tested, mislabelling of indica and sativa content was a problem; in other words, you can’t even trust the product you buy every time.)
CBD May Be Better For Heavy Workout
One of the main chemicals in cannabis that is responsible for the familiar high, THC may not provide the benefits you need for weightlifting – its sedative properties can make you feel too relaxed to focus, Chin said. CBD products, on the other hand, only contain trace amounts of THC, if any.
“My athletes prefer CBD when training, but it depends on the training,” she said. “I have yoga patients; they find that a little THC actually helps them deepen their postures, relax a little, calm their minds, and relax their general nervous system so that they can focus better. Obviously, if you are going to do Soulcycle or Crossfit, you are not going to use THC because you do not want to lose balance or coordination. “
So if you have to choose between a THC or CBD product before your HIIT workout, you can opt for CBD to stay alert (and stand). Regarding the purported sedative properties of CBD, you can check out our deeper dive into some of the research on the subject.
Calm down during your first workout
If you decide to experiment with cannabis to improve your concentration during your workout, Chin recommends buying sublingual tinctures (drops that go under the tongue) that are fast acting and have a fast duration of about 10 minutes. On the other hand, and since this has to be said, do not choose edibles before a workout like a beginner, which can take up to two hours.
If you are using something like CBD for anti-inflammatory purposes, you will have to experiment with it to find the time that works best for you. “If you train in the morning, you might take it in the evening before bed,” she said. “Some patients want to take it after exercise to reduce soreness the next day.”
And no matter what, make sure the workout you choose is easy to start with, Chin said, “unless you want to risk getting out of hand. “If you’re trying this for the first time, I wouldn’t go straight for such a long run or crossfit class,” she said. “Some patients are sick of CBD. Some patients feel dizzy and you don’t want to get stuck on a mountain bike thinking, “I’m so sick.”