Should you get high before you hit the gym? Let’s get into this.
For liability reasons, we can’t tell you do to anything that could jeopardize your wellbeing or safety. That said, there are reasons you may want to get a little high and do some reps, provided you practice moderation and generally exercise good judgment. Hell, scores of professional and Olympic athletes do it!
It Can Block Pain
There’s no doubt that the right strain of weed can soothe your muscles during or after a grueling workout. While THC offers a kick not unlike the pain-blocking “runner’s high”, the less-well known cannabinoids CBD and CBN are even more effective for treating cramps, aches, and all the other nasty things you collect on an exercise regimen. Some claim it even has an anti-inflammatory effect, but the jury’s out on that. Think of eating a gummy or smoking a bowl of the right strain as a warm bath—not a cure for injury, but a source of relief.
It Can Help You Get in The Zone
Some users have found that the right varietal smoked or ingested right before working can help them get into a relaxed, meditative mind space perfect for repetitive exercises. Fans of running, jogging, elliptical training, cycling, and others have all sung its praises—though we would advise that those who partake stick to machines at the gym rather than roads and trails in the real outside world.
Users of flow-based yoga practices also report enjoying the mellow mindfulness of a pot high while going through poses (though you should avoid any kind of “hot” yoga when stoned) and we’ve heard some persuasive anecdotes about advocates of P90X-type programs enjoying the same (once they’d already mastered the routines).
Fascinatingly, downhill skiers, snowboarders, and skateboarders also enjoy the relaxed focus of a high, which runs against conventional wisdom given all the split-second decisions one has to make in this high-speed sport. By the by, one of the reasons the World Anti-Doping Association bans pot is that it decreases performance anxiety.
It Could Increase Air Intake
The other reason that weed is banned for international competition is that smoking can—in theory—provide more oxygen to the blood allowing for more energy production and increased endurance. Essentially, pot relaxes both the throat and passageways in the lungs, allowing for increased airflow. Of course, as mentioned, smoking pot can also scar those tissues or result in a number of other awful things that decrease airflow. Here it seems to be a matter of moderation.
It Could Help You Burn Fat Faster
While excessive pot use will no doubt slow you and your metabolism down, judicious intake can actually speed up your fat-burning functions. Not only is there evidence that several compounds in weed do get your furnace running a little hotter, but help balance your insulin levels which could help you regulate energy levels better during the course of your workout and help you maintain fat-burning throughout the day. As with almost everything in weed research these days, the findings here are not conclusive, but they are encouraging.
It Makes Everything Just a Little More Fun!
Have you ever tried working out… on weeeeed ? No, seriously, while being in the gym is a great, energizing experience, shuffling off your ass, putting on your sneakers, and actually getting to the gym is a grind. Giving yourself an artificial kick beforehand or using a post-workout smoking session as a reward for being a good gym rat can help you with that. Working out should be fun. Anything you can do to make it so within the bounds of safety is a good thing.
