Can Weed Help with Going to Gym?
Getting high and hitting the gym clearly works out for a lot of people. A toke may help you become a better version of yourself! In this article, we weigh the pros and cons of working out while baked. We discuss the benefits of working out high and whether weed can affect gym results negatively. Is it safe to smoke cannabis before bodybuilding, and does smoking after workout affect muscle growth? Keep reading to find out the answers to all of these questions.
Cannabis users are often physically more fit than non-users. Ask them how and they will tell you that weed is there to give them a special boost as they engage in cardio and gym workout physical activities.
It doesn’t matter if you engage in sports every day or you only go for it every once in a while, it’s valid to inquire about the risks and benefits of weed if you want to get high all along. So, let’s go through some of the most commonly asked questions on the topic.
Does Smoking Weed Affect Cardio Fitness?
Weed and cardio is an interesting relationship, so to speak. It’s fairly different from staying happily couch-locked on the sofa for a few hours.
If you’ve never done cardio high it’s totally okay to have some questions. It’s important to be aware of both the benefits and certain risks if smoking and running is part of your routine. Inhaling any kind of smoke, whether it’s tobacco or marijuana, might affect your capacity to run. Still, every individual experience of the combination would be different, and it does matter when and how much you smoke.
Cannabis can lead to a better overall experience when engaging in any type of aerobic activity. For example, it can increase focus and attention while running or riding your bike. It can also help you achieve better results if you are into competitive running or cycling. But on the other hand, smoking may have a negative impact on your lung and heart health.
Weed will not necessarily improve your cardio performance, however. It may even negatively impact performance. It comes down to finding workable ways to use cannabis for your best cardio fitness benefit. It’s possible to run fast and smoke every day, but then again, if you are worried that this seriously puts a strain on your body, there’s always edibles and drinkables that you can try to use instead.
Does Cannabis Affect Gym Results?
Smoking weed before workout bodybuilding either has minimal effect or reduction in exercise performance. Cannabis can make you more interested or less interested in going to the gym. Either it’s going to be that you love going to the gym or avoid the gym entirely once you get high. So, the effect of weed is more related to motivation.
If you are among those who love to go to the gym after getting baked, some of the benefits would be increased alertness while doing your exercise and feeling every bit of your body through the motions.
Overall, weed is not a bad thing if your gym routine, diet and sleep hygiene remain in good order. But should there be any disturbances in any of that because of weed – in that case, you may need to rethink your use of weed.
It also matters what you do during the gym session. For example, if it’s weightlifting day, better get high after you’re done with that training. Heavy weight lifting demands absolute body control and weed may affect your coordination and lead to unwanted injury.
Does Smoking Marijuana After Workout Affect Muscle Growth?
Smoking cannabis after a bodybuilding workout will help release tension that builds in the muscles. It may also help stimulate your appetite, which is important when you want to gain body weight and shape nice abs and a six-pack. Though, it might matter whether you smoke joints or spliffs.
A spliff is made with tobacco, which contains nicotine. Nicotine may reduce testosterone production, which is a factor in muscle growth and performance. Nicotine also increases cortisol, a hormone that impacts every organ and tissue in the body, including muscle tissue. Ultimately, smoking might slow down muscle formation, recovery time, and performance.
As for THC, it seems that there is no measurable level of hormonal differences, in particular on testosterone production.
But don’t forget that all habits are important. Muscle building requires dietary adjustments and living a healthier life. If your weed consumption is problematic, it may hinder the goals you’ve set for your muscle and bodybuilding. As a grown-up person you probably know best for yourself when it’s enough weed and what you should do to stay strong and fit.
So, that would be looking at some of the most important questions related to smoking weed and engaging in cardio exercise or going for a gym workout. Let’s now see the list of pros and cons for working out high.
Pros and Cons for Working Out High
Indecisive if weed is really good for your cardio fitness and bodybuilding workout? Take a flight through the pros and cons below and see if this combination is for you or not.
Pros for working out high
Motivation
Weed can help boost your motivation about achieving the goals you set in life, including getting those well-defined muscles and bulging biceps that will leave other people’s jaws dropping. This is also supported by science: a recent study has dismantled well-established stereotypical beliefs that regular weed users appear to be less motivated to complete tasks in their day in and day out. Quite the opposite, frequent use of weed can actually boost motivation and make you more committed to whatever you are doing.
Mental health
Weed and gym going can both help improve your mental health. In a recent interview with Men’s Health, Method Man revealed that for 18 months he would hit the gym every evening and then consume protein shakes and weed the morning after. This routine eventually helped him come out from depression. If Method Man can do it, you can do it. Just find your routine or method. Exercise will push the body to produce endorphins, while THC can increase dopamine.
Improve Appetite
If you are concerned about mass building and need a few extra pounds, cannabis is a known appetite-stimulator. You can add it in high-protein foods such as probiotic yogurt and protein shakes; infuse your beans, peas and lentils with a tincture, and take another drop with your nuts and seeds.
Pain management
Both THC and CBD can be used for pain management during and after workout time and bodybuilding. Both cannabinoids can minimize sensations of pain and make you less distracted by it, helping to make the most of your training activity.
Post training recovery
Pairing weed and exercise will help muscle relief in gym training as well as cardio. Tension in the muscles is a common side effect following a bodybuilding workout, and weed is one of the best natural medicines that you can try for that. High-impact cardio sessions can also take a toll on the body and cause inflammation in the feet, ankles and knees. This is something to expect happening to your body more often with age. After training, when those sore muscles are burning from the weights you lifted or the miles you run, that’s when weed can kick in and help you feel light again.
Finally, it’s also important to consider the science. We know from research that cannabis can ease muscle stiffness associated with multiple sclerosis, and symptoms that can further include pain, muscle spasm, and poor sleep. If cannabis works well for such a serious medical condition, it can certainly work for post-workout and post-bodybuilding recovery.
Cons for Working Out High
Here are some of the main risks and damage that weed consumption, in particular when smoked, can cause to the body.
Body coordination and motor skills
Where it pays to be cautious is how weed affects your motor skills and reaction time, especially in the period immediately after consuming. This is why there’s the general recommendation not to drive under the influence. When your body balance and stability is impacted, that might easily lead to an injury during gym workout.
Cardiovascular risk
Smoking weed may also present certain risks to the cardiovascular system. Smoke contains harmful gases unleashed with combustion, such as carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide. These are only some of the substances that affect the normal function of the cardiovascular system. Smoking causes the blood vessels to narrow, and in turn there is reduced blood flow to the heart, muscles, and the rest of the body organs. That can automatically make exercise harder than it’s supposed to be.
Harm on the heart
Smoking can also increase the heart rate and cause palpitations. In simple words, smoke makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood. That is another immediate and short-lived effect of smoking, which is why it might not be the smartest idea to smoke weed near the time for an activity such as bodybuilding.
As per the American Heart Association, weed can increase the chance of heart attack, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure, especially in the first hour after smoking. Those with a history of heart illness should discuss with their primary care physician about engaging in cardio and avoid using weed at least an hour before workout.
How to Safely Use Weed for Gym Workout and Cardio?
Here are some tips on safely combining weed and cardio/gym workout for those wanting to get the best gym results from using weed, including motivational boost, pain management, and post-training recovery.
Decide on the delivery route. Depending on the type of physical activity you engage in, it’s good to adjust your consumption method. For example, gummies, drinkables or tinctures may work better for running.
Stay sober before workout. Just like you won’t usually have any alcohol before hitting the gym, avoid overdoing weed when gym o’clock is nearing.
Leave enough time between finishing workout and smoking. Hard training can cause body fatigue that lasts for several hours after that. Better try taking a short nap before indulging in your favorite vice.
Use topicals after workout. Smoke can irritate the lungs after completing a sweaty workout. Topicals are a non-invasive method to use cannabis for pain and muscle relief. Just apply on the burning area after taking a hot shower.
Don’t do hard training while high. Some gym exercises require a total body readiness, and you can’t afford making stupid mistakes. So, refrain from going high to the gym on those days when you intend to up the weights on your deadlift. Reward yourself with a big fat puff later.
Also read on Soft Secrets:
- Should You Use Cannabis for Exercise?
S
Stephen Andrews
