How Does Cannabis Enhance Athletic Performance?
The world is finally waking up to the truth about cannabis. Legalization is breaking down walls and paving the way for research. Studies are starting to prove cannabis’ benefits, and the stigma is disappearing. So it was only a matter of time until someone wondered “does cannabis enhance athletic performance”?
Professional athletes are helping to bust myths that some people believe, such as stoners being “lazy” or “unproductive.” Superstars from various sports are starting to speak out about cannabis’s benefits.
Professionals are opening up and promoting cannabis while it’s still illegal in their sport, and we must learn from this. Why would they risk their livelihood to promote cannabis?
Cannabis is a passionate subject, and we still have progress to make both socially and in sports. Advancement comes with knowledge, so let's explore the topic of cannabis and athletic performance.
Does cannabis enhance athletic performance?
Cannabis has never been as popular or socially acceptable as it is now. It’s recreationally legal in 19 US states, with more coming on board soon. Researchers are producing a healthy supply of studies, and we’re constantly learning.
Scientists are starting to investigate all aspects of the herb’s use, including in sports. There’s evidence showing that cannabis does enhance athletic performance. The impact primarily depends on when and how much you consume.
We don’t recommend blazing too hard while exercising. It’s best to keep your usage moderate before or during a workout and save the heavy hits for your downtime.
The type of cannabis you consume is also a significant player as the thousands of available strains deliver very different effects. A potent indica might couch-lock you, while a sativa often produces feelings of productive energy. There are also hybrids (a mix of the two), and every cultivar is unique.
A massive aspect of any sporting endeavor is cardio. Heavy toking before or during a workout impacts your lungs and cardio endurance, so take it lightly.
Further efforts are needed to convince authorities of the benefits of cannabis for athletes. Unfortunately, having it in your system remains illegal in most professional sports.
While cannabis’s effects on performance aren’t conclusive, the benefits for athletes, in general, need to be acknowledged.
Benefits of cannabis for athletes and performance
Cannabis and athletic performance is a topic that deserves further investigation and discussion.
Steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) are rampant in competitions and gyms. Cannabis offers a natural substitute.
Cannabis can provide a range of therapeutic and recreational uses to help athletes in all aspects of life. The well-documented benefits extend to fitness and sports in various ways.
Does cannabis enhance athletic performance? Here are eight ways that it might:
1. Swelling and inflammation
Among the most significant discoveries is the plant’s anti-inflammatory properties. This revelation unearths one of the most notable benefits of smoking cannabis for athletes.
Inflammation is a form of swelling in the body, occurring as a defensive response to situations like injury and infection. It’s also the cause of many serious ailments, from pain to heart disease. These physical conditions are a frequent issue for athletes.
Multiple studies show cannabis to be highly effective at reducing inflammation in joints and muscles. This medicinal aspect of cannabis significantly helps athletes.
2. For the relief of pain
Whether training or during a performance, athletes are pushing their bodies to the limit, so injuries and related surgeries are common.
Unfortunately, many sports stars and fitness enthusiasts take prescription opioid painkillers. These medicines have severe side effects and are extraordinarily addictive.
Pain-relieving properties are often touted as being the best effects of cannabis on athletes. It’s a natural substitute without the harmful and addictive elements of opioids.
3. Muscle and nerve spasms
Studies show that cannabis helps treat muscle spasms for people suffering with diseases like Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis.
People who train hard frequently experience muscle or nerve spasms that impact their ability to exercise.
4. Boosting of energy and focus
Sativa-dominant strains, in particular, provide energy and could cause feelings of elation and mental clarity.
Some claim to perform at a higher level after using cannabis, often describing it as a “flow-state.” In the sport of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, cannabis use is abundant, and many world champions are open about it.
An increase in energy and focus points to further positive effects of smoking cannabis on athletic performance.
5. Speed up recovery
Many of the PEDs athletes pop are drugs that accelerate healing. These substances also come with various adverse side effects.
Since cannabis can reduce inflammation and pain, this could quicken your recovery in multiple ways. There are a wide array of products available specifically for healing. From straight-up smoking to oils for skin application, cannabis could work wonders.
Increased recovery times mean a quicker return to full training, meaning that cannabis does increase athletic performance.
6. Promotes better sleep
Many types of cannabis are well-known as sleep inducers. With some strains, the effects of relaxation take hold immediately.
Indica-dominant varieties usually offer this benefit, but most cultivars provide a peaceful night.
Improved sleep generally benefits all facets of sports, fitness, and life, and cannabis delivers it.
7. Improved appetite
Improved appetite is an area of cannabis’s effects on athletes rarely spoken about. Many sports involve weight-cutting. Participants often put their bodies through extreme levels of dieting and hydration to achieve a specific size.
Cannabis is famous for giving people munchies and driving tokers toward snacks. The cost of weight-cutting is the stress it puts on the body, and people’s appetite is often lost. Cannabis offers a way for athletes to feel hungry again and regain the body mass needed to perform.
8. Mental wellbeing
The physical therapeutic qualities of cannabis may be fantastic, but the psychological benefits remain understated. The topic of mental health is starting to lose its stigma. Many famous athletes are now bringing it to light, but we must do more.
When people say that 90% of sports performance is psychological, they’re not lying. If you lose confidence or have even slight doubts, your game suffers.
Relieving anxiety is an amazing cannabis effect on athletic performance and life generally. Being happy outweighs most things.
Top 3 strains to include in your workout schedule
Many people associate cannabis with chilling and relaxing, but not running or lifting weights. It may shock some of you, but cannabis can enhance athletic performance before and during a workout.
Combining cannabis with exercise might involve initial trial and error until you find your groove. The trick is knowing the best strains and when to use them.
Here are our top three favorite strains for athletes:
1. Chocolate Orange Feminized
If you’re looking for a strain that shows you how THC and athletic performance works, why not start here? Chocolate Orange Feminized seeds produce buds that wake you up with their fragrance alone.
The terpenes in this strain enrich it with a delicious range of tastes and aromas. Hints of chocolate and tangy citrus enhance the peppery, earthy flavor.
This sativa-dominant cultivar is a cross of Chocolope and Tangie. The potency isn’t overwhelming, as THC ranges from 13–17%.
The cultivar is relatively easy to grow, it’s resistant to mold and disease and doesn’t require much maintenance. It produces medium to heavy yields of 16–25 oz./m2 indoors and 16–18 oz./plant outdoors.
It’s a perfect strain for getting motivated and excited about your workout.
2. Harlequin Feminized
Harlequin is a sativa-dominant hybrid with a low THC content but boasts CBD levels of 6–8.5%.
The cultivar is a cross of Colombian Gold x Thai x Swiss Sativa. Harlequin feminized seeds produce buds that taste and smell beautiful with hints of herbs and pine.
Harlequin is easy to grow and yields 20 oz./m2 indoors and 28 oz./plant outdoors.
The low THC content and high CBD levels make this the perfect cultivar for your halftime break. You won’t get knocked out by potency, and anxiety relief could lead to extra motivation. Why not try it and experience the benefits of cannabis for athletes yourself?
3. CBD Girl Scout Cookies Feminized
CBD Girl Scout Cookies feminized is a masterpiece of cannabis breeding.
In terms of recovery, this is the ultimate cultivar to show how cannabis does enhance athletic performance overall.
This CBD version of the original Girl Scout Cookies strain is indica dominant. The buds pack a powerful punch with 15% THC and incredible levels of up to 15% CBD. You feel anxiety and stress evaporate as physical pain rapidly disappears.
CBD Girl Scout Cookies Feminized seeds produce yields of approximately 14–18 oz./m2 indoors and 14–18 oz./plant outdoors.
The strain has an intense aroma with a tinge of sweetness. Flavors are earthy, with hints of citrus. The effects of this cultivar make it ideal for a post-workout toke.
Enhance your workouts with cannabis
The evidence continues to mount, showing the benefits of cannabis for everyone. The stigma around cannabis is lifting in society. Legalization proves that cannabis isn’t the dangerous drug that it was once portrayed.
Research confirms that cannabis is healthy for athletes, and bans on them using it need to change. If anything, organizations like The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) are causing more harm by continuing to prohibit cannabis.
The benefits of smoking cannabis for athletes are becoming glaringly obvious, and its use isn’t for cheating. Anti-doping agencies must focus on substances that give unfair advantages or cause harm. These organizations need to allow people to perform at their healthiest and happiest.
If you like cannabis and want to mix it with working out, why not try it? Take it slow and know your body. It takes a few attempts to find the dosage sweet spot. Get it down and enjoy the improvement in your workouts.
Check out the Homegrown Cannabis Co. store to see our incredible range of high-quality products. Discover the best strains to suit your preferences.