Marijuana & Fitness: What You Should Know
Staying active and keeping fit are paramount in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.This is especially true in recent years as more and more of us spend way too much time in front of our computers, TV’s, and/or smartphones. Thankfully, there are many ways one can still stay active in a modern digital world where it has become all too easy to live a sedentary life.
The importance of staying active also holds true for marijuana enthusiasts. Despite the popular yet outdated stereotype of the “lazy stoner” who just wants to get high, eat junk food, and watch TV, enthusiasts can be just as productive as anyone else. Those of us who maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes both exercise and marijuana use are hoping to ultimately dispel the myth that marijuana and exercise don’t mix and possibly even prove that weed can be considered a performance enhancing substance.
Performance enhancing drugs fall into one of two broad categories: those substances that increase an athlete’s ability during competition or training, and those that help with recovery and assist in the healing process. Funnily enough, cannabis straddles the line between the two types with the specific effects mainly dependent upon the strain of the marijuana plant being used. For example, sativa strains can often act as a mild stimulant, providing an uplifting and energizing high that can be used as a pre-workout supplement. Indica strains on the other hand, can provide a more relaxing effect which makes them ideal for recovery periods.
Enthusiasts that use marijuana to help with their exercise routines regularly claim that smoking weed beforehand can increase heighten their senses, allowing for greater muscle control and thereby making their movements much more efficient. Weed can also help you concentrate better, allowing for little distractions while you work out. With regards to helping one recover, marijuana can assist with decreasing stress, soothing minor aches and pains, and stimulating the person’s appetite.
That being said, there are some types of activities and exercises that are better suited to engage in while being high than others. For example, while yoga and Tai Chi may be great to practice while stoned, most folks will probably want to stay away fro more intense activities like kickboxing or “boot camp” style workouts. This of course will be up to the individual to decide as some enthusiasts may actually enjoy a higher impact workout while stoned.
If you do decide to try and incorporate weed into your workout routing, you’ll want to start off slowly. It’s very important to know your limits when it comes to combining weed and exercise. Enthusiasts will want to be able to dose appropriately so we would highly recommend using a vaporizer, tinctures, and/or edibles as they allow for far greater control over the amount of cannabis being ingested. Same as when you being using any new supplement, please make sure that you do your homework and consult your physician if you have any questions or concerns about adding cannabis to your personal exercise routine.
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