I Smoked Pot and Then Worked Out at the Gym — Here's How It Went
I smoke pot regularly — every day, in fact. It's my evening ritual after I've packed my gym bag, put away the dirty dishes, and changed into my sweatpants. Although marijuana is the cornerstone of my self-care practice, I had never really thought about whether weed could positively affect other aspects of my life, especially my fitness. But after reading about how marijuana could potentially improve your workouts and recovery time, I decided to give it a shot.
When used properly, weed can reduce inflammation in the body before, during, or after a workout, and it can give you a boost of energy before a sweat session. The key to unlocking these benefits, though, is to be thoughtful about which cannabis products you choose to use. It's important to opt in for products that are higher in CBD and lower in THC so you don't run the risk of feeling too high to function at the gym (or high at all).
For my very first weed workout, I chose to use CBD Vape by Select: Focus CBD Peppermint from Eaze, which has virtually no THC and a hefty amount of CBD, so I knew I wasn't going to deal with any of marijuana's psychoactive properties.
Within a few minutes of puffing on this vaporizer, I felt really, really calm. My entire body went into this relaxation mode, but not one where I couldn't function properly. The peppermint element of this product also woke me up a little bit, and I felt ready for my workout. I went to the gym to do a lower-body strength-training workout.
I felt a little self-conscious when I arrived at the gym, to be honest. I was a little nervous that I wouldn't be able to perform the exercises normally. In reality, that wasn't the case at all, but I still felt a little weird throughout the whole workout, like I wasn't meant to be there — and I couldn't help but be slightly anxious that I was going to drop a dumbbell on my foot.
But I got through the whole workout without a single hiccup! When I got home, I felt like I had crossed something off my bucket list, but that was about it. I honestly didn't feel like my workout was affected much at all. It felt really similar to any other session I've done in the past.
However, the story changed when I started using Papa & Barkley ReLeaf balm, also from Eaze, a product that is designed to ease sore muscles and back pains. I've been dealing with sore hip flexors lately from all the running and deadlifting I've been doing, so rubbing this balm into my muscles made a big difference. It soothed the pain and helped my muscles relax a lot more. Plus, it was a good excuse to give my lower body a nice, long massage.
This balm was especially effective when I used it at night right before bed in conjunction with my favorite vaporizer, Select Skywalker OG, a hybrid strain that's high in both THC and CBD. It helped my mind clear out and forget about the day and, more importantly, it helped my body wind down and relax just in time for bed.
All in all, I don't think I'll ever smoke pot before going to work out again, but I will definitely continue my post-workout recovery regimen that includes cannabis balms and vaporizers. That's where the real magic of marijuana happens for me and my fitness routine.
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