BETTER AT SPORTS BECAUSE OF CANNABIS?

You probably got this tip once from a blowing acquaintance or on a forum: take cannabis before exercise and you go like a rocket. Hard to believe for those who can't get off the couch after a joint. Fortunately, some smart people have looked into this striking claim. Does cannabis and hash really make you better at sports? Read here if -and why- you're better off clapping a jonko before working out from now on.

The pros and cons of cannabis for athletes and non-athletes

Cannabis has several general effects on our bodies and minds, whether we are athletes or not. The main effects are all potentially of interest to people who want to perform better in the gym or on the sports field:

• improved mood
• stress reduction
• (muscle) relaxation
• increase in appetite

Possible adverse effects cannabis also has - and these can get in the way of your sporting performance quite a bit. These include:

• worsened alertness
• harder to think logically
• increased heart rate
• less strength
• lower blood pressure
• too relaxing; no desire to move
• dry eyes and mouth

The possible consequences of these disadvantages during a sports session speak for themselves. However, the extent to which you experience them depends mainly on the dose and the person. There are people who experience more focus and sense of control from a joint. But at least as many people actually become clumsily fuzzy and slower than they would like. Still, it is certainly possible that this soft drug will make you a better athlete... In the cases below, cannabis does have the potential to support you in your sporting life.

The potential of cannabis for sports

Let's mainly zoom in on the potential benefits cannabis offers in sports, based on scientific facts. After all, depending on your reaction to weed and hash and your sport (goals), cannabis can still give you a hand.

Relaxant, anxiety reliever and painkiller

Cannabis reduces anxiety, relaxes and increases pain threshold. This is due to the cannaboids it contains. Very useful in various sports!

Recover faster

Of course, smoking cannabis is the ultimate way to chill out. In the meantime, many sports enthusiasts have also discovered this. They consciously use cannabis to promote and speed up their recovery. Because faster recovery means faster training and more gainz. An interesting survey of 111 athletes shows that as many as 93% experience CBD to boost their recovery, and 87% think the same of THC. CBD also helps you sleep longer, which is essential for recovery and muscle growth.

More fun in sports after a jonko

A fun study put athletes on a treadmill, sober and after clapping a jonko. What turned out? 90% had more fun in the workout, 70% had less pain, 60% experienced more focus and 57% felt motivated thanks to being high. They did report one drawback: most found it extra hard and strenuous because of the cannabis. So their performance did suffer, but that didn't spoil the fun!

Munchies: benefit of cannabis in energy-hungry sports

Being able to eat well is being able to exercise well. With a little creative thinking, you can see cannabis as supporting your eating goals. Indeed, a well-known effect of blowing and edibles from hash and weed are the munchies: a huge increase in appetite. Everything is extra tasty and you may surprise yourself at the huge amounts of food you wolf down in a short time while stoned.

That insatiable appetite is a major potential benefit for some dedicated athletes. For example, do you do bodybuilding but have a naturally low appetite? Then you will struggle daily to get in the huge amount of calories you need. A serious bodybuilder who wants to grow quickly eats 4,000 kilocalories a day - or more. With the munchies that follow after a blowout, bulking up becomes many times easier. Even endurance athletes who normally can't stand their higher calorie consumption might occasionally use cannabis to replenish energy stores.

Work out more? Try cannabis

Want to do more with sport, but have never liked it that much? Then now you know what to do... Find a safe activity, pick up a nice joint or edible, and do your own research on the effect of cannabis on your sporting performance.