2 Ways Marijuana Can Rev Up Your Workouts and Improve Your Fitness

If you listen to the stereotypes out there, you’ll probably hear about how lazy marijuana makes you. But if you choose the right cannabis products, weed could actually be one of your greatest allies when it comes to health and fitness. POPSUGAR spoke to Sheena Shiravi from the marijuana delivery service Eaze, who explained how pot can be used to your advantage.

Whether you’re looking to get stronger at the gym or you need some help recovering from a tough workout, here are the two major ways marijuana can help you reach your fitness goals.

Marijuana Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties

“Cannabis has anti-inflammatory properties, which can greatly help in a post-workout recovery regimen,” Sheena explained. These properties will help your muscles and joints recover and get stronger after you’ve completed your workout, which helps you stay fitter and more injury-free in the long run.

Sheena added, “Topical lotion-type products or patches can help with specifically sore areas, and things like bath soaks can help with full-body healing in general.” Smoking pot or vaporizing can also help you find some much-needed relief from the aches and pains of a killer workout.

Cannabis Can Give You Extra Energy to Work Out

Believe it or not, marijuana, when used the right way, can give you a dose of adrenaline to get your ass to the gym. However, we’re not talking about just any old weed out there. Rather than reaching for products that are high in THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana, Sheena suggests you take a different route and instead opt in for items with more CBD than THC.

“High-CBD products help give you a boost of energy before a workout,” she explained. “After a long day at work, going home sounds way more appealing than going for a workout. CBD helps mildly elevate your mood and give you that small kick of energy or motivation it sometimes requires to pick the gym over your latest binge show!”

CBD is known to have antianxiety, calming effects on the body, but Sunil Kumar Aggarwal, MD, PhD, FAAPMR and practitioner at SageMD, also told POPSUGAR, “CBD can have a stimulating effect.” This might be exactly what you need to power through your workout — and the best part is, choosing CBD cannabis products won’t give you any of the psychoactive effects that come with THC.

Which Products Are the Best to Use?

If you need something to help you recover and unwind after a sweat session, Sheena recommends Lavender Epsom Salt Mineral Soak by Om Edibles. She calls this “an amazing way to ‘treat yourself’ for getting yourself to the gym.” Additionally, “athletes have been using Epsom salts to heal sore muscles for ages,” so you have a lot to gain from this cannabis-laced luxurious soak.

Papa & Barkley ReLeaf balm is another great product you can get from Eaze. “This typically works as well on sore muscles from exercise as it does on painful backs during periods,” Sheena said.

Looking for a pick-me-up pre-workout? Sheena suggests puffing on CBD Vape by Select: Focus CBD Peppermint. “You’ll notice effects on this one within about 10 minutes.” You can also order High CBD Tincture by Ritual: Ritual Daytime from Eaze. “This one will take a little longer to feel the effects, so try about an hour before the workout,” she advised.

Again, if you don’t want to have that traditional high before your workout, choose cannabis products that are high in CBD, and either low in or absent of THC. Although there aren’t many published studies at the moment that prove the positive effects CBD and other cannabis products have on your fitness level, many experts agree that there are likely many benefits to be had from trying it out yourself. Before you make any sudden changes in your lifestyle, though, be sure to consult your doctor.