Many of us remember that famous video from the 1970s, where Arnold Schwarzenegger was seen smoking a joint with bodybuilding buddies. But what are the facts around marijuana and bodybuilding? Will getting stoned get you toned, and is pot the new protein?
If you want to buy marijuana online to complement your efforts in the gym, then here we fill you in on how cannabis may help build muscle.
The Anti-Inflammatory Benefits of Cannabis Promote Muscle Growth
The anti-inflammatory benefits of cannabis are well documented. CBD, in particular, has notable anti-inflammatory properties and can help quell inflammation in the muscles post-workout.
The inflammatory response is one of the ways in which the body muscles heal after being broken down in a tough gym session. The stiffness and pain that many feel after a workout is due in part to the inflammatory response. One of the secrets to effectively building fitness and muscle is to workout, recovery fully as quickly as possible before stressing the muscles once more. By using cannabis to help modulate inflammation, it helps promote recovery and will allow you to return to the gym for another session sooner than you otherwise might.
Marijuana and Increased Mental Focus
While there’s little doubt that some people tend to become lethargic after consuming cannabis, the truth is that for many others, it can promote mental focus. One of the main obstacles that prevents many from having a productive gym session is a lack of focus.
However, when consumed with a clear intention, a light dose of cannabis prior to a lifting session can help prime the body and mind for a conscious gym session where the distractions of the outside world are left at the door.
The Marijuana Munchies
Effective refuelling is one of the most essential factors in building muscle after a hard workout. Anyone looking to build muscle simply must ingest a surplus of calories to provide the body with the raw energy to rebuild the muscles back stronger than they once were.
In its depleted state post-workout, the body craves nutrition. Some find it difficult to eat the large amounts necessary to build muscle effectively, but that’s where cannabis can help.
The THC present in most cannabis strains has a unique ability to promote appetite. Known as the “munchies,” it’s often seen as an inconvenience to many, but to the bodybuilders, it’s a godsend.
Binging on healthy food post-workout is an effective muscle building strategy, and cannabis is a friend to many in such instances!
Cannabis and Testosterone Levels
Testosterone is one of the most essential hormones in muscle building. Higher levels of testosterone help promote both muscle growth and recovery. Many strength athletes use it to help bulk up, while older men often top up testosterone levels to help preserve muscle mass as they age.
Several studies exist on the link between cannabis use and testosterone levels. While there are several studies that suggest a positive correlation between marijuana use and increased levels of testosterone, the scientific community is still very much on the fence with no clear consensus.
Cannabis and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness refers to the stiffness and soreness you feel in your muscles after a hard workout. This is the body’s way of preventing further muscle damage after exercise.
Cannabis use can help reduce the discomfort that many gym-goers experience post-workout. This allows you to get back into the gym sooner than you otherwise would if the body was left to its own devices.
The Importance of Relaxation in Recovery
One of the best things that you can do after a hard workout is to simply relax. With our busy modern lives, many of us find it hard to switch off and relax, but it’s precisely what the body needs after a hard workout.
The ability of marijuana to induce relaxation is well documented. Strains vary in their ability to induce relaxation, and this ability is very much dependent on the plant profile of the strain in question. While both CBD and THC can induce relaxation, it’s often the effects of the terpenes that synergize with the cannabinoids that determine the extent to which the strain sedates or energizes. Strains that tend to the Indica side are often more appropriate for relaxation than the Sativa strains that tend to stimulate more than sedate. Look for strains with higher quantities of the terpene myrcene if you’re looking for a strain that’ll induce a relaxed vibe.
Sleep is the Best Hack For Muscle Growth
While relaxation is essential, the best hack hands down for recovery is deep sleep. When we sleep, we get out of the body’s way and allow it to rebuild back stronger in less time.
There are many ways to hack and enhance your sleep. They include avoiding blue light before bed, using black-out curtains and sticking to a regular sleep schedule, but cannabis also offers some potent benefits.
With our busy and distracted modern lives, many struggle to get the deep sleep they require for optimal rejuvenation. This becomes even more important for hard-charging athletes looking to build muscle. For those who struggle with sleep, then both the CBD and THC present in cannabis can aid us. THC can help with sleep onset and allow us to fall asleep faster, while CBD can help ensure we fall into deeper sleep stages, especially the REM phase, where real rejuvenation occurs.
Buy Marijuana Online To Complement Your Gym Efforts
If you’d like to ensure that you get all the benefits from your next gym session, then the evidence suggests that cannabis may help maximize the benefits. When used with intention, cannabis is powerful medicine, and this also applies to using it mindfully both in the gym and in helping to aid recovery.
If you’d like to buy marijuana online and complement your gym efforts, then why not take a look at our selection at Top BC Cannabis? Whether you prefer edibles, flowers, or concentrates, we have it all, and they’re only a mouse click away!
