The Must-Have Introductory Guide for all Things CBD-Fitness-Related
Curious about boosting your fitness routine naturally? CBD, a non-psychoactive compound from the cannabis plant, is gaining popularity in the fitness world. Unlike THC, CBD won’t get you high but offers benefits like reducing inflammation, speeding up muscle recovery, boosting mood, and easing pain during workouts. Whether you’re an athlete or just love working out, CBD might help you perform and recover better. Check out our simple guide to learn how CBD can fit into your fitness journey and improve your workouts.
On board or not, you’re definitely going to have to field questions at some point—get to educating yourself with the basics!
What Exactly is CBD & How Does it Fit Into Fitness?
It sounds kind of contradictory, right? Fitness and weed—they don’t really seem to go together.
But that’s just the thing—CBD isn’t weed. Well, not the weed you’re thinking of, anyway. (We bet you’re conjuring up a mental image of a smoky college dorm room where red-eyed youths are passing around a funny lookin’ cigarette).
CBD is very much not that at all.
CBD oil, the shorter name for cannabidiol, is one of the naturally occurring compounds that are found in (and extracted from) the cannabis sativa plant. You might think you don’t know a thing about cannabinoids, but in all likelihood, you probably do. Like we said, there are several cannabinoids that can be extracted from a cannabis sativa plant—the two most common are CBD and THC.
CBD is a compound that’s taken from the cannabis plant that does not get you high. Instead, CBD is said to have therapeutic benefits for both body and mind. THC, on the other hand, is the cannabinoid extracted that makes you feel—well, let’s just say silly.
Here’s the thing about CBD right now—it’s everywhere.
That’s all well and good—but how exactly does CBD fit into the fitness world?
CBD is considered by several professionals to be useful in the fitness realm for several reasons—it’s said to reduce inflammation, provide relief for aches and sore muscles, distract from pain during (and prior to) workouts, and even act as a mood booster to help you get a better workout while you’re doing it.
The Benefits of CBD in Fitness
Everyone has their own opinions about how CBD fits into fitness, but overall, there are a few reoccurring theories that continually pop up when it comes to CBD and fitness.
Reduced
For starters, CBD supposedly helps to relieve inflammation.
Why? It supposedly targets your pain receptors and the inflammation to provide you with relief—and fast. For that reason, people also believe it to be an exceptional boost for recovery time.
Minimized Recovery Time
Feeding right off that last point, we’re going to dive right into this one—CBD is said to help shorten recovery time. By that, we don’t mean CBD is going to remedy an injury quicker (a sprained ankle is a sprained ankle, guys), but we do mean that it’s said that CBD can help your muscles recover much quicker after a tough workout.
That means, in theory, you’re back to your fitness regimen sooner rather than later.
Mood Booster
When we say that CBD is a mood booster, we want to be clear—we are not saying it’s like THC with it’s silly, psychoactive effects. No, CBD will not get you high, but it will likely help boost your mood a bit. It’s possible that CBD can help to heighten your mood and help you to enjoy repetitive motions more than you would if you weren’t using CBD.
Are you thinking what we’re thinking? Cardio day just got a whole lot more exciting.
Pain Distraction and Reduction
It’s suggested (not proven, by the way) that CBD can help athletes and fitness enthusiasts distract themselves from pain while it’s happening. The idea behind this is that CBD can help to intercept pain signals to your brain and also help distract your mind from current pain. Further, CBD is said to help produce a more alert and focused feeling (kind of like coffee, though, supposedly without the caffeine buzz).
As you probably already know, CBD is said to help reduce pain (from temporary to chronic). So, not only is it credited for blocking pain signals to distract your brain, but it’s also said to inhibit your body’s absorption of anandamide (a compound that’s directly associated with pain regulation).
The result? CBD is said to sort of help quiet the pain receptors in your brain that might be working on overdrive, gifting you a little relief.
Anything Else I Should Know About CBD?
This little intro guide is that just—an intro into things you, a fitness enthusiast, should know about CBD and why it’s becoming an integral part of the industry.
But for now, here are a few more general need-to-know facts about CBD and fitness.
- CBD is—in most cases—legal for you to purchase. With the approval of the new Farm Bill (which helped to legal the growth, distribution, and sale of industrialized hemp [CBD included]), CBD is very OK for you to buy. Of course, there are a few exceptions—study up on those!
- While there’s some scientific proof backing CBD, it’s important to realize that some CBD evidence is anecdotal or theorized. Always do your research before suggesting to a client or using yourself.
- CBD is generally considered safe to use, but remember, everyone is different. Talk with a doctor or a professional to understand if it’s right for you before you try it. As with anything, take into account professional opinion, the medicines you’re already taking, and your body’s own needs.
