People use the psychoactive aspect of marijuana in a huge variety of ways. It runs the gamut, from creativity to focus to pure zone out bliss. But one of the biggest lingering assumptions is that it makes you deeply lazy.
So what to make of the many people who enjoy a toke before a heavy workout?
The New York Times recently put out an article diving into this phenomenon.
For one, there are many strains that have shown to add energy as opposed to reduce it. This added energy plus the movement of a workout will tamp down the potential of looping in your head and instead creates a flow state that can be extremely fun. A 2019 study points to enjoyment and focus being the main reasons people intake marijuana before a workout.
Then there’s the whole issue of anxiety that can be brought up during a workout. Many people, including one person interviewed for the New York Times article, have mental health issues that get in the way of fully relaxing into a workout, especially in a crowded gym environment. But with marijuana, that fear can get diminished.
“I didn’t have anxiety about what other people at the gym were thinking about me. I was just very much in the zone and I was focused on how good it felt to move my legs,” said Morgan English.
So the debate continues. Personally, I’ve yet to find the correct strain and dosage that enhances any workout I do, so I’ve stayed away from the combo. But articles like these encourage me to keep looking.
Read the original story at New York Times.
