Combining exercise with cannabis, often called a “weed workout” or “cannafitness,” is a growing trend among physically active people. Users are often motivated by the desire to enhance focus, reduce discomfort, or improve the subjective experience of training. The physiological reality of exercising while under the influence of cannabis presents a complex mix of potential drawbacks and perceived benefits. Understanding the interaction between cannabinoids like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the body’s response to physical exertion requires an objective look at both safety and performance.
Immediate Risks to Physical Safety and Coordination
The acute effects of psychoactive cannabis components, primarily THC, introduce immediate risks that can compromise physical safety during a workout. THC activates the sympathetic nervous system, leading to cardiovascular strain that intensifies with physical exertion. This commonly manifests as tachycardia, an increased heart rate that can be particularly dangerous when combined with the elevated heart rate from intense exercise, especially for individuals with underlying heart conditions.
Acute cannabis consumption also impacts blood pressure. It can cause an initial spike in systolic blood pressure, followed by a potential drop, or orthostatic hypotension, which increases the risk of dizziness or fainting during position changes. This hemodynamic instability, paired with the physical demands of training, raises the risk of adverse cardiac events like a heart attack, particularly within the first hour of consumption.
Beyond cardiovascular function, cannabis significantly impairs motor skills and coordination, which is a direct threat to safety in a gym environment. THC acts on the cerebellum and other brain regions responsible for motor control, resulting in decreased balance and spatial awareness. This increases the likelihood of acute injury from tripping, falling, or performing complex movements with poor form, such as dropping heavy weights during strength training. The reduction in reaction time and accuracy further compromises safety, making activities requiring precision or quick decision-making hazardous.
How Being High Affects Athletic Performance
The influence of cannabis on athletic performance is highly variable, depending on the specific compound, dosage, and type of exercise. Some users report increased motivation or a reduced sense of perceived effort, which subjectively improves the experience of endurance activities. However, objective measures often reveal that the presence of THC either has no effect or a detrimental impact on actual exercise performance.
Aerobic Capacity
For aerobic capacity, cannabis can reduce oxygen efficiency and impair cardiorespiratory responses, negatively affecting endurance activities like running or high-intensity interval training. While some studies on chronic cannabis users show no difference in maximal oxygen uptake (\(\text{VO}_2\text{max}\)) compared to non-users, acute consumption, especially by smoking, can decrease submaximal work capacity. This suggests that the body is working harder to achieve the same output, making the session less efficient.
Strength and Power
In strength and power activities, the negative effects on motor control and reaction time are particularly pronounced. The focus required to maintain proper form during heavy lifting or explosive movements can be compromised by the altered mental state. The psychomotor impairment associated with THC is not conducive to maximizing power output or safely executing complex resistance exercises. The altered state can lead to decreased mental focus and intensity, often lowering the overall quality of the training session despite any perceived increase in motivation.
Altered Perception of Pain and Recovery
The analgesic properties of cannabinoids can create a false sense of security during a workout by altering the perception of pain. THC and cannabidiol (CBD) interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system to reduce the perception of discomfort. Masking the early warning signs of joint strain or muscle damage may encourage an individual to push past their safe physiological limits, potentially leading to more severe or chronic injuries.
Post-Exercise Recovery and Inflammation
The effect of cannabis on post-exercise recovery is complex, particularly regarding inflammation and muscle repair. Inflammation is a necessary part of the muscle hypertrophy process, as it signals the body to repair and grow stronger tissue. While CBD is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, which can help manage excessive post-workout swelling, interfering with the initial inflammatory response might hinder the beneficial signaling required for optimal muscle growth.
Sleep Disruption
Sleep is a fundamental component of recovery, as it is the time for tissue repair and the release of growth hormones. THC can initially help with sleep onset, but its long-term use is associated with alterations in sleep architecture. THC consumption often suppresses Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, which is important for cognitive and emotional processing. Disruptions to the sleep cycle compromise the body’s ability to fully repair and restore itself, ultimately undermining the benefits of the workout.