You already know that CBD is the supplement of choice when it comes to relaxing, but did you know it can also help you hit your fitness goals? Sounds counterintuitive, but it’s true.
A longtime go-to for weightlifters, runners, and pro athletes, CBD provides valuable support before, during, and after workouts. From the yoga mat to the hockey rink, athletes and fitness enthusiasts are learning about CBD’s value in all areas of wellness.
So, what CBD products are best for your workout and recovery? When you’re in the market for CBD for the gym, you want to know what works, when you should take it, and what to look for.
And that’s where we come in! We love making the most of CBD for workouts, and we’re ready to share some of the best CBD products for your exercise and fitness regime.
CBD and Fitness Fundamentals
Let’s start by understanding what CBD is, how it works in our bodies, and how it supports multiple aspects of our fitness and wellness regimens.
CBD is short for cannabidiol, a molecular compound found in the cannabis plant. CBD is actually one of many different cannabis compounds, all called cannabinoids, that naturally occur in the plant and that carry their own unique and therapeutic properties.
In addition to CBD, some of the other cannabinoids you may have heard of include CBC, CBG, CBN and, of course, the most famous one … THC. Unlike THC, CBD and the other cannabinoids are not psychoactive. They don’t get you high.
What Does CBD Do?
So, what do CBD and its cannabinoid siblings do? CBD and other cannabinoids interact with a cell-signaling system in our bodies called the endocannabinoid system. This system is closely integrated with our central and peripheral nervous systems, as well as systems that regulate sleep, mood, immune response and more. The endocannabinoid system also has receptors in different organs and soft tissues throughout the body.
When a cannabinoid, like CBD, encounters one of these receptors in the endocannabinoid system, it imparts effects related to that cannabinoid and the system it encounters. When multiple cannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoid system, something called the Entourage Effect is achieved.
CBD and The Entourage Effect
The Entourage Effect is a kind of synergistic effect that happens when multiple cannabinoids (as well as terpenes and flavonoids found in hemp oil) work in concert with each other, modifying one another’s effects and enhancing the overall effect of the experience. In other words, the sum equals way more than its parts.
This is important when we talk about CBD for the gym and for fitness goals in general, because the Entourage Effect is thought to be responsible for the many different applications CBD is used for, from focusing and energizing to soothing and calming.
CBD for the Gym: What to Use and When to Use It
There are three times when CBD products boost our fitness routines: before, during, and after our workout (in other words, pretty much anytime). We’ll take a look at what works best when … and why.
CBD for the Gym: Before Your Workout
The way you start your day sets the tone for everything you’ll experience, from your commute and interactions with co-workers, to your time at the gym. Starting your day with the right boost of CBD for fitness comes in a few varieties.
CBD for Energy and Focus
CBD Morning Capsules are formulated with a blend of CBD and CBG. CBG, or cannabigerol, is a cannabinoid with its own therapeutic benefits that are showing a lot of promise in scientific studies. We add it to our CBD Morning Capsules to achieve the Entourage Effect we discussed earlier.
People who combine CBD with CBG report an enhanced feeling of calm energy and focus. We combine these with the concentration-boosting amino acid L-tyrosine and extended-release caffeine that will provide consistent energy without jitters or a crash.
CBD for Your Morning Health Regimen
Another way to start your day with CBD and a boost of nutrients is to combine it with your supplement routine. CBD Multivitamins combine the soothing effects of CBD with vitamins A, C, D3, E, and B Complex for a well-rounded infusion of important nutrients. We specially create versions for men and women, each with important additional nutrition supplements.
You can also make the most of CBD in your supplement routine with our CBD Gummies with Apple Cider Vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is basically the Swiss Army knife of wellness, providing a multitude of healthy benefits.
Combining CBD with superfoods is a wonderful way to really take CBD for fitness seriously by starting your day with all-natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. That’s what CBD Gummies with Turmeric and Spirulina are designed specifically for.
CBD for the Gym: During Workouts
Once you’re at the gym, there are some great ways to benefit from CBD, giving your workout an energy and focus boost, and preparing your body for a strong recovery period.
CBD Oil for Infused Protein Shakes and Drinks
We gym rats love our protein shakes and smoothies (okay, I’m more of a gym … hedgehog). Although protein shakes are traditionally a post-workout thing, these days you can’t walk through a gym without seeing a dozen shaker bottles next to benches and machines.
A serving of CBD Oil Wellness Tincture mixed into your protein shake or smoothie injects a focus-boosting CBD + CBG formula, as well as natural antioxidants curcumin and coenzyme Q10.
Shots of CBD for Focus and Energy
Another super-easy, super-portable way to snag some CBD for the gym is by bringing along a CBD Focus Shot. These little wonders are made with 20mg of broad spectrum CBD per serving, as well as 150mg of circulation-boosting L-arginine and 75mg of caffeine. They’re naturally flavored and sweetened, cutting out the sugar of those monstrously sized energy drinks, and they help you keep energized and focused for your workout.
CBD Cookies for Protein
Also, don’t sleep on snacks like vegan CBD Protein Cookies for an energy- and protein-boosting workout break. We pack them with 13g of muscle-building protein per serving, as well as 20mg of CBD. Weighing in at 180 calories per serving, these tasty cookies provide the energy you need to go one more set without extra calories to counteract going to the gym in the first place. And they’re available in chocolate chip, peanut butter, and oatmeal raisin.
CBD for the Gym: Post-Workout Recovery
Proper workout recovery is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of fitness, and one of the most crucial. Our bodies need rest to rebuild tissue, gain strength, and stay healthy and injury-free.
The very first post-workout fitness booster is usually that CBD protein shake that we mentioned above. If you’re a post-workout shake drinker (like me), then this is a great time to jump on that.
But, recovery is about much, much more. There’s a reason pro athletes always have a sports massage therapist on-hand. Not only does a good rubdown soothe sore muscles and joints, it also speeds up recovery and relaxes you, making it easier to get the deep rest you need to recover and bounce back for another day of exercise.
CBD Creams and CBD Balms for Recovery
Topicals with CBD and other soothing ingredients are an ideal way to target specific places where you want to deliver relief. CBD Muscle and Joint Cream is a favorite, combining CBD with proven natural pain relievers and anti-inflammatories, like white willow bark, menthol, and caffeine. This provides an invigorating yet soothing massage.
If you need something portable and mess-free to throw in your gym bag, a CBD Balm Stick is your friend.
Choose from a Muscle and Joint CBD Balm Stick with broad spectrum CBD, plus camphor oil to warm and loosen muscles, and peppermint, wintergreen, and black pepper oils to deliver cooling, invigorating pain relief.
The Calming and Moisturizing CBD Balm Stick is primarily to moisturize and calm your skin, but its formula of CBD, shea butter, chamomile oil, lavender, and tea tree oil makes for an incredible massage and puts you in the right state of mind and body to get deep, healing rest.
Rest and Recover: CBD for Sleep
That leads us to our final point — sleep. Quality sleep is absolutely critical to good fitness, just as it’s critical to basically every other aspect of wellness. It’s your body’s time to reset, to refill its reservoirs, and to keep both body and mind in peak condition.
A CBD Sleep Tincture with added melatonin and sleep-boosting terpenes, or CBD Gummies for Sleep with melatonin, chamomile, lemon balm and magnesium is just the right thing to end your workout days and rest days with deep, healing sleep.
Plus, it’s the best way to start tomorrow.
CBD, Exercise, and Good Health
CBD for the gym is about more than just the time you spend in your workout. It’s about your entire fitness regimen. You know your body and your routine best — consider our recommendations and think about when you most need the benefits of CBD, whether it’s for focus, calm, or sore muscles. We wish you the best on your wellness journey!
For a holistic approach, try our CBD Oil Wellness Tincture to boost your body’s overall health and wellness!
