By now, you’re probably well aware of CBD’s ability to help you soothe sore muscles. CBD’s ability to help maintain overall joint and muscle health and calming properties make it a go-to recovery tool for novice runners and high-performance athletes alike.
Despite growing evidence that CBD is a truly transformative addition to your workout routine, stigmas around it still exist. Many people still believe that consuming CBD or like products will prevent them from achieving their fitness goals.
But that’s not what the athletes and personal trainers that we spoke to think.
High-quality CBD is absolutely the most important tool to battle your way through modern life as an athlete,” explains Zach Scioli — personal trainer and founder of Revolutionary Health in San Francisco. “I don’t know what I would do without CBD. I recommend it to all my clients.”
From helping you be well-rested, to dealing with day-to-day occasional stress, CBD holds many benefits for all athletes, says Scioli.
“Its cortisol regulating, anti-oxidative and calming properties drastically improve sleep, speed workout recovery, and keep stress levels at bay. It’s literally nature’s perfect performance supplement.”
One of the hardest things about committing to a fitness regime is motivating yourself to go do another grueling workout when your muscles are already tired and sore. For that, trainer and competitive bodybuilder Paul Roney suggests using a CBD-infused balm to help sore muscles feel better in order to get back to work sooner.
“I have a CBD cream that I rub on my muscles when I’ve pulled something, and it works. It helps my muscles recover faster so I can get back to the gym quicker.”
While CBD is certainly effective to use in your post-workout routine, Meghan Takacs — a marathoner and trainer at NYC’s Performix House — says there is something even better about CBD: The fact that CBD is a natural, plant-derived product. That’s what draws her to it.
“My favorite [CBD brands make] an all-natural remedy — a plant extract. I don’t like putting a ton of additives in my body. So CBD is one form of rehabilitation that I am confident in and feel comfortable using knowing that it won’t affect my performance as a runner.”
“I love [CBD] lotion because, with that, I am able to pinpoint sore muscles and apply it to the areas I need before bed.”
So whether you have Olympic aspirations, or you just like to stay in shape, CBD is a great way to tackle elevate your post-workout routine.