MONDAY, Jan. 8, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Using marijuana can help folks better enjoy a good workout, but it’s not going to boost their athletic performance, a new study has found.
A small group of runners reported greater enjoyment and a more intense “runner’s high” when they exercised after using marijuana, according to new findings published recently in the journal Sports Medicine.
But runners also reported that exercise felt significantly more difficult if they were high on THC, the chemical in weed that produces intoxication.
“The bottom-line finding is that cannabis before exercise seems to increase positive mood and enjoyment during exercise, whether you use THC or CBD, but THC products specifically may make exercise feel more effortful,” said lead researcher Laurel Gibson, a research fellow with the University of Colorado Boulder’s Center for Health and Addiction: Neuroscience, Genes and Environment (CU Change).
The findings defy the long-held stereotype of the couch-bound stoner, the researchers noted.
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“We have an epidemic of sedentary lifestyle in this country, and we need new tools to try to get people to move their bodies in ways that are enjoyable,” said senior study author Angela Bryan, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Colorado and co-director of CU Change.
“If cannabis is one of those tools, we need to explore it, keeping in mind both the harms and the benefits,” Bryan added in a university news release.
For the study, researchers recruited 42 Boulder-area people who had previously tried running after using cannabis.
A previous survey had found that four in five weed users have taken marijuana before or just after exercise, researchers said.
Researchers asked the runners to go to a dispensary and buy weed products rich in either cannabidiol (CBD) or THC. CBD is an active ingredient that does not produce intoxication.
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The volunteers ran on a treadmill at a moderate pace for 30 minutes in two sessions, one sober and one after using weed. During the run, they answered questions about their workout.
Across the board, participants said they enjoyed their run more when exercising after using cannabis, researchers said.
Participants told researchers that weed:
Increases enjoyment (91%)
Decreases pain (69%)
Increases focus (60%)
Increases motivation (57%)
Makes time go by faster (45%)
However, only 29% felt that weed improved their performance.
This heightened mood was even greater in the group that used CBD-heavy weed products, suggesting that marijuana’s exercise benefits don’t necessarily come from intoxication associated with THC, researchers said.
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In fact, participants in the THC group found running significantly harder when stoned, possibly because THC increases heart rate, results show.
This jibes with previous studies which found that athletes run 31 seconds per mile slower when stoned on weed than when sober, said Bryan.
“It is pretty clear from our research that cannabis is not a performance-enhancing drug,” Bryan said.
It is likely that weed produces a different kind of “runner’s high” by tweaking the same receptors as naturally produced brain chemicals called endogenous cannabinoids, which the body produces after an extended period of exercise, researchers said.
The CBD or THC in weed might allow athletes to tap into that natural high with a shorter workout or enhance it during a longer run, Gibson said.
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The researchers warned that using marijuana can make athletes more prone to experience dizziness or lose their balance.
However, they are interested in learning whether weed could help couch potatoes adopt a regular exercise regimen.
“Is there a world where taking a low-dose gummie before they go for that walk might help? It’s too early to make broad recommendations, but it’s worth exploring,” Bryan said.
More information
The Gatorade Sports Science Institute has more on weed and exercise performance.
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SOURCE: University of Colorado at Boulder, news release, Jan. 5, 2023
RHINELADER (WJFW) – Everyone knows exercising is good for you, but it can be intimidating to know where to start. A Rhinelander gym recently celebrated one year of motivating people of all shapes and sizes.
Resident Melissa Bayne-Allison wanted a workout space that was safe and fun, so that exercising was not something to dread but to look forward to.
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“I wanted to create a space that was fun and that was exciting and would create,” said Bayne-Allison, “it would create consistency for people and make sure that they continued to show up for themselves.”
She started Club Vybz just over a year ago out of her home in Rhinelander, but it wasn’t quite meeting her goal.
“My husband and I drove past here and there was a for rent sign in the window and I had kind of been contemplating opening a space like this,” she said, “but I just didn’t know how to get that going.”
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Despite that initial hesitancy, the new space has welcomed in many more people.
Bayne-Allison said, “people really come together, they joke around, they share things with people, you know people come in here and because this is a vulnerable position to be in, working out people do tend to share more about their lives in that and with that comes community and that’s really what this place is about.”
Club Vybz has 40 active members. Since opening, Bayne-Allison has seen how it helps people outside of the club.
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She said, “some people come in here and their confidence might be low and coming in here and accomplishing a workout that they maybe didn’t think that they could do is really rewarding for them and that is a confidence booster and it does really help them go out into the community and do more for themselves.”
There’s one more thing she wants the community to know about Club Vybz.
“The hardest part of the workout is walking through the door, just show up for yourself, if you’re scared, come in, check it out, if the green light is on and the blue door is open, I’m here.”
Club Vybz Fitness is located in Rhinelander on Courtney Street. Hours for exercise classes are posted on the Club Vybz Facebook page.
A model was left red-faced after almost nearly climaxing in her Pilates class while engaging her core.
Fitness model Sarah Lloyd is no stranger to intense training, having competed in ultramarathons and being an avid gymgoer.
The 25-year-old, who hits the gym every day without fail, normally loves working out — but during a recent group session, she “panicked” after a specific ab exercise saw her oxytocin levels rise as she fought back an orgasm.
Sarah Lloyd says she learned she can’t do a specific ab exercise in public after nearly having a “coregasm.” Jam Press/@sarahxlloyd
Lloyd was so “freaked out” by the experience that she is now too afraid to try the same exercise again.
“I found out about my magic orgasm technique by accident,” said the influencer, who has 131,000 Instagram followers.
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“I work out every day; normally, I’ll just hit the gym, but occasionally I’ll take a group class.”
It was at a group class that things started to go a bit different.
“We were doing leg raises and after doing about 10 of them, I started to feel a tingle in my body,” she said. “I thought, ‘Surely that’s not how it’s meant to feel?’
“I was sweating and could feel a similar sensation to what I’d normally experience in bed. As I noticed the climax building, I panicked and had to stop. I don’t know if my heavy breathing gave me away.
“Obviously it felt good — but not right for ab exercises in a gym!”
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“I found out about my magic orgasm technique by accident,” said the influencer, 25. Jam Press/@sarahxlloyd
Coregasms
Nicknamed “coregasms,” exercise-induced orgasms are fairly rare — but certainly not unheard of. Debby Herbenick, a sex researcher and author of “The Coregasm Workout,” estimates that roughly 10% of people have them.
“They generally feel similar to orgasms from vaginal intercourse, but they tend to be more dull, less intense and more tingly,” she told Self.
“They seem to last about the same length of time as orgasms during sex. They occur from exercises that heavily engage the core abdominal muscles.”
Exercise-induced orgasms are fairly rare — about 10% of people have them. Jam Press/@sarahxlloyd
People don’t usually have one on the “third or fourth crunch,” she said, but rather when they fatigue their core muscles.
According to Healthline, the most common exercises to cause them are crunches, leg lifts, knee lifts, hip thrusts, squats and hanging straight leg raises. Situps, weightlifting, climbing, pullups and chinups may also work for men.
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Passing on Pilates
Lloyd, from the Gold Coast, Australia, now has to avoid certain classes to ensure she doesn’t accidentally enjoy herself a little too much during a workout.
“The worst is if I’m in a Pilates class,” she said. “They’ll say to do leg raises but I just have to refuse. I can’t do them or I will literally orgasm.
“None of the instructors have questioned me on it yet and I really hope they don’t.”
Lloyd confided about what happened to a friend who was “baffled” by the confession.
“I’ve never seen her look so shocked,” she said. “My friend had never heard of anything like it and neither had I before I discovered the skill myself.
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“The worst is if I’m in a Pilates class,” said Lloyd. “They’ll say to do leg raises but I just have to refuse. I can’t do them or I will literally orgasm.” Jam Press/@sarahxlloyd
“We don’t know anyone else that can do it — or maybe they’re just too afraid to tell us.”
As for her new challenge — avoiding orgasm — Lloyd can “laugh” about what happened in the class but now carefully structures her workouts to avoid triggering the reaction.
“I’m very structured with my training now, so I know exactly what I’m doing each session. I stick to a routine that works for me and avoids any awkward situations,” she said.
“I always do cardio, followed by two leg days and one arm day. Plus, I’m really in tune with my body after years of intense training. It’s just one of those strange things that you discover about your body.
“You don’t expect surprises like that from ab exercises, but here we are. I can laugh about it now.”
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Lloyd has taken part in six ultramarathons, but she was forced to stop doing them due to a stress fracture in her back.
“I’ve always been into fitness and it is a huge passion of mine,” she said. “Ultramarathons are super hard, hilly and you have to be quite fit to handle them. A lot of them are also on trails, so that makes it harder.”
For years, fitness goals have been narrowly defined by the number on the scale – smaller waists, fewer inches, and a thinner appearance often taking centre stage. But chasing thinness alone can come at a cost, leaving the body weaker, low on energy, and more vulnerable to illness. True fitness is less about how little you weigh and far more about how well your body functions – your strength, stamina, vitality, and ability to perform everyday life with ease.
Dr Chopra offers a refreshing take on fitness! (Unsplash)
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Dr Alok Chopra, founder-director and consultant cardiologist at Aashlok Hospital with over 40 years of experience, has offered a refreshingly grounded perspective on what fitness should truly prioritise in 2026. Urging a shift away from superficial goals, he says, “Don’t aim to be thinner. Aim to be fitter!” – a message that reframes fitness as strength, resilience, and long-term well-being rather than mere weight loss.
In an Instagram post shared on January 6, the cardiologist highlights, “2026 isn’t about becoming smaller. It’s about becoming stronger, steadier, and more capable. This year, shift the focus from appearance to vitality, from quick fixes to sustainable strength. Because feeling strong will always matter more than looking thin.”
Health isn’t a size, it’s a state
According to Dr Chopra, the number on the weighing scale tells only part of the story – broader markers such as BMI and overall body health are just as important in assessing true well-being. He states, “The number on the scale does not tell you the whole story. Look at your BMI and overall body health instead.”
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Measure progress in energy, not inches
Most people on their fitness journeys fixate on inches lost, rather than aiming for real fitness – one that also accounts for how strong, fresh, and energised you actually feel. The cardiologist points out, “Are you waking up refreshed and active? Support your body, take your supplements diligently.”
Less shrinking, more strengthening
Fitness should be about building strength and making your muscles more efficient – not simply shrinking your waistline. Dr Chopra raises the important question, “Can your body support your daily life comfortably and efficiently?”
Strong feels better than small
The cardiologist stresses that exercise should be viewed as an act of self-care – a way to strengthen the body and lower disease risk – rather than as a tool for restriction or self-punishment through extreme workouts. Exercising without adequate nourishment may make you thinner, but it also strips away strength, leaving the body weaker in the long run. He states, “Exercise is self-care, not a penalty for eating.”
Choose vitality over vanity
Dr Chopra emphasises the importance of prioritising long-term fitness over quick fixes, noting that short-term weight loss is often unsustainable – leaving you weaker and far more likely to regain the weight just as quickly. He highlights, “Sustainable habits will always be better than crash diets and short-term fixes.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
