Can CBD Help With Jiu-Jitsu Recovery?
Sabina King on Jun 19th 2019
With more Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gyms starting to gain popularity, martial artists have more choices than ever for various products to aid them in their athletic pursuits. One of the most important aspects of any Jiu-Jitsu training is the recovery phase. With its recent legalization and acceptance by the World Anti-Doping Agency, CBD is becoming one of the go-to aides in the recovery process for thousands of Jiu-Jitsu enthusiasts.
In this article, we take a look at the various reasons CBD is great for athletic recovery, some other reasons Jiu-Jitsu athletes incorporate CBD into their training regimen, and the various ways of taking CBD.
How CBD Helps With Jiu-Jitsu Recovery
CBD helps out with many different physiological processes in the body. Here’s how it works with muscle recovery for Jiu-Jitsu athletes:
- Every time you exercise, your body breaks itself down to then be built back up. For MMA/Jiu-Jitsu participants, this process can be extremely strenuous as the physical demands on the body are so intense.
- CBD aids in the recovery process by the way it activates various vanilloid receptors throughout the body.1 These receptors impact inflammation response and the amount of soreness you’ll feel after a workout. With less inflammation and soreness, the recovery process will be quicker and easier to manage.
CBD also helps to activate various endocannabinoid receptors and the body’s own endocannabinoids like anandamide.2 Anandamide, also known as the “bliss” molecule, is thought to be one of the reasons you get such a euphoric sensation after working out. With more anandamide available and present, you’ll be able to get back to the mat quicker and with a better overall feeling.
- CBD can improve the length and quality of sleep, which is essential for muscle recovery.3 It can be tough to sleep after an intense Jiu-Jitsu session. With the combination of soreness and adrenaline, sleep can sometimes feel impossible. Sleep is one of the most important elements of muscle growth and recovery. Without adequate amounts of sleep, muscle growth will be severely stunted.
- CBD can also help with recovery from injuries because of the way it reduces inflammation. Jiu-Jitsu players suffer more injuries than most athletes. CBD’s impact on inflammation makes it perfect for taking when you are injured because of the way it can speed up the healing process.
But Won’t CBD Get Me High?
Unlike THC, CBD does not produce any psychoactive effects. THC binds to the receptors within the endocannabinoid system causing an altered state of mind. CBD does not actually bind to the receptors, but rather helps the body’s own endocannabinoids to be more active. This allows it to give you a natural feeling of calm. This is one of the reasons the World Anti-Doping Agency accepts CBD. BJJ athletes do not have to worry about CBD negatively interfering with the sport. You also won't fail a drug test.
CBD Can Also Help With Stamina
Jiu-Jitsu players might find that CBD can increase stamina during a fight. CBD activates the 5-HT1A receptors in the brain.4 These are also known as serotonin receptors.
Lack of activity in the serotonin receptors has been linked to a reduction in energy and an increase in physical and mental fatigue.5 If you get tired in the middle of the week after several intense practice sessions or you feel fatigued in the middle of a fight, CBD could be a great way to increase energy levels and reduce fatigue.
Along with increasing stamina, the interaction with serotonin receptors may also affect the way you feel on recovery days. Have you ever been in a bad mood on an off day? It may be because you had low serotonin levels. CBD could alter your mood and leave you feeling calm and in a better state. A bad mood can also sometimes lead to a lack of desire to train. You can end up skipping the gym because you don’t feel like training. By taking CBD, you could notice a reduction in skipped days and hopefully improvements in your overall training regimen.
CBD And Exercise Bliss
Anandamide also plays a role in endurance and stamina. Have you ever experienced a “runner’s high” after a prolonged workout? This phenomenon is not unique to runners. It happens to all different types of athletes after prolonged exercise. Anandamide may be the molecule responsible for producing this sensation. Your body begins to produce more anandamide and release it after you exercise for an extended period.
When you reach this state of “runner’s high,” you tend to feel blissful. Most of the pain and discomfort that can come in the early phases of exercise start to melt away. People that experience this feeling begin to think that they could extend their exercise for a much longer period of time because of how pleasant the feeling is. This pleasant sensation can motivate you to extend your workout longer than you had planned.
CBD encourages the anandamide present in your body to remain active. This means the endocannabinoid system doesn't recycle them. CBD blocks the enzymes that are responsible for recycling anandamide. By taking CBD, you’ll have more anandamide available in the middle of your workout.
Topical CBD balm addresses discomfort right at the source of pain. Choose the correct strength
Different Methods of Using and Consuming CBD
CBD comes in a few main forms. It can be consumed in edible form, the oil can be dropped under the tongue, it can be vaped, or it can be used as a topical application. Edibles like gummies and vaped CBD are great for full body effects like stress reduction and encouraging a general feeling of wellness. Topical applications of CBD are perfect if you’re feeling soreness in a specific muscle. Use topical CBD as needed, whereas it's best to consume ingested forms daily to reap the most benefits. The most potent CBD Oil comes in a concentrated form and is meant to be ingested.As a BJJ athlete, you may want to try a combination of ingested and topical CBD.
Conclusion
CBD is becoming more and more popular with Jiu-Jitsu athletes because of the ways in which it helps them with recovery in between workouts. After CBD was legalized at the federal and removed from the World-Anti Doping Agency’s list of banned substances, the door was opened for Jiu-Jitsu athletes to begin exploring how it could be incorporated into their training.
CBD helps Jiu-Jitsu athletes because of the ways it helps muscles to recover, its benefits for increasing sleep, the ways it can help increase stamina, and the extensions it can add to the end of a workout. Try some CBD today if you’re a Jiu-Jitsu athlete hoping to improve your performance.
