Elite athletes like bodybuilders know what’s up when it comes to diet, nutritional and supplements. They invest in their health and they balance diet and nutrition and have a supplement regimen specific to their personal goals. They take their training and recovery protocol seriously and they are very picky about what they put in their bodies. They are more likely than the average gym-goer to extensively research their supplements.
Ask any pro competitor, no matter their league or division; bikini, figure, fitness physique or bodybuilder and they will all tell you that quality of sleep is paramount to muscle recovery, repair and growth. Sleep disruptions will show up on your physique and impact your focus and cognitive function. Poor quality sleep can be a result of many things; stress, anxiety, adrenal fatigue and elevated cortisol levels, but the result is the same; decreased performance.
Supplements like 5HTP, melatonin, magnesium, EAAs etc. can be beneficial and promote a quality night sleep, but NONE of these have the same “magic bullet” effects of CBD.
CBD is not only improving the quality of sleep; it also can boost your immune system as well as having a positive impact on your mental health. When you are well rested and have a positive mindset with your stress levels under control you wake up feeling recharged and motivated, ready to take on the challenges of the day and excited to attack your next training session. You have quality lifts and can better maintain the focus and discipline it takes to complete a prep and step on stage.
So what exactly ARE the benefits of CBD for bodybuilding and an active fitness lifestyle and how can you take your performance to the next level with CBD? Bodybuilders push themselves to their mental and physical limits both during competition prep and during their improvement seasons. As important as the focus and the push is, the recovery is just as crucial and vital to achieve their best physique. The faster you recover, the faster your muscles will repair allowing you to get back to your lifts and repeat the process. Enter CBD, the natural supplement that has joined the ranks of the “can’t live without it” supplements.
As a refresher for those that are new to CBD, Cannabidiol (or CBD) is one of the 100+ compounds found in the mature agricultural hemp plant and its extracts are used in countless products from beverages, to tinctures to capsules and even topicals. CBD is a great natural anti-inflammatory and reduces pain and inflammation while promoting mental clarity, cognition focus and stamina which is one of many reasons the health and fitness community embraces CBD like it does. While CBD itself does not make the user sleepy, it does improve your quality of sleep without any adverse side effects.
CBD has been around for a long time; however, it wasn’t until the passing of the Farm Hemp Bill in 2018 that CBD went mainstream. With the legalization of Hemp based CBD products, companies started to pop up and you started to notice CBD on the shelves of every supplement store, grocery store and even gas stations! Your social media news feeds started to feature your favorite influencers promoting CBD and touting its benefits. Clearly there are a lot of options out there, but how do you know where to start and why should you add CBD to your training and recovery protocol?
CBD works great when take alone or with other supplements. Most bodybuilders who use CBD use it both orally and topically. Topical application of CBD helps relieve localized aches and pains while oral CBD acts on the endocannabinoid system helping enhance the signaling process and regulate the function every organ and system of the body. CBD is all natural and is not on the banned substance list or tested for in drug tests making CBD a safe option for natural athletes. Because CBD works like it does in the body, it’s safe to take with other supplements without negative side effects.
Take your cue from the best physiques out there and add CBD to your training and supplement protocol this upcoming season and see who much better you look and feel!
What are our current favorite CBD products? We absolutely love SOLA CBD’s Intensive Relief pain stick in Cooling and their Simpatico Capsules which combine CBD and metabolic support superstar Berberine.