Author: Harold Han
In our last article, we explored how elite professionals, from NFL superstars to Olympians, are rewriting the playbook on cannabis use in sports. But what about the rest of us? You don't have to be a professional athlete to experience the grueling toll of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), joint inflammation, or sports performance anxiety.
This article shifts our focus to the "weekend warriors" and everyday recreational athletes. The athletic landscape has changed drastically, and cannabis is no longer a taboo subject hidden in the locker room. In fact, a major survey of over 1,100 active adult athletes found that 26% are current cannabis users, utilizing it responsibly to manage pain and anxiety (Zeiger et al., 2019). Another recent study of 111 active individuals revealed that an overwhelming 93% felt CBD assisted their exercise recovery, while 87% reported the same for THC (Pinzone et al., 2023).
Cannabis is incredibly versatile, serving different functions for different types of activities. Let’s dig into the data and look at five specific subgroups of recreational athletes to see exactly who is using cannabis, what they are using, why they use it, and how satisfied they are with the results.
1. Bodybuilders and Weightlifters
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The Demographics:
In a 2023 survey of regular exercisers who use cannabis, 85% of respondents regularly participated in resistance training (bodybuilding/weightlifting). In this active cohort, females made up the majority at 59%, while men accounted for 39% (Pinzone et al., 2023). -
The Goal:
Bodybuilders are primarily seeking severe pain relief and muscle recovery without compromising their gains. Traditionally, lifters rely on over-the-counter NSAIDs (like ibuprofen), but science shows NSAIDs can blunt the anabolic pathways required for muscle growth (Cole et al., 2026). This is a big deal because muscle growth is the ultimate goal here. Cannabis, particularly CBD, provides a natural anti-inflammatory alternative that relieves DOMS without stopping muscle hypertrophy (Schouten et al., 2022), which is key for muscle growth. Substance impacting hypertrophy, thus impacting muscle growth, is such an important topic that we will do a full review in future articles. -
What They Use:
Weightlifters show a strong preference for CBD. Survey data reveal that 80% of dedicated CBD users participate in resistance training, compared to 50% of THC users. -
Satisfaction:
Highly satisfied. In this 2023 survey (Pinzone et al., 2023), 93% of users stated CBD actively improved their recovery, helping them bounce back from heavy lifting sessions faster.
2. Long-Distance Runners and Endurance Athletes
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The Demographics:
Endurance athletes are heavy adopters of cannabis. Research shows that roughly one-third of cyclists, triathletes, and runners are or have been cannabinoid users. This group tends to skew older (often 40 years of age) and male (Valverde 2021). -
The Goal:
Runners are chasing the elusive "runner's high" while trying to mitigate the severe joint impact of pounding the pavement. They use cannabis to increase motivation, make long monotonous runs more enjoyable, and manage chronic pain. -
What They Use:
Endurance athletes frequently prefer a combination of THC and CBD. Some use THC via a vape pen before hitting the pavement to increase the intensity and enjoyment of their runs, while utilizing CBD post-workout to ease joint inflammation. In clinical surveys, 55% of CBD users and 31% of THC users identified running as a primary exercise (Pinzone et al., 2023). -
Satisfaction:
The satisfaction is striking. In a study specifically analyzing cannabis use with running, participants strongly endorsed that cannabis improved both their enjoyment (median score of 6 out of 7) and their recovery (median score of 6 out of 7) (YorkWilliams et al., 2019).
3. Martial Artists (BJJ, MMA, and more)
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The Demographics:
Martial arts, particularly Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), require intense physical contact and mental stamina. Among athletic cannabis users, about 15% of CBD users and 10% of THC users report participating in martial arts (Pinzone et al., 2023). -
The Goal:
Martial artists deal with acute pain, constant joint manipulation, and high adrenaline. They use cannabis to increase their pain threshold during training and to bring their nervous systems down from a highly stimulated state after sparring. -
What They Use:
Many fighters use THC before a workout to tap into the endocannabinoid system, improving their focus and "mind-body connection" on the mat. Post-workout, they turn heavily to CBD to reduce inflammation and promote the deep sleep necessary for tissue repair. -
Satisfaction:
Widespread and growing. The martial arts community, including prominent UFC fighters, heavily endorses cannabis as a harm-reduction tool that successfully replaces addictive opioids for pain management (source).
4. CrossFitters and HIIT Enthusiasts (Mixed-Modality)
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The Demographics:
CrossFitters constantly mix heavy lifting with intense cardio. A massive 72% of athletic cannabis users participate in both aerobic and resistance training (Pinzone et al., 2023), perfectly mirroring the CrossFit demographic. Furthermore, athletes who use a combination of cannabis (THC+CBD) for long durations tend to skew younger (nearly 60% under 40). -
The Goal:
CrossFit places a heavy load on the central nervous system (CNS), spiking cortisol and causing full-body fatigue. These athletes use cannabis to calm their CNS, achieve restorative sleep, and rapidly decrease global inflammation so they can handle varied workouts day after day. -
What They Use:
Because lung capacity is critical for high-intensity interval training, many of these athletes are moving away from smoking flower and opting for edibles, tinctures, or topical creams for targeted joint relief. They frequently use combination products (THC and CBD together) to capture the synergistic anti-inflammatory benefits. -
Satisfaction:
Incredibly high. Athletes using a combination of THC and CBD exhibit the greatest benefits to their overall well-being and calmness, with minimal adverse effects.
5. Yogis and Mindfulness Practitioners
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The Demographics:
Yoga and cannabis have a long, culturally intertwined history. In recent athletic surveys, 35% of CBD users and 21% of THC users reported practicing yoga (Pinzone et al., 2023). Given the broader demographic of the survey, this group leans heavily female. -
The Goal:
The primary goals here are mental and emotional. Yogis use cannabis to facilitate deep relaxation, alleviate depression or nervousness, and enhance their mind-body flow during practice. -
What They Use:
While THC is often used to enhance the sensory experience of the practice, CBD is heavily utilized as an anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) tool. Surveyed users noted their primary motives for using CBD were to assist with sleep and to simply relax (scoring both motives a 3.89 out of 5).
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Satisfaction:
Yogis report profound satisfaction, specifically noting that cannabis helps them to completely relax, clear their minds of anxiety, and achieve a highly positive state of well-being.
The Bottom Line: A New Norm in Fitness
The data paints a very clear picture: cannabis is not a fringe, hidden substance used by "lazy stoners." It is a highly versatile, functional wellness tool actively utilized by a massive portion of the athletic community to achieve specific, goal-oriented results.
As we've seen, every sport has its unique physical demands and its own specific relationship with recovery. Because of this, we want to start zooming in and looking at these individual athletic subgroups up close.
In our next article, I will be teaming up with my buddy, Ryan Cheu, to take a deep dive specifically into the CrossFit community. Specifically, looking at how targeted cannabinoids like CBD and CBG are becoming essential tools for the community to train harder and recover faster. Stay tuned!
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phytoRX is a hemp-derived CBD and CBG beverage concentrate. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.