How much does drinking and smoking cannabis set back a body building routine?

drinking affects me a lot when it comes to lifting. I mean a beer or two here and there is not that big of a deal, but going out and getting drunk sets me back a few days. Smoking weed on the other hand is beneficial in my opinion. Marijuana helps me to not only eat more, but it also helps me get this mind-muscle connection that is impossible to acheive any other way. See i suffer from a lot of tension/muscle spasms and marijuana helps me listen to my body better and really stretch out all of the knots. I don't lift stoned because of the paranoia and stuff, but i will go running/do other cardio while stoned. i have a lot of friends who are MMA fighters and they swear that marijuana helps them "roll" (fight) so much better because of the enhanced mind-body connection.
 
Marijuana has not been linked to lower testosterone as far as I know, I believe that is a myth. It can cause a decrease in sperm count. Alcohol on the other hand, has been shown to cause a drop in testosterone levels, as well as other anabolic hormones.

Still, alcohol will probably not have much of an effect, unless you are getting trashed a couple times a week or more. Weed has a much more pronounced mental effect, in my opinion. After a night of drinking, I can go in to the gym and workout just fine. If I've been spending a lot of time smoking pot though, I'm just generally more lazy and unmotivated to do anything, and I definitely noticed these problems in the gym that could be attributed to smoking pot more often.

That said, I actually lifted a few times after smoking, and had great workouts...but, the one piece of evidence that has convinced me that weed and exercise do not mix is just that since I quit smoking (about a year ago now), my strength has been at an all-time high, and I have been making gains much more consistently. I still drink sometimes, but this never has any real noticeable effect on me like smoking did. Of course this may differ with other people, but this is just what I noticed for myself.

Also, just look at the people you know...most good athletes who I have known personally do not smoke pot on any regular basis. They might drink, but most of them seem to know that smoking is bad for their conditioning. Most of the people I know who are real potheads have more feminine physiques, are skinny as hell, seem to have no natural athletic ability...not to say that pot CAUSES this, but I have noticed a correllation.
 
For me, the best time to smoke marijuana is before going to the gym. I can focus better when stoned, helping me to stick to proper form and breathing techniques. I also find that I'm more motivated to push out that last difficult rep, or those last 5 minutes of cardio, when I'm stoned.

pinned, I don't know any good athletes, but all the athletes I do know are the biggest potheads I know. For evidence that successful NFL players (who are also the athletes for which weight training is most important compared to other sports) smoke a lot of pot, look up Ricky Williams, Mark Stepnoski, Randy Moss, Nate Newton, Micheal Vick (a friend smoked blunts with Vick during college), Michael Irvin, Travis Henry, Darrell Reid, etc.
 
I'm not saying athletes don't smoke or use other drugs...just that they probably aren't blazing up on a regular basis, or doing it before exercise.
 
theWorldWithin said:
Thanks for the input everyone. I had read a few studies and the numbers seemed extreme for how much alcohol is supposed to lower testosterone but its only for a short period during and after intoxication.

Nuke I agree completely with what you are getting at, big versus shreded in the service. I have no aspiration to be big or a serious body builder, not to be comfused with me not being serious about body building , because I am. I just have no desire to get huge, my goal is to go from 120 to 150 (maybe 155 depending on what my frame can support). If I can add 30 lbs in the next 18 monthes I would be completely satisfied, but as of now it seems like an impossible dream. Guess I just have to keep to partying to a minimum and stick to the diet, hopefully something will click and I will begin to grow soon. I may go see a nutritionalist and a trainer for a few sesion because I honestly do not know how to execute lifts with perfect form, somethat that is surely hurting my gains alot.

And to who ever said you don't have to be big to pick up girls, try fucking weighing 120 lbs and tell me that. I am shredded to the max and can tear apart guys almost twice my size in hand to hand but that really means nothing to women.

you should be able to gain beyond 30 pounds in 18 months. personally ive gained 16 in the past 3-4. make sure your eating enough.
 
Heh, the only way you gain that kind of weight is when you are still growing. Live it up guys.
 
Yea...in high school, I went from 140 to 195 in ~3 years after I started lifting and eating right.
 
oh yeah, i also weighed 117 when i started so heres the routine thats got me the best results:

once or twice a week i would do:

2 sets squats
1 set seated row
1 set bench press
1 set military press
1 set bicep curl

stick to compound exercises, high rep between 12-20.

now ive switched it up too:

1 set squats
1 set deadlift
1 set chin ups to failure
1 set upright row
1 set bench press
1 set dumbell shoulder press
1 set dumbell bicep curl

google hardgainer and read the hardgainer faq. get a weightgainer and eat as much as possible.
 
BigBenn said:
Heh, the only way you gain that kind of weight is when you are still growing. Live it up guys.

you talking to me? i said, are you talking to me?
 
Hi guys

One of my good friend trained for 4 years in gym. Later he left it and now hes into too much of smoke and drinks.... still he is joining to gym later this week and now he is in deep trouble. he cant quit smoke and drink.... so i m pretty much upset for him..

charlene
 
theWorldWithin said:
Honestly smoking is a pretty pointless and self destructive activity which I would never otherwise do besides it being the last way I have of dealing with some serious emotional turmoil.


And drinking's not? You never see any stoners die from lung cancer, unless they smoke cigarettes, and generally a LOT. How many 40 year old alcoholics die from cirrhosis?
 
HeaT said:
And drinking's not? You never see any stoners die from lung cancer, unless they smoke cigarettes, and generally a LOT. How many 40 year old alcoholics die from cirrhosis?

you see plenty enough stoners with emphysema
 
^As well as bronchitis, and other common illnesses associated with lower immune function.
 
I'd rather get high than be a fuckin muscle-head anyway.....
how ignorant a comment comming from a drug forum.

smoking cannibus would be the better bet then alcohol if your running a cycle.
theres some good articles on BB.com that can answer your questions best.
Liver damage is always an issue with AAS, adding alcohol to the equation isnt smart

Arnold smoked cannibus, and markus ruhl is a smoker
 
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