Marijuana and Performance

[Xue Sheng]

Maybe Tai Chi would benefit from it. Not monkey-stoned, 'till your eyes are bloodshot. Just a higher level of muscle control. Yes it slows down your reflexes, but I'm not aware of tai chi being about full contact..

apart from that, haven't touched it in 6 years. My inability to control myself under substances left me with enough scars of my soul. Even though alcohol was much worse in that.

Then you don't know real taiji (but that's ok, most don't) and taiji absolutely would not benefit from it. Even with out the MA in taiji it would not benefit from it but it sure would hurt it not to mention be completely contrary to what taiji is.

Marijuana will not enhance martial arts preformance (any more than a shot of whisky will help a rail drag racer just before the race) and if someone beleive it will then they are either fooling themselves or not doing "real" martial arts

 

[blackxpress]

This is a joke, right? Of course weed is NOT a performance enhancer. Anything that effects your cognitive ability and reflexes, whether it be alcohol, pot, over the counter cold medicine or whatever is going to negatively affect your athletic ability. I don't care if you're talking MA, football or golf. Anybody that thinks they can perform better under the influence is an idiot. For my part, my cardio is bad enough as it is. I'd hate to think how winded I'd get if a smoked a doobie before training.

 

[xJOHNx]

Then you don't know real taiji (but that's ok, most don't) and taiji absolutely would not benefit from it. Even with out the MA in taiji it would not benefit from it but it sure would hurt it not to mention be completely contrary to what taiji is.

Marijuana will not enhance martial arts preformance (any more than a shot of whisky will help a rail drag racer just before the race) and if someone beleive it will then they are either fooling themselves or not doing "real" martial arts

Thanks for clearing that up!

I only mentioned it because of the experience I have with tai chi practitioners who smoke on daily basis.

Guess they are wrong, thanks for clearing that up!

 

[Haze]

Been a few years (25) since I smoked but it is not something I'd do while training. If i was still into it I might do it whenever but not while training or working. (JMO)

 

[Milt G.]

I remember reading not too long ago that if you were found with Cannabis Sativa in your system, you were disqualified from the sporting event in which you participated in. The only way I could think of this happening is that it's considered to be a performance enhancer.

My question is, do you all think Marijuana is a performance enhancer or performance reducer?

I can think of it as a performance enhancer in that it could be used for relaxing the muscles quickly, leading to a decrease in training down-time.

However, it could also be a reducer in that it leads to a decrease in motivation to train in the first place.

Hello...

A performance reducer, I think. Tends to slow hand/eye coordination, although I know some may argue this point. It does tend to affect different people differently.

The worst side effect is an overall reduction in available food stuffs and a decrease in couch elasticity, I think.

I believe it is banned due to the potential effects it has as a intoxicant. Helps some, hurts some, and is considered in the sporting realm as "un-natural" to the human condition.

Thank you,
Milt G.

 

[Kembudo-Kai Kempoka]

Hello...

A performance reducer, I think. Tends to slow hand/eye coordination, although I know some may argue this point. It does tend to affect different people differently.

The worst side effect is an overall reduction in available food stuffs and a decrease in couch elasticity, I think.

I believe it is banned due to the potential effects it has as a intoxicant. Helps some, hurts some, and is considered in the sporting realm as "un-natural" to the human condition.

Thank you,
Milt G.

As an intoxicant, it inhibits Sympathetic Nervous System activity, and promotes Parasympathetic Nervous System Activity, which aids in diminishing the presence of stress and inflammatory peptides and hormones in the bloodstream, aiding in faster muscle recovery times and performance executions less hindered by the pain of athletic activity.

Interestingly, the cortisol reduction and anti-inflammatory effects can also be seen in anabolic steroids, at different phases of use.

 

[jks9199]

Not in all states and countries my friend.

However, I'm trying to see what opinions are of if as an enhancer or reducer, not so much the fact of why it can get you disqualified.


lol

You made an assumption that it was banned for being a performance enhancer. I posit instead that perhaps it's banned because it's of questionable legality... A positive test for LSD would probably get you kicked out, too.

As to whether or not it's a performance enhancer... That's an easy one. It's not. The effects of impairment on marijuana are quite similar to alcohol -- delayed reaction time, loss of fine motor control, and difficulty with divided attention tasks, as well as negative effects on judgement.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Thanks for clearing that up!

I only mentioned it because of the experience I have with tai chi practitioners who smoke on daily basis.

Guess they are wrong, thanks for clearing that up!

Back when Master Zhou was still alive I use to go to the Taiji farm every year for his taiji festival. Every year things seemed to go down hill a bit and get further and further from taiji and martial arts. The last year I went the entire front of the place was filled with vendors selling Hemp clothes, crystals and tye dye clothes and it seemed that every where I went I ran into someone that smelled like Marijuana. It was when the Peace Love and Tye dye crowd took over things went bad. There may be a lot of people doing taiji that also smoke Marijuana but then all they are demonstrating is a complete lack of understanding as to what taijiquan is and a complete lack of knowledge about its history.

 

[geezer]

A few years back I recall that there was an Olympic gold-medalist in a snowboarding event who had his medal taken away after testing positive for cannabis. As Jks9199 has pointed out, the athletic prohibition against marijuana probably has to do with it being illegal in most countries, and the general principle that sports competition should be drug-free anyway.

As far as marijuana being a performance enhancer, that depends on what you are trying to do and, to some extent on what you believe about this drugs effect. I've known musicians, skate boarders, snowboarders and others who insist that they perform better stoned. In some activities, it's stress alleviating properties could conceivably aid performance. More likely, it's a placebo effect. But placebos can have a real and measurable effect if you believe in them.

Finally, I personaly experienced training with stoners back in the 80's. They definitely made me feel more proficient....by comparison!

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I've known musicians, skate boarders, snowboarders and others who insist that they perform better stoned. In some activities, it's stress alleviating properties could conceivably aid performance. More likely, it's a placebo effect. But placebos can have a real and measurable effect if you believe in them.

That's as may be for them. But as a training partner, I have the right to require that anyone hitting me or defending my punches be sober. If I could detect that a person I was sparring or training with was under the influence of mind-altering substances, I would refuse to train with them. If they have a problem with that, it's their problem, not mine. Snowboard better stoned? Have a great life. Throw a kick at me whilst we're sparring and you're stoned? Not happening. It's not about them, it's not about personal preferences regarding drugs, it's about me and what I perceive my safety level to be. Stoners best not come near me while training, I won't have it. That's *my* right.

 

[Jimi]

Bill, I agree and that is absolutely your right not to train w/ someone stoned, buzzed, intoxicated or otherwise under the influence.

Do you have a problem w/ someone who trains well straight yet smokes a joint w/ an old friend on the weekend?

I understand your personal opinion about illegal drugs, just wondering if someones infrequent use would bother you if it was not in your face during training?

What say you Bill? Live and let live?

Or if you overheard that someone you have trained w/ made plans to see an old college friend to burn one, would you narc him out?

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Bill, I agree and that is absolutely your right not to train w/ someone stoned, buzzed, intoxicated or otherwise under the influence.

Do you have a problem w/ someone who trains well straight yet smokes a joint w/ an old friend on the weekend?

Do I personally have a problem with it? No. Do I like it? No. Would that person be a pal of mine? No. But as long as it isn't in my face, I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

I understand your personal opinion about illegal drugs, just wondering if someones infrequent use would bother you if it was not in your face during training?

Nope. I just don't want to train with someone who isn't on top of their game. I could get hurt, or they could. When we practice self-defense, we throw at each other. For real. If you don't block, you get popped. We get to know each other, what we can take and what we can deal with. I don't want to throw on some guy whose timing is off and I punch him in the face or get knocked about because he isn't aware of how hard he's hitting or that his speed is off, etc.

What say you Bill? Live and let live?

Sure, but that doesn't mean I think it's OK.

Or if you overheard that someone you have trained w/ made plans to see an old college friend to burn one, would you narc him out?

I'm not into that. But where I live, guys smoke a blunt in the hallway all the time, and the smoke comes under my door. Do I drop a dime? You bet I do.

 

[Jimi]

Bill, I can respect that. It is the law. Peace