We usually think of CBD as the perfect relaxation aid, but did you know it also has a ton of benefits when it comes to boosting your workout?

According to The Cannabis Radar, former boxer Mike Tyson and baseball player David Wells are just a few examples (out of many) of athletes who regularly take CBD to help improve their physical well-being alongside a rigorous exercise regimen.

How does CBD help at the gym?

There is a wide range of studies showing that CBD can bring down inflammation, both when taken orally or when applied topically.

"The biggest benefit of CBD for fitness enthusiasts is workout recovery," explains Rick Weissman, the Founder and President of High Falls Hemp NY. "Exercise-induced inflammation or sore muscles can derail a workout routine. CBD has been shown to reduce inflammation, allowing better recovery to keep a fitness routine on-track."

In other words, you know that soreness you feel after a particularly intense gym session? It's caused by inflammation. CBD's major benefit is the ability to cut down on that pain, so you can go back to the gym soon after and keep exercising at the same level of intensity.

What's the best way to take CBD?

"CBD works best taken on a regular basis when taking it internally," Weissman stresses. "This gives it the opportunity to balance your internal systems to aid recovery, sleep, and sore muscles. "

While it's important you take CBD every day with consistency, there are no clear rules or research saying when it is best to take. Some fitness enthusiasts find that by taking CBD before their workout session they are able to push themselves a little further and get better results.

Others prefer taking it after their workout, to help relax the body and speed up recovery time. You can experiment with taking CBD at different times to see which effects are better for you.

As to whether you should take a full-spectrum CBD product or an isolate, it largely depends on whether you can take the risk of the product containing even a hint of THC. Most professional athletes prefer isolates that are guaranteed to keep them feeling sharp, while casual fitness enthusiasts appreciate the more complex and holistic composition of full-spectrum hemp oil, which also contains other cannabinoids (and always less than 0.3% THC).

"The other way CBD can boost a workout is using it topically on a targeted area that needs relief," Weissman adds. "For instance, I'll use CBD on my right knee before a workout, and it will allow me to get deeper into a squat and keep up with the cardio. After a workout, it helps sore muscles and joints feel a lot better!"

Best CBD Products for Gym Goers

"Bottom line, CBD helps you move more, sleep better and relieve stress. All from a natural plant - and a good recipe for a healthy fitness program," Weissman summarizes.

Any high-quality CBD product could help, but we've selected a few standouts that athletes and gym aficionados could easily introduce into their lives.

High Falls Hemp CBD Starter Collection

If you're not sure which kind of CBD product will work best for your workout, the High Falls Hemp Starter Kit makes it easy to experiment and figure things out. It includes a CBD isolate lotion you can massage over sore muscles, a full-spectrum tincture with 25mg of CBD per serving that you can take at any point in the day, and easy-to-swallow soft gels that you can carry around. If you can't risk any THC content in your body, you might prefer their CBD isolate tincture instead.

Caliper CBD Powder

Caliper is a CBD isolate powder that totally dissolves in liquids, so it's easy to take if you're not a fan of drops or capsules. A single packet weighs very little but holds 20 mg of CBD. You can stick it in your gym bag and later on mix it with your post-workout protein shake, or add it to your water to microdose throughout the day. The body absorbs it quickly, so it's very fast-acting, and since it's an isolate it's 100% THC-free.

Maddyn Renew & Recharge CBD Topical Crème

With 600mg of CBD per tube, this rich cream is quite potent. The CBD comes from broad-spectrum hemp extract, and it is joined by other ingredients that help reduce inflammation and aid in recovery, including arnica extract and menthol. You can massage it into the skin to get relief from delayed-onset muscle soreness, or use it in preparation for going deep during your stretches.