Author’s Note: This content is powered by LaxAllStars.com partner CBDistillery, a leader in the industry.
There has been a lot of talk around professional lacrosse focused on recovery and fatigue since the Premier Lacrosse League opted for a quarantined mini tournament to serve as a condensed season.
The PLL Championship Series will put players through four games in six days to determine who will head to a playoff. Should a team make it all the way through the finale, they’ll have undergone seven total contests in an eleven day window. Considering last season stretched across 14 weeks with an All-Star Game break.
Players with Canadian summer box experience or World Championships under their belt are more conditioned to the task of so many contests in such a short window, as those events are based on packing games into a tight schedule. Whether athletes have faced this many games in a row since high school or not, after 60 minutes of professional lacrosse the body is bruised and tattered enough as it is, now take away the week of recovery they’re accustom to.
The strong majority of the pro lacrosse crowd is relying on external help to get their bodies and minds as close to “normal” again as possible in what can be a less than a 24 hour turnaround. As CBD has entered the professional sports landscape over the past few years, the hemp-derived products have made a major leap into the professional lacrosse scene in recent months. The PLL announced a partnership with an industry leader, Mendi, making CBD available as “the PLL and its medical team will feature and incorporate innovative Mendi CBD product” according to the league’s press release.
Athletes like Archers LC goalie Adam Ghitelman has become an ambassador for CBD products through the deal. So far, the oral tinctures have been reliable for the PLL star to feel like his best self.
“I think not only just the relaxation, the calmness that you get from it,” Ghitelman shared about his experience. “I think getting a full night’s rest means so much. When you’re moving around, you have so much on your mind and your subconscious, it’s so filled with information.
That’s when you wake up like two, three times a night, you know? A lot of those products are for getting (to sleep) quicker and staying asleep in that REM cycle is really what you’re looking for.”
It doesn’t take a sponsorship for players to get in on the not-so-secret sauce. Whipsnakes LC defensive hammer Matt Dunn will take any chance to work CBD into his routine. With the benefits of CBD coming at an actual cost, Dunn is hoping to get his hands on some samples while in Utah for the Championship Series.
“I have tried CBD products,” Dunn explained. “I do actually like them. It’s just, I don’t know if you’ve ever tried them. They’re just expensive to consistently buy and use all the time.
I’m glad the PLL has got a CBD sponsor, so hopefully we can get some of that. Some of the creams are really good as you get sore, great for recovery.”
What is it about CBD that draws players to the over-the-counter health remedies? Players are finding that CBD offers an alternative to pharmaceutical drugs in a safe, natural product that is showing to support functions like: Sleep regulation, metabolism and appetite, immune system function, and pain management. Players have admitted to bringing an array of applications to the quarantine bubbles for their aid.
Many pro lacrosse players are growing enthusiastic about their CBD experience. The response isn’t specific to lacrosse, as CBD has engulfed the MMA and extreme sports communities and even the head of the NHL Alumni Association, Glenn Healy, announced a CBD study to examine the therapeutic potential of the cannabinoid for former athletes.
For Ghitelman, going to sleep after a marquee night game is one of the biggest keys to returning fresh the next day. With some games starting at 7 p.m. or later, athletes may not hit their hotel beds until around midnight or later, given time to de-gear, stretch, hit the ice baths and travel.
“How quickly can I do recovery stretching and get sleep,” Ghitelman stressed. “Get sleep as well as I can with this adrenaline running through my mind at this moment. We play our first game at 7:00 p.m. and the game’s not going to be over til 10, 10:30.
You can’t even help but to stay up ’til two in the morning. I just had to play lacrosse, naturally the energy that playing sports and playing lacrosse even more so gives is a lot. Sleep nutrition, the physical reality, every piece, it’s going to be the first thought after, no matter what happens in that first game.”
As CBDistillery explains in their CBD Products for Beginners guide, “CBD products generally fall into one of two main categories, ingestibles and topicals. When selecting CBD for the first time, it’s essential to find a product you will be comfortable using.” Finding something that feels familiar and fits the regular routine is important for consistency. Staying on a schedule through the event is a pillar of peak recovery. One thing that’s for certain, players will be seeking out all of their recovery-boosting options after every final horn.
Using CBD as a means to aid recovery, but not as a crutch for lack of preparation is key. Whatever these pro lacrosse players can get their hands on to help bounce back after games and feel ready for another round, they are going to give it a shot. As more information about CBD and athletic performance is made available, you can bet lacrosse players are going to look to it for a competitive edge. An edge that should be focused on returning to a place of normalcy, according to Ghitelman, not finding a real life cheat code.
“Obviously we’re always learning about new methods and things that we could do to be better,” Ghitelman explained. “You can’t expect to be your best self if you’re trying to be something that you’re not.”
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Just a few of the many products pro lacrosse players are using to maintain their best selves include:
#1 Full-Spectrum 500mg CBD Oil
The product most often called CBD oil is a blend of hemp extract and a carrier oil, a tincture. This tincture is a medium strength product that works well for many players. CBD tinctures are easy to use; simply place the oil under your tongue and hold a few seconds before swallowing.
#2 CBDol 500mg Relief Stick
CBD products are ideal for rubbing down muscles after a grueling game or strenuous workout. CBDistillery™ CBDol Relief Stick gives you an instant sensation from the menthol, and it couldn’t be easier to use and then toss in a gear bag or duffle to get back on the move.
#3 CBD 30mg Nighttime Gummies
With games starting at 7 p.m. or later, players aren’t even getting back to their beds until midnight on some game days. Having a way to boost physical recovery while getting players to much needed sleep quicker is clutch. Sometimes it’s just easier to chew up a little snack before bed and having a little dose of melatonin added to the gummies really helps sweeten the deal.
It’s the same ideas at the Relief Stick, but more adaptable to wherever you need to apply it. CBDol topicals are focused on providing localized relief to aid those nagging spot in recovery.
Probably the easiest way to get your dose of CBD is down the old hatch. No bad taste, easy to handle after a game, Soft Gels are a solid choice for starting that recovery process.
