The dopest martial art tournament in the world : High Rollerz. BJJ and the cannabis community is becoming increasingly more spoken of, and practiced, especially since the legalisation of cannabis in several states of the U.S.
About High Rollerz
If you don’t know already, High Rollerz is a tournament hosted in the U.S dedicated to those who love pot and BJJ. Founded by Big Lonn and Mighty Matt, High Rollerz is a tournament where competitors smoke cannabis before competing.
Not only do competitors get high before the match, the winner of the black belt level matches walks home with a full pound of cannabis. The event attracts a number of high-level competitors each year, and Eddie Bravo was one of the referees last year.
BJJ Cannabis Advocates
10th Planet Jiu Jitsu founder and Black Belt, Eddie Bravo is perhaps one of the most well-known BJJ advocates for cannabis. In an interview with Fight Network in 2009, he gave a breakdown of what he thinks about smoking weed:
Joe Rogan is also a vocal advocate of both jiu jitsu and cannabis use (among other things). Rogan recently had Ben Shapiro on his show and talked about how the two groups combine and the preconceived misconceptions people have about cannabis use.
Positive Effect of Using Cannabis
Marijuana and exercise don’t seem like an obvious combination. The resulting high can have a sedative effect, or bring on a lack of motivation. It also can induce appetite, which may be counterproductive if you’re trying to get fit.
According to BJJ World, weed greatly reduces inflammation and soothes muscles, allowing for faster recovery between training sessions.
“Since we all know that grappling is the thing that’s addictive, we’re all looking to be back on the mats as soon as possible after finishing the class. Weed helps our muscles relax and fight inflammation so that we can go and roll again.”
“Another positive aspect of combining weed and Jiu-Jitsu is tissue oxygenation. Weed allows more oxygen to get to our tissues, making them able to work at a higher rate. For the effect of increased tissue oxygenation, you need to have weed in your system while you roll.”
According to Heathline.com there is anecdotal evidence of marijuana allowing users to push through perceived physical pain during a workout, which also has scientific merit. Cannabinoid compounds found within marijuana are known to affect perception of pain and discomfort, which can be advantageous in BJJ.
However, there are many great BJJ athleteswho usually train high, and there are many great BJJ athletes who never train high. Your success in BJJ depends on your dedication and commitment, not whether you smoke pot or not.
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