Teri Reeves is not an ordinary actress.

Sure, her latest credits may include some of the most popular shows on television: 9-1-1, The Punisher, and Once Upon a Time. But not many can say that they also hold a brown belt in the ancient martial art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. If that’s not enough, Teri teaches fitness classes and offers personal training services to clients throughout Los Angeles in her off time.

But after years of working in the entertainment industry, Teri was fed up with the lack of dynamic or powerful female roles out there. In Teri’s words, “I kept getting cast as the victim. I was either a cry or die girl. Eventually, I went to my team and said, ‘I have more in my wheelhouse than this. What if I put together a fight reel?’”

Her team loved it, and the rest is history. As Teri puts it, “once I did my first stunt, I was hooked.” Now, she gravitates towards roles that portray strong females who are active and physical. According to her, “it’s always better for storytelling if the actor in the shot is the one doing their own action.”

Although she saves the truly dangerous stuff for the professionals, Teri has now been doing her own stunts for years. But when added to her already demanding schedule of martial arts and physical training, it became draining. Teri says, “I was struggling with fatigue and recovery. Muscle soreness, aches, and pains were all bothering me when I showed up to work. I didn’t want to quit, but my body was hurting.”

At this point, Teri had shaped her acting career around her physical abilities. But when the pain of overworking her body became unbearable, she had to reevaluate how to sustain such an active lifestyle: “there was a part of this year where I started to get injured more regularly and I was devastated. I thought, ‘this might actually affect my career.’”

“There was a part of this year where I started to get injured more regularly and I was devastated.”

The pain not only affected her livelihood, but her wellbeing. “I call working out my moving meditation. Some people meditate or pray, or whatever it is to quiet their mind or body. For me, I need to move in order to do that.” Because moving the body is not only essential to her work but to her mental health, finding a recovery method that worked was essential.

Of course, as a personal trainer, Teri was already incorporating the timeless recovery methods athletes know and love: icing, stretching, massage, rest and myofascial release. But at the rate she was going, she needed something more.

To recover quickly, Reeves used over-the-counter pain relievers to help her power through the sore days. After a while, she felt like she was abusing over the counter pain medication to treat daily sore muscles, fatigue, bumps and bruising. Plus, “Advil irritated my stomach.” And she’s not the only one: common pain relievers can cause kidney damage when used too frequently. It was around this time she realized, “I had to get smart about my recovery so I could continue doing the work I love.”

One day, her running partner offers an alternative: Papa and Barkley 3:1 Releaf Balm.

“I was skeptical. When he told me it had cannabis in it, I was even more skeptical because I came from a family that never encouraged it. But I was desperate.”

So, she decided to give the balm a shot.

“When he told me it had cannabis in it, I was even more skeptical because I came from a family that never encouraged it.”

“The first night, I rubbed it on my calf muscles because I had a stress fracture last year that resulted in inflammation.” A stress fracture happens to many whose lives revolve around pushing themselves physically. Impact sports like running, jump squats or martial arts (all of which Teri does daily) are usually what causes them.

According to Teri, “my calf muscles were so inflamed from the fracture that I could hardly put my heels on the ground. When I woke up the next morning, I was walking normally. I felt better. It was working.” So, she started using it on her calves daily. “Ever since, I’ve been able to recover more quickly and feel a lot less pain.”

“When I woke up the next morning, I was walking normally. I felt better. It was working.”

In addition to muscle tension, the Papa & Barkley Releaf Balm helps Teri with a host of other issues. For instance, headlocks and neck chokes are common moves in Hollywood stunt scenes, but they can result in major neck tension. Teri uses the balm after especially difficult stunt scenes to prevent neck tension and go about her day. Like all athletes, Teri must also think about previous injuries to her body and how to protect those pain points when she uses them. A few years ago, she popped a bursa sac in her knee joint. Before discovering the Balm, this injury would reoccur often with any impact. At one point, the inflammation became so painful, she had to stop training altogether.

Now, Teri has made a habit out of wearing a brace every time she trains, then rubs the Releaf Balm on her knee afterward. Since the Papa and Barkley product, Teri says “I can train as much as I want. It really does help with inflammation. And I don’t need to take Advil anymore.”

According to Teri, “the Papa & Barkley Releaf Balm is the one addition to my routine that helps me continue to do what I do with less pain than ever before. It saved my ability to work and be present while continuing to do the moving meditation work that is part of my wellbeing.”

“The Papa & Barkley Releaf Balm is the one addition to my routine that helps me continue to do what I do with less pain than ever before.”

In fact, Teri’s experience has proven so helpful in her daily routine that she now recommends the Balm to her physical training clients: “for my clients, I have some Papa & Barkley on hand in my training studio in case they want to try it. One client had knee surgery and was recovering in pain. She now uses it on her knee and it sped up the recovery process.”

Of course, Teri recommends continuing with other useful recovery methods when incorporating cannabis topicals into your recovery routine. “It’s just another tool in the toolbox of recovery. Continue to rest, ice, and follow doctors orders.”

If you want to learn more about Teri’s routine, check out her top tips for responsible workout recovery.

The post Cannabis success stories: Teri’s workout recovery appeared first on Flowertown.

You probably haven’t heard of “cannasthenics”, which is fair because it’s a word I made up to combine calisthenics and cannabis–an incredibly effective way to get stronger, get leaner and get to know your body. First, a little bit about calisthenics.

In a nutshell, calisthenics is a type of strength and resistance training, like weightlifting. However, you don’t lift heavy things—you lift yourself. And you don’t progress by increasing weight—you decrease leverage. Think of it like this:

Decreasing leverage can be hard to envision, so I’ll give you an example. Try a standard push-up. Not too bad, right? Now, with your stomach on the floor, lower your hands as close to your waist as possible. Try the push-up again. If you did it right, it should be a lot harder than the standard push-up—maybe near impossible. The further you lower your hands, the less leverage you have and the more effort you need to lift your entire body. This approach can be strategically applied to any bodyweight exercise to help you gain superhuman strength, burn pesky fat and improve motor skills.

Every calisthenics exercise is a compound movement, and requires effort from more than one muscle to be achieved (isolation movements focus on one muscle group at a time). That’s why it’s a great way to stimulate your nervous system, which enhances mobility, core control and body awareness. It’s also one of the many reasons training calisthenics and consuming cannabis makes your whole body feel euphoric. Here’s what it was like for me, along a workout you can try at your gym, at home or anywhere with a pull-up bar.

Get your blood pumping with full-body, low-intensity movements.

During the blood-flow exercises, I was focused closely on my breathing. I was able to maintain control, boost stamina and refine my movements as I got tired.

Repeat until you feel loose. Add in other joints as needed.

My pain tolerance felt higher, enabling me to stretch farther and longer than usual. It also gave me more confidence for my workout, as greater flexibility can make the movements easier and lower my chances of getting injured.

Adjust hold-lengths and rest-times as needed.

There was a stronger connection between my mind and each individual muscle¬. I could pick out each one (Like when you listen to a song and can distinguish each instrument from the whole mix) and zero-in on the muscle that’s out of place or not pulling its weight.

Now, it’s time for the reps and sets. If the routine below is too easy, add reps and sets or decrease your leverage. If it’s too difficult, start with easier, more comfortable variations first. You’ll get there soon.

I started with a ton of explosive energy in my back and chest. Typically, when I’m not high, the reps go up, my stamina goes down and I fail right around the prescribed number of reps. This time, I found myself surpassing the prescribed reps by quite a bit. I thought about pain less, while at the same time, I embraced it.

Same rest times and round repetitions as above.

With all the ways cannabis benefits your control, awareness and mobility, you’ll be surprised at how strong you’ll feel after you finish. That’s why, when done correctly, cannasthenics—or pairing cannabis with any type of exercise—can help you form a stronger and healthier mind-body connection, and build superhuman strength with practice.

The post Discover a body-weight high with calisthenics (and cannabis) appeared first on Flowertown.

As cannabis acceptance has increased in the last decade, people from all walks of life are touting its benefits. This includes cyclists! Whether you’re smoking a sativa before hopping on your bike or using a pain-relieving patch to soothe a sore back, there are dozens of ways cannabis can enhance your cycling routine. Check out these popular products and how they might benefit you before, during, or after a cycling workout.

While there’s been a lot of controversy in the world of cycling involving the use performance-enhancing drugs and banned substances, cannabis is different. Learn more about cannabis products and how they can be a healthy part of any cyclist’s health and fitness routine.

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Pilates is something I’ve always been interested in but never tried for a variety of excuses. Too expensive. Not outdoorsy enough. Machinery looks intimidating. Yadda yadda yadda. Either way, pilates has mostly been a sight fascination to me and nothing more.

Until I enjoyed a Lowell’s Herb Co. sativa-forward, hybrid pre-roll and walked in to a pilates studio to learn something.

The first thing I learned was about sticky socks. No one told me about sticky socks. Apparently, in pilates, because you’re feet are on round metal bars and leather pads they can slip, you can lose balance and injuries result. As such, students wear sticky socks, which can either cost upwards of fifteen dollars or you get to wear free used ones.

I opted for the used option and, in my elevated state, fumbled foolishly to fit myself into socks with specific toe sleeves that were too small for my own. Sticky socks now barely on, I approached my reformer as if I had stepped into a construction site and the socks were my ill-fitting steel-toed boots, separating me from inevitable disaster.

The hardest part about learning pilates for the first time is being comfortable on the reformer. The hardest part about learning pilates for the first time while high is how to even get on the reformer in the first place. This is exacerbated by the fact that I’m 6’2”. I can’t speak for all studios, but it appears as though reformers weren’t really made for people over a certain height. I struggled to position my head in the little carved out section and fit my shoulders under the pads while my feet reached out for anything solid to latch onto.

After what felt like two hours of futzing, looking around, and moving color-coded springs and widgets, I was finally in place, on my back, moving my arms in concentric circles with feet in the air and feeling an aggressive burn in my abs that I haven’t felt in a long, long time.

In the beginning, it felt as though I was in one of those post-war PSAs about the benefits of eating a salad after vigorous, machine-oriented calisthenics. Where all the men wear high shorts, tucked in tanktops, and drive to a suburban high school in a sleek, new Mercury with all their friends. Which may be due in part because it is an exercise born out of that generation. But it’s foundation rests so heavily on the bedrock of basic human movement that whatever I felt emotionally quickly subsided to, “Wow, this is hard.”

The great part about this kind of high is that the little kick in the pants from the sativa, plus the meditative relaxation from the indica, allowed me to be energized and focused. It didn’t drag down the body like when I went climbing, and I wasn’t having manic, anxious thoughts.

In fact, as I got the hang of the machine and the movements, I felt as though I was more present than usual while exercising. Part of that could be due to the nature of doing something hard and risky for the first time – either focus or injure yourself. The other part could be that I was high and, well, being high helps with being in the moment. A third could be the emphasis on breathing that’s inherent to the workout.

Every form of exercise I’ve done has stitched together moving and breathing.

I swam in college, where you must match movement to breath or you’ll drown. I boxed, where you have to breathe when you throw a punch because it leaves you the most vulnerable. In turn, if you get punched with air in your lungs it doesn’t feel very good at all. In yoga, like pilates, every movement has an inhale or an exhale with it. In climbing, the first “trick” is to breathe when you reach for a new hold. In weightlifting, you can give yourself an aneurysm if you don’t exhale while maxing out.

Pilates, like all physical exercise, requires that marriage of breath and movement. That simple level of focus on something so involuntary immediately brings me into a more present state of mind. It’s a literal moving meditation. About halfway through, in the meat of it all, the only thing I could think about was breathe in, breathe out. Inhale. Exhale.

By the time the hour was over I had a bad case of jell-o legs and an insatiable appetite. The next day, I’m wearing the familiar and comforting tight pull of sore muscles like a prized blanket – something I had earned.

Is Pilates going to be my thing? Probably not. Would I do Pilates again while high? Absolutely. Highly recommend.

The post FT field test: how to turn pilates into a moving meditation appeared first on Flowertown.

I live relatively close to Runyon Canyon, an infamous 160-acre park trail that follows the ridges of the Hollywood Hills. It rewards those willing to brave Hollywood traffic and parking with stunning views of Los Angeles, as well as the signature Hills mansions that surround the perimeter of the trail. With its central location, easily ‘gramable views, laissez-faire dog leash policies, and an everyday chance of spotting a celebrity in their Lulus, it’s no surprise the canyon park is swarmed with tourists, locals and good dogs everyday.

It’ll never be as pristine or calm as a central California thru-hike, but with some good planning, the canyon can be a hassle-free people- and dog-watching mecca.

I arrive at the residential neighborhoods surrounding the Fuller Ave entrance at around 9am. If you’re ridesharing or walking from a nearby Metro station (the Hollywood and Highland station is a brief 5 minute walk) the time of day is not as big of a deal. But if you’re driving yourself, finding a parking space any later than 10am at the Fuller entrance can be tricky, especially on weekends. You might consider the parking lot at the Mulholland Trailhead on the north end of the canyon, but fair warning, starting the trail at the top of the loop will present you with a downhill walk to start and an uphill climb to finish.

During my brief walk up to the trailhead, I use my new “Spark” vape pen to prep for the journey ahead, courtesy of Arizona-based Sunday Goods. Their Spark blend is a grapefruit-flavored sativa with a 1:3 THC-to-CBD ratio, lighter on the psychoactive THC with uplifting terpenes; perfect for an active start to the day without any lethargic after-effects.

If my smartphone nav hadn’t pointed it out already, the steady flow of athleisure towards the trailhead gate would’ve been an easy enough waypoint. Past the gate, I’m presented with a fork in the road, with a second fork further up the left path; essentially three paths to choose from. Each path has a different difficulty.

The trail is a bisected loop with three main routes that run from the top to the bottom of the canyon, allowing you to customize how difficult you want the ascent/descent to be. The three routes are Runyon Canyon Road (easy), the Inspiration Point Trail (medium), and the West Ridge Trail (hard). The most common route would be taking the left then right fork: going up the paved and gradually sloped Runyon Canyon Road and back down the Inspiration Point Trail, a configuration that takes 30-45 minutes. Short of simply going up and down Runyon Canyon Road, this is the least physically demanding route and takes you down the Inspiration Point Trail, which mitigates some of the difficulty of the “medium” difficulty trail. The Inspiration Point Trail also features a few rest areas with convenient spots for photos. This is my go-to when I’m hosting visiting friends.

I’ve become pretty familiar with these paths and I’m feeling pretty up-and-at-’em with a couple Spark puffs in me so I opt for the advanced route. (Not recommended if you’re new to either Runyon or cannabis!) Taking both left forks, I’ll go for a West Ridge Trail ascent and a leisurely descent down Runyon Canyon Road, a configuration that generally takes 45-60 mins. While the Inspiration Point Trail is picturesque, the nature of this route with added foot traffic can create bottlenecks if you’re at jogging pace. The West Ridge Trail is higher in elevation than the Inspiration Point Trail, and both it’s climb and it’s views are plenty breathtaking.

As I begin the trail in earnest, I can feel the Spark pen coming on as a fuzz on the edges of my consciousness. I can feel my thoughts and movements syncing up with music in my running playlist, my natural state of flow coming easier. This is helpful as the loose sand and gravel up the 18 degree slope demands my undivided attention. My movements are more measured than normal, and it’s easier to focus on my technique and foot placement.

After a short false peak, I reach the real end of the first leg of the route marked by a memorial to Dr. Hasni Karmali, who passed away on a hike in early 2016, due to the difficulty of access for first responders. The AED memorial was erected to prevent something similar from reoccurring. It’s a somber reminder to take in the view while you can. As one of the highest and most southerly points on the canyon ridge, this first stop offers some of the best unimpeded views of LA’s immense urban sprawl. On a clear day, you can see from the ocean on your right, all the way to the San Gabriel Mountains on your left. I take one more gentle puff from the Spark to reward my completion of one of the more difficult sections of this trail and drink in the view.

The next section of the route is a welcome respite, offering some views of Hollywood Hills homes on your left, and overlooking the people who’ve opted for the paved Runyon Canyon Road on the right. The stroll leads me to a bushy, rocky peak that makes you feel like you’re more in the wilderness than the Hills mansions peeking at you from the next ridge might suggest. There’s a nice viewpoint with a cliff on the right, but to keep moving I’ve got a steep decline off to the left. I bend my legs to lower my center of gravity and start a controlled shuffle down the loose gravel to keep myself from tumbling down the ridge.

After this there’s some wooden stairs and decks to help you traverse the canyon, that eventually leads you to the next fork in the road. On the right is the descent, on the left, a bonus trail to Indian Rock, the true peak of Runyon Canyon park. Obviously, I opt to take the extra 10 minute climb, but thankfully it’s a groomed trail with rocks and wooden blocks strategically placed to make it easier. (The things I do for you, dear readers) As the highest peak, it features arguably the grandest view the park has to offer, including being able to watch the other Runyon Canyon-goers mill up and down the three routes like ants. On a clear day like this, I can even see all the way down to Orange County. After a rest on the bench, it’s time for the descent.

After a fairly arduous climb, I go at a brisk jog down the canyon, letting gravity do most of the work. The gentle gradient and evenly paved Runyon Canyon Road is a perfect, low-stress way to coast down the canyon. I get to the bottom with a clean 49 minute finish. That’s my average even without the bonus trek to Indian Rock so I’m pleasantly surprised.

As a whole, I think the Spark pen certainly added to a loop I’ve done many times before. From a physical perspective, I felt more honed in, my flow state more easily accessible. The more intermediate parts of the trail felt meditative, where nothing occupied my mind but my surroundings and my next step, a welcome departure from the hustle of city life. But I’d say the best part of bringing the Spark along was being more open and attuned to the majestic views of the canyon and city. I found myself more curious than I would be otherwise; watching the runners and dogs, peering into the nooks and crannies of the cliff faces. Even having run the same route several times, I felt as if I was able to approach the experience with a new and genuine sense of childlike wonder.

The post FT field test: Runyon Canyon with a spark appeared first on Flowertown.

It’s a common image that people who use cannabis like to smoke and then sit on the couch with a bag of cheese puffs while staring at a fish tank. While there’s nothing wrong with that, not all cannabis users fit into that box. Others are traveling to their local CrossFit box and putting in grueling workouts several days per week. If you’ve never considered lighting up before a workout, learn about the benefits and why now might be a good time to start.

Cannabis as a Pre-Workout

Many prefer to use supplements with performance enhancing effects as a pre-workout. You know, the supplements that get the heart pumping and make you feel like you could throw a car over your head. Others prefer the whole-body high of cannabis to these other supplements. It puts them in a relaxed mental state, improves focus, and helps them stay in tune with their bodies. Look for sativa-dominated products to feel an energetic boost before a long workout.

Cannabis Benefits During a Workout

As you’re powering through your WOD, you’ll be happy to know that there is scientific research supporting the benefits of cannabis during exercise. One of the biggest benefits is that cannabis is a bronchodilator. It’s been shown to help people who suffer from asthma, but it also helps athletes who rely on oxygen to help them get the most out of their training. Cannabis opens the airways, provides less resistance to airflow, and helps athletes achieve their best performance.

Cannabis to Help You Recover

Other CrossFitters use cannabis after a workout session. That’s because cannabis’ recovery benefits are well documented. Cannabis helps reduce pain and inflammation naturally. Soreness and muscle aches might stop you from putting in another workout tomorrow. While you should definitely take it easy after sustaining a more severe injury, the pain relief provided by cannabis could substitute the need for more powerful pain relievers that could affect your performance when you’re ready to get back in the game.

CrossFit Games Drug Testing Policy

The CrossFit Games feature the best of the best. Performance-enhancing substances are strictly banned, including many legal ones. In doing so, the organization hopes to maintain the integrity of the events and the athletes competing. Each athlete must consent to drug testing before competing.

Cannabinoids are listed as banned substances for in-competition use. However, cannabidiol (CBD) is an exception. So, while you are not able to smoke or vaporize marijuana before competing, you can use CBD products. CBD does not contain THC, so you won’t feel elevated, but you’ll still enjoy the benefits of reduced anxiety, stress, pain, and inflammation.

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