Kevin Spacey's approach to training in American Beauty
Just an observation: When I was in high school I remember visiting a friends
house and watching his relatives proceed to smoke marijuana and then subsequently train. I asked them why they did it...(I assumed they were just potheads that were severly undereducated about "proper" training technique). He told me when was high he was able to achieve a higher state of aggression and thus lift heavier and grow bigger. Granted this guy was pretty huge...I just didn't get it. I know this is subject to get flamed...but I also think it's worth discussing and getting people's opinions on it. If some people use stacks to get more agro...who's to say one cannot use another substance? To each his own, right?
Another thing - just because a certain drug has a theoretical effect on a person's body, it can affect people's minds differently. Since a big part of training is mental...why not sacrifice a little of your body to gain a much larger mental advantage...the net effect is positive.
Effect of Marijuana on The Body
After three or four decades of study, researchers have proof of the damage that cigarette smoking has on the respiratory system. Smoking marijuana is also harmful. Smoking is linked to asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, heart disease, and various forms of cancer, especially in the lungs. Smoking is also connected to an increase in complications during pregnancy and labor, and infants born to mothers who smoke may weigh less than those born to nonsmokers. Marijuana smoke contains many of the respiratory irritants found in cigarette smoke, such as carbon monoxide and tar. However, it has ingredients not found in cigarette smoke. Marijuana has 50%% more tar than tobacco, its smoke is more irritating, and it has a greater effect on the upper airways (sinuses and larynx). It irritates the lower air passages (trachea and bronchi), and since marijuana smokers inhale more deeply and hold it for longer periods of time, the amount of toxins are increased. The smoke injures lung tissues and cells responsible for warding off infections and viruses. It is likely that marijuana smoking, like cigarette smoking, can cause cancerous tumors. There are fungi, bacteria, herbicides, and foreign chemicals in marijuana which can contaminate the plant itself and cause damage to lungs and other organs. Herbicides, especially one called "paraquat," can damage the lungs, heart, kidneys, adrenal glands, muscles, spleen and cerebral cortex (the "thinking" part of the brain). Smoking marijuana increases the work of the heart. The changes in heart rate and blood pressure are the same as those found in a person under extreme stress. The increased workload raises the heart rate and often the blood pressure, though the blood pressure may drop to an abnormally low level as well. It increases the carbon monoxide in the blood and decreases the amount of oxygen. It also alters the body's immune system, which protects people against viruses, bacteria, and infection. Marijuana has been found to interfere with cells which play a major role in resisting viruses and cancer. Occasional use of marijuana may increase or decrease sexual performance, but abusers complain of decreased desire. It reduces the number and quality of the sperm and damages their mobility, which may have significant effect on fertility. It can disturb the endocrine system, which controls hormones and body metabolism. It may cause increased breakage and damage to chromosomes and thereby cause birth defects. It is known that marijuana smoking causes changes in brain chemistry. It hinders the neurotransmitter "acetylcholine," a chemical neuron which transfers information from one nerve cell to another, and may explain marijuana's negative effect on the memory. Marijuana smoking has a wide range of effects on mood and behavior. It impairs motor coordination, tracking ability, and perceptual and sensory functions. Quick mood changes can produce brief periods of anxiety, confusion, or even a state resembling insanity. It is not a drug to be taken lightly - and should probably not be taken at all.
