Weightlifting Recovery Routine: What to Do After a Heavy Session

By AJ, Sports Nutritionist at BulletCBD · Updated 30 October 2026

Quick answer: A good weightlifting recovery routine is built on the basics: a proper cool-down, protein and carbohydrate within a few hours, fluids, and a consistent wind-down before bed. Lifters who want to include CBD tend to slot it into the evening part of that routine, and the 6000mg Mint CBD Oil Spray is the one we suggest for the kit bag, alongside Pure C8 MCT Oil in a morning coffee or shake.

Heavy sessions are only half the job: recovery is where progress actually happens. A repeatable post-session routine means you turn up to the next session ready to train, rather than guessing what to do each time.

What should a weightlifting recovery routine include?

It should cover four things in order: bringing your body down from the session, refuelling, rehydrating and protecting your sleep window.

Here is the routine we suggest after a heavy lower-body or full-body session.

When	What to do	Why it matters
0-10 minutes after the last set	Five minutes of easy cycling or walking, then light mobility for hips, ankles and upper back	Lets your heart rate settle and gives you a moment to note how the session went
Within 2 hours	A meal or shake with a good serving of protein plus carbohydrate	Supports muscle repair and refills what the session used
Through the afternoon or evening	Steady fluids; add a pinch of salt or an electrolyte drink after a sweaty session	Hydration affects how you feel and perform in the next session
60-90 minutes before bed	Screens down, lights low, your usual CBD serving if CBD is part of your routine	A consistent wind-down cue makes the routine easier to stick to
Next morning	A short walk or mobility flow, breakfast with Pure C8 MCT Oil in coffee or oats if you like it	Gentle movement and a familiar start to the day

If you train for hybrid events as well as lifting, our HYROX recovery routine covers how to plan recovery across a heavier training block.

What does the research say about CBD and recovery from resistance training?

The short answer is that research is early, small and mixed: one German study found modest differences, a US study found none, and reviewers say much more work is needed.

The most relevant study for lifters came from the German Sport University Cologne. Published in the journal Nutrients in 2021, Isenmann and colleagues ran a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial with 16 experienced strength-trained adults. After an intensive resistance session, participants drank either 60mg of CBD in water or a matched placebo, and researchers tracked back squat one-rep max, jump height and blood markers of muscle damage (creatine kinase and myoglobin) over 72 hours. At 72 hours there were small differences between groups in squat recovery and those blood markers. In the authors' words: "The results show small but significant effects on muscle damage and recovery of squat performance after 72 h."

For the wider picture, a 2020 narrative review in Sports Medicine - Open by McCartney and colleagues gathered the evidence on CBD and sport. The reviewers concluded that "CBD may exert a number of physiological, biochemical, and psychological effects with the potential to benefit athletes". On sleep they wrote that "robust evidence is currently lacking", and they called for "well controlled, studies in athlete populations" before firm conclusions can be drawn.

How do you fit CBD into a post-gym routine?

Pick one consistent time, usually the evening wind-down, and keep your serving within the FSA's advice.

The Food Standards Agency recommends that "healthy adults should limit their consumption of CBD from food to 10mg per day". That matters when you compare products, because some sprays and oils deliver more per serving than others. Our guide to CBD dosage and the FSA 10mg advice explains how to read serving sizes properly.

1. Choose a format you will actually use. A metered spray lives in a kit bag without leaking; a gummy needs no measuring at all.
2. Anchor it to an existing habit. Lifters often pair it with brushing their teeth or setting out tomorrow's training kit.
3. Check the label. Look for 0% THC, a batch lab report and the product's listing on the FSA public list.

If you compete in a tested federation, choose isolate. WADA removed CBD from its prohibited list in 2018, but THC is still prohibited, and no product can guarantee a test result. Our explainer on broad-spectrum vs isolate CBD covers the difference in detail; check the batch lab report and your governing body's rules before you use any supplement.

Is MCT oil useful for lifters?

MCT oil is a simple, flavour-free fat that many lifters add to coffee, shakes and oats as part of their daily meals.

Bullet Organics Pure C8 MCT Oil is 100% C8 from coconut, unflavoured and odourless, so it disappears into a post-session protein shake or a morning flat white. It stays liquid in the fridge, it is vegan and it is popular with people following keto or low-carb diets. Start with one teaspoon and build up gradually.

Which BulletCBD product suits a weightlifting routine?

For most lifters, a spray for the kit bag or gummies for a no-measuring evening habit, with MCT oil for the kitchen.

• 6000mg Mint CBD Oil Spray, 30ml, £34.95 (was £64.99). 99%+ pure isolate in C8 MCT oil, fresh mint, 0.0% THC, vegan, made in the UK, and around 0.58p per mg, our best value. Each spray delivers around 20mg, so keep the FSA's 10mg daily advice in mind when you set your routine.
• 1000mg CBD Gummies, £29.99 for 100. Exactly 10mg per gummy, matching the FSA's daily advice, with no measuring and no hemp taste. Subscribe and save 10%.
• Pure C8 MCT Oil, 500ml, £18.99. Around 100 teaspoons for coffee, shakes and dressings.

Every BulletCBD batch is tested in-house and then by independent third-party labs for cannabinoid content, heavy metals, pesticides and solvents, and our products are on the FSA public list.

Frequently asked questions

Is there research on CBD and recovery from weight training?

Yes, but it is limited. A 2021 study in Nutrients found small differences at 72 hours after a single 60mg serving, while a 2022 study in Healthcare found no differences between CBD and placebo. Reviewers say larger athlete studies are needed.

How much CBD should a lifter take?

The FSA advises healthy adults to limit CBD to 10mg a day. One BulletCBD gummy is exactly 10mg, which makes this easy to follow.

Can tested athletes use CBD?

CBD has not been on WADA's prohibited list since 2018, but THC is still prohibited. Isolate is the lowest-risk choice, no product can guarantee a test result, and you should check batch lab reports and your federation's rules.

Does MCT oil contain CBD?

No. Pure C8 MCT Oil is 100% C8 from coconut with no CBD. It is a cooking and mixing oil that also happens to be the carrier in our isolate sprays.

The bottom line

A weightlifting recovery routine works because it is repeatable: cool down, refuel, hydrate and protect your evening. Research on CBD and resistance training is still early and mixed, so think of CBD as an optional part of a wider routine rather than the centrepiece. If you want to include it, keep within the FSA's 10mg daily advice and pick a lab-tested, 0% THC product. The easiest way to cover every part of the day is The Bullet Box, which brings together the 6000mg Mint Spray, 1000mg Gummies and Pure C8 MCT Oil for £65.99 (a saving of £17.94), with free UK delivery.

CBD food supplements are not suitable for under-18s, or for anyone pregnant or breastfeeding. If you take medication, speak to your GP or pharmacist before use. This article is general information, not medical advice. Sources: Isenmann E. et al. (2021) "Effects of Cannabidiol Supplementation on Skeletal Muscle Regeneration after Intensive Resistance Training", Nutrients 13(9):3028; Crossland B. et al. (2022) "Acute Supplementation with Cannabidiol Does Not Attenuate Inflammation or Improve Measures of Performance following Strenuous Exercise", Healthcare 10(6):1133; McCartney D. et al. (2020) "Cannabidiol and Sports Performance: a Narrative Review of Relevant Evidence and Recommendations for Future Research", Sports Medicine - Open 6:27; Food Standards Agency, "Cannabidiol (CBD)" consumer advice (gov.uk); World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.