Fitness, Recovery and Physical Therapy: The Benefits of Melt CBD Lotion
By: Aaron Marcotte
Hi, My name is Aaron! I have been a personal trainer, group fitness instructor and all around athletic fanatic for the past 12 years. I started my relationship with movement, and fitness as a professional dancer - touring around the world, and even working on the Great White Way. (editor’s note: this means Broadway). Between jobs, I would use my free time to study and gain certifications in various methods of fitness, and movement that appealed to me. I got my Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology, in San Francisco, and have since also completed a myriad of technical and practical certifications. I love teaching group fitness classes, pilates, strength work, and I also compete as a physique athlete and powerlifter. All that being said, I am otherwise your typical southern California beach bud. I’ve got an awesome dog, who is my best friend. I live and work in the mecca of fitness on the west coast, LA. I love carbs unabashedly. And I am a HUGE fan and vocal proponent of Cannabis use for relaxation, peace of mind, and general wellness.
For the past 5 years, I have lived and worked in Los Angeles successfully as a personal trainer, and Fitness Instructor. I’m proud of my abilities to create and lead training programs tailored keenly to people’s needs, and to offer science-based methods of training, and recovery. People are always stoked when I write a new workout for them - and even more excited when they see how hard it is. People like to do the most for that body, but many don’t make the proper effort to recover and rest. The truth is, it’s the R&R that accompanies the work, that will deliver you better, and safer results. Don’t be one of those people who forgets that what you do in the gym is only half the journey.
I am constantly seeking methods of recovery that are easy, accessible, and exciting. - It’s one thing to light a fire in a class full of athletes (of any level), it’s another to encourage people to chill out and unwind! Subsequently for the past 5 years I’ve watched closely as our city, state, and country have embraced the use of medicinal and recreational cannabis in relieving ailments such as anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, chronic pains, and nausea, and ever so slowly, I watched my highly critical athletic subculture discover cannabis as an outstanding resource for sports recovery.
More recently, within the last couple of years, CBD was introduced to me as one of the primary Cannabinoids in Cannabis, in cahoots to THC. As a wary consumer and ardent health-nut, I wondered if these recovery claims were just good marketing, or if there was something to it.
I’ve always been a huge fan of THC products (mainly flower) as a method of relaxation, and recovery. To give it a true test, I took a hiatus from THC and focused on using only CBD products in the form of both ingestibles, and ALL the topicals (oil form, ointments, creams and lotions, patches, balms, and salves). That’s how I’ve found myself here - Kush Queen quickly became one of my favorite brands because I could tell from the get-go that these were quality products made with a real purpose.
Cut to: Kush Queens MELT - truly one of the best products available in its form. Being a powerlifter, Spin instructor, Pilates Guru, and HIIT Coach, my body goes through an enormous amount of duress DAILY, and MELT CBD Lotion has been one of the greatest tools I’ve ever used for regeneration, relaxation, and recovery.
Less than 5 minutes after applying Melt to any of my sore or achy muscles, I begin to feel what I can only literally describe as a warm glow… Like an angel snuggle… and that warmth gets deeper and deeper. People often complain about soreness, and do nothing to help alleviate it, OR even worse, decide to skip workouts, or pass on other engagements because they are too fatigued, or sore. When we decrease inflammation (aka the main thing that CBD does) our muscles immediately feel less sore, and we’re able to use our bodies more naturally (ala getting off the couch and doing literally anything). Less soreness and more natural movement allows our bods to circulate fresh blood and oxygen to the muscles, aiding in faster recovery!
I have been blown away by the anti-inflammatory effects of MELT, something I’ve not experienced from a lot of topicals pushed in front of me. I have even extended MELT to some of my more challenging clients who work with special circumstances. I often work with pre, and post-op clients in physical therapy, and also aid clients with severe muscular challenges, including chronic fatigue syndrome. With their permission, and doctors “OK”, I recently utilized MELT in several therapy and massage sessions. No surprise, but clients reported almost immediate relief, and pain reduction - which is huge for people who are in pain, basically ALL of the time. It helps that MELT is so easily absorbed by the skin without leaving any greasy residue. The essential oils in MELT give it a light freshness rounding out the experience.
One of my clients lives with severe Multiple Sclerosis, which causes intense inflammation and pain all over the left side of her body. She often wakes up with joints so severely swollen that large portions of our appointments are spent simply getting out of bed, and lightly walking. I spoke with her about trying MELT as a topical to see if it might help. When I first met her, our goals were very conservative: find ways to use the muscle, and strength that she has to help her maintain a certain quality of life. Our biggest challenge is working through pain and fatigue, and if we experience too much pain, the body will find ways to compensate with other muscles, which could lead to imbalances, and injuries, if we maltrain. I started asking her to apply MELT directly to her ankles, knees, lower back, and shoulders - before bed, and first thing in the morning. My goal was to at least relieve some inflammation and pain, just to help her have quality rest. The effects and relief brought by using MELT were literally life-changing for her, and our progress together. Her endurance, flexibility, mobility, and willingness to work have improved tenfold. While there is no cure for MS, there are hundreds of drugs, and methods on the market claiming to help treat the pain and discomfort - few are as effective and natural as MELT.
Another client of mine just turned 40 and had been struggling with post-op pain having had both his knees operated on and a hip replacement surgery! He is a very active, very fit, handsome fella who was an Olympic Skier in his 20’s and 30’s. Years of wear and tear on his joints caused some major issues forcing him to retire his professional career, but he’s determined to maintain an athletic lifestyle. We work tirelessly on strengthening his body and BEFORE we started using MELT pre-and post session, he would wince and yell at how uncomfortable even simple functional movement would be - ie: sitting down, standing up, walking up stairs. Once we started using MELT combined with some light massage and stretching, he is experiencing a whole new relationship with his body! He uses MELT morning and evening to help soothe any inflammation he experiences and is making massive strides in progress.
I see you Kush Queen…
The fitness industry is constantly evolving and changing as we discover more about our bodies. If there’s any free advice I can offer you that remains consistent, it’s this: bust your ass in your gym, or class; Take the time to relax and recover; Reward your efforts with good food and naps, and go grab some MELT and get that glow-up. Your body looks awesome, now go make yourself feel awesome.
Don’t forget to follow and tag @kushqueenshop & @kushqueenco in your Instagram posts and stories!
Convinced and ready to try our Melt CBD Pain Relief Lotion? Shop Kush Queen below!