Vaping and Athletics

[Odyssey in Atrophy]

Hey everyone,

I'm a pretty active individual. I play multiple sports, and I'm in the gym 7 days a week. When I was a full time cigarette smoker, I was able to maintain this workout routine while smoking 8 cigarettes a day. Yes, I knew smoking was bad for me, but I found it hard to quit. I was determined to be in shape, even if I was a smoker. So I trained hard, and I was able to stay very fit while smoking less than a half-pack a day. Now that I stopped smoking analogs and started vaping, I am hoping to get myself into even better shape.

My question is: Are there any other athletes out there who vape? I'm wondering how it affects physical performance, if at all? I'd be interested in hearing about vapers who've been vaping for a while, whilst exercising/training.

Since there are so few athletes who smoke, I assume there's also very few athletes who vape. I just hope there's someone else out there like me who might have some experience with this.

Thanks in advance,
Odyssey

 

[RedForeman]

There's more smokers at the gym than you'd expect. I mean seriously - how many do you think you are going to see hanging out in front of a gym smoking cigarettes?

I'm no athlete, but I'm in the gym 4-6 days a week doing strength training and cardio. Not surprisingly, smoking was making the cardio workouts difficult. The strength training not so much. I was one of those people that took a while tapering off smoking when I started vaping. After about 2 months I haven't had an analog in around two weeks. I don't know exactly because I really wasn't trying to quit completely and not been counting days.

Anyway, here's where I'm at:

On cardio, I used to be dying after 5 min on an elliptical. That would eventually level off and I could go 15 mins tops. Now I can go almost 15 min before really feeling any stress. I stop at 25-30 mins because I just don't have the time to go longer and spend another 15-20 mins doing ab work. This may sound kind of stupid, but my body feels more "solid" when doing cardio now as well. May be the lack of fatigue setting in so quickly and after smoking 30 years I forgot what that was like.

On strength training I had started hitting plateaus on most of my exercises. I wasn't getting out of breath or anything, but failing and de-loading while only making incremental progress. In the past 4 weeks since seriously either smoking 2-3 analogs a week and most recently none, those plateaus are behind me and I've been steadily making progress again. Hard to say that isn't coincidental.

I think another point of interest is that I'm technically overweight, but not really in an unhealthy way. I'm 6'0" and 225lb. My weight hasn't changed since I started working out about 6 months ago, but my health and shape have improved 200%. Probably just fat turning into muscle. I'm certain a better diet would lead to weight loss, but weight loss was never my target.

 

[Odyssey in Atrophy]

Wow, Red, that's great. That's the kind of info I was looking for. It's nice to know your cardio improved. I would guess everyones cardio results would improve, but you never know. We are, after all, inhaling substances into our lungs that probably shouldn't be there. But I am happy to hear that vaping hasn't affected your workouts in any negative way.

-Odyssey

 

[RedForeman]

Even some of the guys who write the books on training have had their struggles with tobacco. This article is a blog article by the guy who's strength training regimen I'm following. Everything else in the program has proven true and worked as advertised. After re-reading this article I may just check out that book he recommends.

 

[Shan B]

Me, I'm no athlete but I'll tell you the difference I've noticed in vaping.

I normally exercise 3 - 4 days a week, for about 45m. When I was smoking I was noticing after about 10 mins of a cardio warm up I was feeling quite winded. Even so just running up and down steps for 10 mins would have the same winded effect, but pushed myself to a full 45m, well. just because I need to keep my heart strong having Rheumatic Heart Disease. aka Rheumatic Fever.

I have been vaping solid for the past 4 weeks and have noticed a 500% increase on lung capacity, as well as NO shortness of breath during a whole 45m workout. Cardio, daaaang so great since I've been vaping. Step running? no issue what so ever, I have noticed I can go up and down for about 20 mins before my heart says OK time to cool down and do some basic things, sit ups, crunches, squats, etc...

Overall just doing ur basic things for me has been AWESOME vaping vs smoking and would say you will have nothing but improvements athletics wise choosing vaping over smoking. Tho since reading how hard core you are into it I would suggest maybe taping ur nicotine intake over the course of a few months to where you're not even vaping anymore, that would prob be best for anyone who has trouble breathing with serious athletic training.

Best Regards and Kudos for busting ur .... to stay fit and healthy!

 

[Odyssey in Atrophy]

Thanks Shan! Wow, you smoked and have Rheumatic heart disease? My goodness. I think it's great that you exercise as much as you do. Hearing about your lung capacity improvements really has me optimistic about the upcoming months. I don't consider myself very 'hard core' about working out. I know 7 days a week sounds like a lot, but two of those 7 days are Yoga.

An interesting test subject might be someone who never smoked, but started vaping. I wonder how their workout routine was affected, if at all. I doubt we'll find anyone like that here, as all these vapers seem to be former smokers.

-Odyssey

 

[Shan B]

Yes, my mom told me from the time I started smoking (14) that I was a sucker for punishment. My doctor however suggested I quit smoking, but also said it would have no future damage on my heart, but would cause irreversible lung damage. I haven't felt this healthy well since I was 14, vaping is a GREAT experience for me.

Exercise is a MUST in ALL forms, even for those who have heart disease, but always know your limits and do in moderation.

In your upcoming months, as well as mine, we will both see even more lung capacity. Proven that after about 4 months of non-smoking your lungs will have rebuilt themselves 80% Right now mine are probably only at 40-50%, but hey better than hacking my lungs out with smoke because the tissues are being blocked with tar.

As far as Yoga, ha. Great stuff! My sis does it and has lost amazing amounts of weight (approx 50lbs). I do Yoga here and there to cleanse my mind and get a good stretch.

My friend has never smoked in his life, vapes on a VK 0mg nic and says he hasn't noticed any change in lung capacity, he's a trained swimmer. He has been vaping 0mg flavor for about 7 months. So I assume if it was going to limit his lungs it would have already done so, but people are built differently and have different experiences vaping.

GL on ur search to see if a non-smoking vaper has had any issues with any form of athletics or exercise.

I would like to know if there's any adverse effects or any issues as well. Thanks for opening this thread!!!

 

[ropetrick]

I'm a pretty avid cyclist (about 6000 miles last year), and I have not noticed any issues or performance hit since I started vaping more. The one exception is probably dehydration, and I'm unsure what to do with that. It probably won't be much of an issue in the fall and winter. I hope.

Dehydration is a serious problem, and I don't really understand where it comes from. I've read a bunch of theories on here, but nothing definitive. Apparently nicotine itself suppresses diuresis, so something in the vaping or the base liquids must be seriously drying me out. I'm guessing it has to do with the exhaled water vapor, but that's only a guess.

Do keep an eye on things like your heart rate. It's easy to over-vape at first, and if you work out hard with an already-elevated heart rate, that might be unpleasant.

 

[Odyssey in Atrophy]

Thanks for the info Ropetrick. I will take a look at the dehydration issues associated with vaping. So far, I've only noticed a dry feeling in my throat, but no overall dehydration to speak of yet. Again, I've only vaped for about 28 hours so far. If I find any new info on dehydration, I'll post it here. Thanks again for the input.

 

[BiohazardVideo]

I'm a pretty avid cyclist (about 6000 miles last year), and I have not noticed any issues or performance hit since I started vaping more. The one exception is probably dehydration, and I'm unsure what to do with that. It probably won't be much of an issue in the fall and winter. I hope.

Dehydration is a serious problem, and I don't really understand where it comes from. I've read a bunch of theories on here, but nothing definitive. Apparently nicotine itself suppresses diuresis, so something in the vaping or the base liquids must be seriously drying me out. I'm guessing it has to do with the exhaled water vapor, but that's only a guess.

Do keep an eye on things like your heart rate. It's easy to over-vape at first, and if you work out hard with an already-elevated heart rate, that might be unpleasant.

The inhaling of vaporized glycerine dehydrates, whether PG or VG, just a side effect of vaping...

I play airsoft, but no gym, I can breath a lot better and my endurance is way up. Since I carry 2.5 liters of water as a part of my loadout hydration isn't an issue... My loadout consists of:

1 M249 (SAW) with a 2500 box mag 15lbs
1 Tac vest w/hydration bladder 20lbs
Misc gear and safety equipment 15lbs

Nothing like shooting your buddies up with 6mm plastic bb's and laughing about it in the parking lot after...

 

[ropetrick]

I will take a look at the dehydration issues associated with vaping. So far, I've only noticed a dry feeling in my throat, but no overall dehydration to speak of yet.

I think a few nicotine side-effects are mistaken for dehydration. Dry mouth, sore throat, dry/sore eyes. I wouldn't fret about those yet, and they'll probably improve with time. Let us know how it goes.

 

[christina7]

well I used to run marathons and be a closet smoker I quit cold turkey (running) and am now a powerlifter. At a meet I would sneak outside for a smoke between lifts...and be joined by many other competitors. We all agreed the nicotine gave us the edge. I have noticed since I started vaping that my numbers have been going down. But I"m blaming it on the program I'm on. Since I am still getting my nicotine. Endurance wise, I noticed last weekend that I can flip tires for a longer period of time without feeling like my lungs were going to rip outa my body. now my legs scream first. I think that is a good sign.

c.

 

[andygee]

I was a 25 cig/day smoker. I also biked 9,000 miles per year and would hit the elliptical when I couldn't ride. I'm juggling a lot of issues -- making sure I don't need a second knee surgery, managing my time, managing blood pressure with no medication, maintaing my weight (now 6'2" /185 but if I stopped training I would balloon upto 250 in no time flat.) As a smoker, I could easily maintain 750-800 Kcal/hr in the gym or cover ground at 19-20 mph on the bike. I had hoped that even at my age I could eke out a little more speed by cutting down the smokes (to 4 per day.) No such luck, but my rest pulse is down to 53 from 58 in two months of e-cigs and light smoking. Hill climbing doesn't wind me any more. I'm afraid that I need less energy (to get oxygenated) to do the same work, but my ancient carcass just can't get any more speed, so the calories will build up. The obvious solution is to get a better bike, and I may do that. My wife thinks I should add more weight training; she may be right but I think it's stultifying when I could be flying through the fresh air, and besides, my little dog loves it when i ride her in the basket. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Pav]

I've never been super athletic, but I've noticed the improvement after going from 1-2 packs a day to vaping when I play hockey or hit the elliptical. I had stopped hockey for about 5 years and started up again when I was smoking. My cardio was terrible. Much better now when I hit the ice or the elliptical machine. I notice on the elliptical that when I check my heartrate it's not as high as when I used to smoke. I also seem to have more energy in general which makes it easier just to get up off my .... and start a workout. Vaping is definitely a plus in my book.

 

[kylewinther]

Those are some great stories. I personally think it is very important to stay in shape, and if the electronic cigarette has helped your workouts, then that is great!