I Smoked Weed Before 3 Workout Classes and Ranked My Experiences From Worst to Best

Given marijuana's anti-inflammatory and energy-boosting properties, I decided to put it to the test by getting high before my favorite classes. I love vaping while running errands, so I figured it'd also make workouts a little more enjoyable. For many, weed and exercise might not seem like a natural fit — but with the right strain, it can be. While smoking indicas will most likely keep you glued to your couch, smoking the right sativa can have you up and running (literally). Before each of the following workouts, I made sure to smoke the same weed (Canndescent's Charge) for a somewhat controlled experiment. See my experiences, ranked from worst to best, below.

On a scale of one (do not recommend) to 10 (enjoyable), this experience was a solid negative two. I'm not sure why I thought being high in high heat sounded like such a great idea, but I quickly learned that it was not. The normally bearable heat felt suffocating within the first few minutes, and I completely forgot to take cotton mouth into consideration. Even while smoking at home, I make sure to have water nearby at all times to keep my mouth from feeling dry. So you can imagine how dehydrated I felt in a hot, dark studio where I was continuously dripping in sweat for 50 minutes. One of the reasons I love Ritual so much is because you move and breathe to loud music. But having to pause every few minutes to take a sip of water disrupted my flow completely.

This high-intensity class is by far my favorite workout of all time. Not only is it effective, but I really appreciate its fast pace and blaring playlists. But sadly, getting through this class while high was no f*cking joke. Aside from feeling slightly uncomfortable and in my head (everyone here knows I'm high), the quick pace I normally love really worked against me in this state. Weed has the ability to dull pain, and I made the mistake of pushing myself even harder because I couldn't accurately gauge how my body was responding. While I felt like I was a seasoned marathon runner during the first treadmill round (FYI, I've never run a marathon in my life), the second I slowed down, I felt like I was about to pass out. It was great to test my own limits, but I felt so not in tune with my body, and smoking beforehand personally made this already-tough class even tougher.

I enjoyed being high during this studio's full-body sculpt class the most, mainly because it made the repetitive moves feel less tedious. As great as barre is for toning, there's always another side to do, making routines highly predictable. Since it's not a high-cardio workout, I never felt like I was unable to control my breath. It also helped that our instructor had a great playlist going throughout the hour. Though barre isn't my favorite type of workout (if you haven't already noticed, I need a dark room, loud music, and a fast pace), smoking beforehand did give me that extra kick I needed to get myself out of my home and into a studio. And it did make class more enjoyable, which is what I was most looking for.

Overall, I recommend smoking/vaping weed (or taking a low-dose edible) before low-impact classes first. Once you get a feel for it, experiment with more cardio-heavy workouts to see whether or not you notice an improvement in your fitness or studio experience. I'd even test the waters by getting high and trying some at-home yoga to start. Who knows? You may learn that weed and workouts are your thing!