For the night owls who prefer to warm up while the rest of the neighborhood is winding down, I see you. Not everyone is built to sweat with the sunrise or do calisthenics during lunch breaks, some folks prefer to pursue their physical peak in the p.m. And as a self-proclaimed stoner-gym-goer, I know that regardless of when you prefer to perspire, there are infinite cultivars to explore in the quest for cannabinoid fueled fitness. And likely, there’s one that fits you like a fingerless weightlifting glove.
Making time for fitness is tricky, regardless of your everyday schedule, but whenever my calendar shifts, these eight strains have made my nighttime fitness routine smooth and reliable.
Gelato
Balanced hybrids like Gelato have the potential to be fantastically responsive. This strain’s genetics lends itself to both perky and subdued head and body highs. Users report a swooning onset that builds gently in euphoric energy before plateauing into something decidedly more relaxed and soothing. The pronounced cerebral rush that introduces the high could be the quick start folks need to engage with their workout right off the bat, and the sweet descent could potentially be an ideal cap to an otherwise average end-of-day sweat fest.
Gelato is a cross between Sunset Sherbet and Thin Mint GSC, first cultivated by Mario Guzman. Expect a high THC percentage (18 – 25%), a candy-sweet nose and, a fruity, botanical exhale.
Tangie Biscotti
Produced exclusively by Oregon fave Pruf Cultivar, Tangie Biscotti is another balanced hybrid whose effects are not limited by genetics. Consumers uphold this strain not just for it’s breathtaking onset, but also for the quiet bliss that escalates somewhat dramatically before deflating into a soft and tranquil body high. Personally, I love this strain for a low impact, 20-30 minute circuit. The high arrives with a tenacity that feels like jet fuel but quickly tapers off and is replaced by mild euphoria. By the time I’ve hit the 30 minute mark on my workout, the euphoria becomes baked into a manageable sedative buzz, and I’m ready to conk out with some electrolytes and TV.
Tangie Biscotti is a cross of Tangie and GSC, with an average THC percentage around 25%. Expect a sour, grassy perfume and a funky fruit exhale.
Midnight
Midnight was cultivated by Tikun Olam to treat nausea, but the cultivar’s effects go far beyond therapeutic applications. Midnight fans appreciate the strain not just for pain management and inflammation relief, but also for its ability to ease social anxiety and enhance sexual performance.
Feeling capable enough to chat up an elevator full of Nobel Prize winners — or amorous enough to flutter a few of their genius eyelashes — is precisely the type of energy that makes for exceptionally effective workouts, day or night. Plus, the 1:1 CBD to THC ratio keeps the head high grounded and the body high protected from even the most strenuous step routines.
Midnight’s genetics are kept under lock and key, but users can expect THC and CBD percentages to be around 10%. Expect an earthy, berry-rich fragrance and an herbal exhale.
Blueberry Space Cake
Consumers who intend to end their day with a post p.m. workout should consider Blueberry Space Cake. Don’t be fooled by this strain’s morphology, BSC may be classified as an indica-hybrid, but this cultivar has more than enough sativa genetics to inspire a purposeful increase in heart rate. Those who enjoy this strain report a high that arrives as giggly and effervescent before relaxing into its namesake calm, dreamy spaciness. I personally appreciate this strain’s space-cadet head high and weighted body high for slow, lazy yoga flows or for disassociating from reality while pedaling my stationary bike on its lowest resistance.
Blueberry Space Cake is a 15% THC hybrid developed by Cresco Labs and is parented by Outer Space and Alien Dutchess, both objectionably delicious strains. Expect a bright, botanical aroma with underlying notes of ripe fruit and sour lemon that lingers in a tangy-sweet aftertaste.
Zkittles
The loose, languid high of Zkittles defies conventional classification. Genetically, the strain is an indica forward hybrid, but the majority of consumers describe highs that mirror those of landrace sativas, featuring effects like sparkling energy, crystalline focus, and rubbery limbs. My own fitness experience with this strain inspired a hybrid cardio-yoga flow that began with vivacious energy and unfolded into something ethereal and sedate. The effect developed in surprising ways, tapping into multiple chakras without ever feeling overwhelming. Considering how nuanced these effects are, it’s no wonder Zkittles won both a Cannabis Cup and an Emerald Cup for indica cultivar.
Zkittles (aka Skittles, Skittlez, or Zkittlez) is bred from a cross of Grape Ape and Grapefruit developed by California-based seed company 3rd Generation Family. Expect approximately 19% THC, and a perfume reminiscent of a bag of Skittles candies with an inhale to match.
Grateful Breath
For those special days when my workout absolutely must begin with some manner of meditation, Grateful Breath is a go-to strain. The onset blossoms like a lotus flower, leaving me feeling physically tender, psychically radiant, and completely nonplussed by whatever melodrama that preceded the arrival of the high.
When the hurdles of the day feel insurmountable, and my much needed endorphin-induced bliss is just out of physical or emotional reach, this strain offers the perspective needed to overcome the mountains I’ve made out of molehills. Especially when those mountains are fitness and those molehills are anxiety.
Grateful breath is a cross of Cherry Pie Kush with Joseph F1 with a THC concentration of about 24%. The resulting flowers are peppery and fruity, with a berry sweet exhale.
Sapphire OG
Sapphire OG is named for the sapphire blue undertones in its fluffy flowers, but comparing this indica-forward strain to a rare and precious gem is only sort-of hyperbole. Sapphire is indeed rare and precious, but the genetics are hardly clandestine. This strain was bred by backcrossing Florida OG and Afghan, but the resulting flowers have a charisma (and a THC concentration of anywhere from 14 – 25%) all their own. The head high is spacey, but the body high is syrupy and heavy. When the workout of the evening is an elegant interpretive dance moment, or a low impact step-touch aerobic routine, Sapphire OG will make the whole groove drip with soap opera glam.
Expect a pungent diesel perfume and a rich, chocolatey inhale with notes of citrus on the back end. Consumers also report Sapphire OG as excellent in treating migraines, chronic pain, and depression.
Gushers
Gushers is an indica-forward hybrid with some markedly sativa effects, namely the explosive onset that offers consumers a bright, energetic body high and elated head high. Those perky effects, however, dissipate soon after arrival, leaving you in the kind of tingly, relaxed state that pairs well with most at-home cardio efforts.
I personally prefer Gushers for weekend workouts when I tend to overdo it; the onset pushes me to my limits, but the ultra-chill plateau keeps me from over-exerting. The head highs are light and playful, while the body high keeps me anchored to my workout. And once I’m done, the earned relaxation is so much sweeter than it would have been if I’d stayed on the couch all night. Of course, your results may vary.
Gushers is bred from Gelato #41 and Triangle Kush, the resulting flowers are deep green and lightly sugared with approximately 14 -15% THC. Expect a sour botanical fragrance and a sweet, tropical punch on the exhale.
Featured image by Gina Coleman/Weedmaps
