Marijuana-friendly athletic gym to open in San Francisco this fall

A file photo of the Four-Twenty Games held at Hellyer County Park in San Jose. A file photo of the Four-Twenty Games held at Hellyer County Park in San Jose. Image 1 of / 32 Caption Close Marijuana-friendly athletic gym to open in San Francisco this fall 1 / 32 Back to Gallery

Beginning this fall, cannabis users will be able to enjoy both getting high and bench pressing weights at the same time.

Jim McAlpine, a cannabis industry entrepreneur who you may recognize as a co-founder of the 420 Games in San Francisco, has just unveiled his newest venture: a 6,000-square foot pot-friendly gym.

"I think sports will become one of the bigger pieces of the marijuana industry," McAlpine says in a 420 Games blog post. "It's very much in line with the idea that people and society are starting to understand that marijuana is medicine. Marijuana, if you use it in a responsible way, accentuates the parts of sports that you love and helps you to do them better."

While there isn't really much evidence to his last point there — science is divided on the ways it may help or hinder athletes — McAlpine is nonetheless pursuing plans to open a gym in the fall, called Power Plant Fitness. The venture is also backed by former NFL running back Ricky Williams, who was routinely accused of marijuana use during his 12-year career.

And though there will undoubtedly be critics opposing the gym, there will also be fans. For those who enjoy the calm state that cannabis provides, for example, the gym may be a place of refuge. "Marijuana relaxes me and allows me to go into a controlled, meditational place," Colorado gym owner Clifford Drusinsky told Men's Journal about working out after smoking. "When I get high, I train smarter and focus on form."

The new gym will, however, be cautious in the implementation of cannabinoid use. First, new members will be required to undergo a "cannabis performance assessment" with staff members to find out just how much marijuana they should have before beginning a workout. Patrons will be be allowed to consume edibles and vape at the gym itself (San Francisco law prohibits smoking weed indoors), and buy edibles to ease post-workout soreness.

"Currently smoking inside will not be allowed but we will be building an outdoor smoking area for those that want to smoke flower via a pipe, bong or joint," McAlpine tells SFGATE. "However, it is worth noting, we endorse vaping and edibles over smoking due to it being more healthy."

The founders are currently in the final stages of setting up a lease in San Francisco (and are also searching for space in Los Angeles and San Diego), and hope to open the Bay Area space in late October or early November.

Alyssa Pereira is a staff writer for SFGATE. Follow her here on Twitter.