Rome – Pope Leo XIV, the world’s first American pope, is not just known for his theology and leadership but also for his surprising fitness. Before becoming pope, Robert Prevost followed a workout routine that kept him in great shape, even at 69 years old.
Valerio Masella, a 26-year-old gym instructor at the Omega gym near the Vatican, trained Prevost regularly. Masella only realized his client was the future pope when he saw him dressed in white on St. Peter’s balcony. “I thought, ‘I train this person!’” he said.
Prevost started coming to the gym in 2023 after moving to Rome to work at the Vatican. He often arrived in a tracksuit for 45-minute workouts, sometimes accompanied by his secretary, Father Edgard Ivan Rimaycuna.
Masella shared the pope’s workout routine with me. It begins with a 10-minute ride on an exercise bike, followed by a 10-minute fast walk on a treadmill with an incline. Then, the strength training starts.
Using a press machine, Prevost lifted 15 kilograms with each arm, doing 20 repetitions, resting, and repeating for three to four sets. Next, he used a low-pull machine, pulling 25 kilograms with each arm for four sets of ten. Masella explained that this exercise helps strengthen the shoulders and triceps.
“I was struggling after just ten pulls,” I admitted. “If the pope can do this, he must be very fit under his robes.”
Masella said Prevost used these exercises to keep his shoulders straight and maintain good posture. Despite training such a famous client, Masella prefers to focus on helping all gym members rather than promoting himself as the “pope’s trainer.”
The gym owner, Alessandro Tamburlani, hopes Pope Leo’s fitness will inspire Catholics worldwide to stay active. “If the Pope can do it, everyone can,” he said. Tamburlani also hopes that staying fit will help the pope live a longer, healthier life.
Pope Leo XIV’s dedication to fitness shows that even world leaders can benefit from regular exercise – a lesson for all of us.
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