CrossFit Villa Albani.
When I first heard I had the opportunity to go to Rome, the first thing I did was look up CrossFit gyms. I expected to find a couple but I found more than a dozen… My question was, which one should I pick? I looked for locations near me, I had a few options about the same distance. The next thing I did was to look up the affiliated boxes at CrossFit.com. I found that only a few of them were affiliated, I visited the webpages of each of those and decided to drop in CrossFit Villa Albani. I made the right choice!
This time, I traveled for work, I was there not just to visit a box, I knew I had to be smart about the use of my time. I went straight from the airport to CrossFit Villa Albani. When I got there, around 11:00 am it was open gym. I was immediately welcomed and asked how long I had been a CrossFitter and if I would be able to work on my own following their WOD. So, there I went… I immediately connected with the couple athletes that were there working on their skills and keeping up with their fitness. I was invited to join them in their workout and asked if there was anything I needed.
I was able to meet Simonetta, the owner, who immediately welcomed me and offered to workout with me the next day, unfortunately the timing did not allow it. I promised her to comeback and I did, a few months later I went back to CrossFit Villa Albani. We had so much fun working out together. We pulled a car on a busy street of Rome, created our own WOD and I happened to drop in at the same time than a couple of Master athletes that had just participated in the CrossFit Games who were dropping in. We all had fun together.
Simonetta spent a few years in Miami where she learned about CrossFit and brought it back with her to Italy. CrossFit Villa Albani was the first CrossFit Gym in Rome. You can tell she loves CrossFit, cares about her box, coaching staff and athletes. She also knows how to have fun. She transmits her energy to the box it’s just a fun place to workout. Lots of smiles while getting fit.
I liked the programming. I found a good combination of lifting and gymnastics. The weights for RX were good and what I am used to. I worked out in the morning, most of the athletes had been CrossFitting for a year or less, scaling was allowed.
The coaching was great, I was able to meet 3 or the coaches and was happy with their knowledge and encouragement. They paid attention to my lifting and gymnastics moves making sure they contributed to my growth by making suggestions or complementing me for my performance. They also made sure I understood what I was suppose to do or translated if needed. The athletes, were friendly and kind, looked happy to be there, they made sure to make me feel welcomed and introduced themselves.
The box is well equipped, with good use of space, it has 2 floors, upstairs you find the air bikes, ropes, some boxes, a pull up bar and lots of signatures of its visitors on its walls. Down stairs you have the free weights, lifting platforms, pull up stations, kettle bells, wall balls, ab mats and more. But really, in CrossFit Villa Albani everything goes, and things can be moved around if the goal is to have a fun WOD. It has a surround sound system playing good music that inspires you to dance and workout.
Drop in prices, if you are there longer than just a day the prices get better, otherwise it is 20 Euros a day. They have T-shirts available.
I have had the fortune to visit CrossFit Villa Albani in 3 different occasions, I could have chosen to visits different gyms, but for some reason it just felt right to go back, it feels like a home away from home.
Drop in CrossFit Villa Albani!!!
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Good morning, me and my partner are on our honeymoon trip and we are catching the train to Rome this afternoon to spend 3 nights there. We are wondering if you do casual passes for your gym so we can join some classes whilst we are in town and what would be the cost? Thank you