James O' Reilly
3 sets, 15 repetitions, a dumbbell circuit, and to finish, a bit of cardio—these are the kinds of phrases almost everyone has heard before while at the gym, even the Pope.
Before becoming Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost was known to enjoy his exercise. But even now he plays tennis and swims at Castel Gandolfo.
This appreciation for exercise didn’t start recently though. When Cardinal Prevost arrived in Rome in 2023 as a prefect, he became a member of the Omega Fitness Club, a well-known gym in the area, frequently used by members of the Curia. At the time, he lived in the same building, but on the fourth floor.
His trusted person at the Omega gym was the trainer you see here, Valerio Masella, who usually guided Prevost in his exercises. He recalls that willpower and discipline was never an issue for the current Pope Leo. Even if it was just for a few minutes, training was essential for the then-cardinal.
VALERIO MASELLA
Trainer of Cardinal Prevost
I have to say it was really nice, because he trusted me a lot, as well as the rest of the staff. He would arrive and say, “Today I have 20 minutes—what should we do? Today I have half an hour—what should we do?” Sometimes it happens that people don’t feel like exercising or just aren’t in the mood. But he, on the other hand, was always very motivated and really put his trust in us.
Cardinal Prevost had an exercise routine designed by the gym, prioritizing cardio and isotonic machines, such as the elliptical, which was Prevost’s favorite. But he also trained with weights and found it easy to learn proper technique.
VALERIO MASELLA
Trainer of Cardinal Prevost
Based on a consultation that is carried out, we look at what they need and create a tailor-made program for the person.
He alternated quite a bit between cardio machine exercises and isotonic machines, these other ones.
Prevost kept hitting the gym until the end of March 2025. In April and May, his schedule changed completely because of Pope Francis' death and the conclave. Then, on May 8, he emerged as Pope Leo XIV. Shocked, his former trainer, Valerio, thought the Pope looked like someone he used to train—he then realized what had happened to one of his former clients.
VALERIO MASELLA
Trainer of Cardinal Prevost
So I saw the photo—I was here working, everyone went out to St. Peter’s Square to see the Pope. I saw the picture and thought, “What a coincidence, he looks exactly like someone I train.”
I said, “Damn, then I know him.” And then I saw that the name matched too.
Now Pope Leo XIV lives in the Apostolic Palace where one of the rooms has been turned into a small gym. There the Pope can continue his exercising—though without Valerio guiding him, and without anyone knowing just how much Pope Leo can bench press.
