Sara Skarp

Eight years ago I was working out at your typical gym when I started searching for something new.  11 years ago CrossFit wasn’t nearly as popular as it was today so when I Googled “CrossFit near me” the closest gym was a half hour away in Enfield, CT.  

Still not being deterred, I called the number and spoke to Andrew who explained to me that, indeed, he was running a gym out of his garage.  You would have thought that it would have ended there but he seemed like a nice kid and offered me a free class to check it out, so I did.

I showed up on a chilly late November Saturday morning and was pleasantly surprised to see that I wasn’t the only lunatic at this guy’s house.  I remember doing box jumps and burpees on his partially frozen front lawn and I was hooked!  Thankfully, the garage was fairly short lived (because truth be told I’m not really sure how that space is even called a garage as I don’t think you could park anything but a Mini Cooper in there!) and Romeo Athletics moved into 1 bay at 7 Moody Road where we are today.  The one bay was at least bigger that the garage but it certainly wasn’t any warmer or any fancier.  

We worked out on bare concrete floors and did pull ups on a homemade bar made out of pipe.  (We did love that pull up bar though because the more people you got on it the more flex you got out of it, which made for great kipping!)  Eventually we expanded into two bays, and finally the three bays that we know today.

What has kept me going from the very beginning is the amazing community that Andrew and Kate have built.  As more gyms were opening near me it never crossed my mind to leave Romeo Athletics.  I’m 11 years older now and my fitness needs and goals have changed.  Andrew has always respected that and gives me options to do what’s right for me.  I love that he has added in Bootcamp programming, as that is what works for me most of the time, though I’ll still occasionally throw a barbell around, too!  

This is truly Functional Fitness and the things I have done and continue to do in the gym I know will continue to help me be the healthiest version of me that I can be.

I am grateful to be a part of such an amazing community! It has been so fun to watch Andrew and Kate not only add to their business but to their own family as well!  I’m excited for the future of Romeo Athletics, and hope to continue to be the OG member for many years to come!

Arnie Craven

There are obvious benefits we all see for being in better shape.  Most people want to get in shape for vanity reasons. I won’t lie, this was a part of the reason for my journey, but it was not the deciding factor that changed my world.  

To understand my journey we have to start at the low point.  At my worst I was a 6’3” male, who weighed in at a doctor’s office at 315lbs.  I had not weighed myself in a long time and I was only doing it because I needed a physical for a new job.  The number on the scale was both alarming and demoralizing as I had never been over 300lbs before. My whole life I was “the big kid,” I was born at over 10lbs and there’s not a day in my childhood that I was not the largest kid in the room.  When playing sports, coaches used to tell me that I couldn’t be as aggressive because I might hurt some of the other kids; I was always picked to play goalie in soccer. Ultimately, what I am trying to say is I was used to be fat. It didn’t bother me, and in truth, usually gave me the freedom to do whatever I wanted because I already knew how others viewed me.

Most people argue that if you exercise, you will get in better shape but that isn’t necessarily true.  I had exercised before this, I played sports and I lifted weights, but I never truly understood what I was doing.  I always ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Fast food wasn’t a special treat it was a daily meal. Exercising and having the desire to be better was never the problem...the problem was I had no plan, no idea how to get better, and nobody to help me along the way.  I always understood that if I wanted to make a significant change, I was going to need help, and that ultimately, the results would come from my decision to put in the effort and stick to a plan.

That is when I decided to approach Andrew Romeo to discuss a plan to control the outcome.  I put it simply to him that for me to be successful for the rest of my life, I was going to need more energy and to be in much better shape. He sat me down and told me what it would take to get this done. The commitment I made was that I was no longer making the decisions; I made the only one that mattered and that was trusting him. From that day forward my motto was to “Shut Up and Do What You Are Told.”   Seems like a simple enough thing but after about a week I realized it wasn’t.

The outcome was simple:  I am now a 6’3 male who weighs 215lbs!  I am no longer the fat kid. The first time I realized that, it was a weird.  Now I can walk into a room of people who don’t know the “old you” and they can’t believe I was ever that big.  Every person who did know me before asks me how I did it, and the answer I give every time is that I found Rome, told him what I wanted to accomplish, and then “Shut Up and Did What I Was Told.”

Honestly, it wasn’t easy, and there were days I hated it, times I just wanted to go eat some Taco Bell, but I always reminded myself that we made a commitment not only to me but to Rome. If he wasn’t going to quit on our commitment, then I wasn’t going to be the person who quit first.  It took two years of dieting, exercising, and complaining, but here I am 100lbs lighter!

If you are someone who is looking to get stronger, leaner, and in better shape than you have ever been before, all I can say is put your trust in Rome.  He will guide you to where you want to be...you just need to be patient and get out of your own way. He will put a diet and exercise plan together for you that will transform you into what you want to be.  And remember that he is investing his time into you, so don’t be the one to break that commitment first.

James Stephenson

I was in a lot of pain until Romeo Athletics helped to change my life around.

I’ve been a professional Automotive Technician for 20 years.  I’m constantly on my feet stomping around on concrete floors, lifting heavy parts using improper form, and putting myself in compromising physical positions to do what I love; but it takes a toll on my back.  About 15 years ago I was getting ready to leave work when I had to finish one final job. As I bent down to pick up a small tire and put it on a car, I felt a small twinge in my back. I thought nothing of it and just continued working.

Later that night I found myself in the Emergency Room.  Turns out that years of working out in a gym with improper form coupled with  years of working on cars had damaged my back. My issue was a herniated L3 and L4, and after years of pain the back issue was taking a serious toll on me.  I have seen specialist after specialist, had beds made specifically for me (yes, more than one), bought every lower back contraption that I thought would help, and I still found myself in the ER 2-3x a year with back issues.  My back would regularly give out without warning--I was having trouble doing my job and I had forgotten what a weight room even looked like. In October 2014 I had been to the ER for the final time. I was at my breaking point; this was no way to live.  I decided to see another specialist and was told that I would need surgery. This surgery was somewhat major and would require me to be out of work for a period of time as well as reduce movement and range of motion in my future.

The following day Rome happened to come into my work to get his truck serviced and we got to talking about Romeo Athletics.  I was clearly overweight at the time weighing in at just over 260 lbs at only 6’ tall. I was essentially a big puffy circle that had trouble tying his own shoes without having back trouble.  Rome convinced me to give him 90 days to help me. He suggested some training and diet changes that would help ease the pressure on my back. Knowing I was in a bad situation and I didn’t really want surgery, I took him up on his offer. That was easily the best health decision I’ve made for myself and my family.

I started personal training with Rome in January of 2015 when I was 262 lbs.  By March I was down to 230 lbs, by December I was 210 lbs and looked better than I did throughout my 20’s.  It’s now been almost 3 years and I haven’t been to the ER for my back one single time; I haven’t had any surgeries, and I’m easily in the best physical shape I’ve ever been in.

I’m not saying it was easy.  Some days were downright awful.  But with Rome’s support, the additional as-needed “kick in the butt” to get me motivated, and the support of the entire Romeo Athletics community there was no way I wasn’t going to hit my goals.

I’m very pleased with the results that I’ve worked for over the years.  I’m also very proud to be part of a gym that continuously gives back to the community and supports its members professionally and personally. Everyday won’t be easy having Rome as a trainer, but nothing worth it ever is.

Brandy Zuber

Going on a decade, Romeo Athletics has been my wellness partner.  Andrew has trained me and members of my family, and genuinely cares about our well-being.  What is most inspiring, is Andrew and his team’s mission to customize programming, as my goals have changed over the years.  In the beginning I was focused on learning proper movements and hitting PRs. As time went on, I paid more attention to nutrition and endurance.  When I was pregnant, I was still hitting PRs in my first trimester and slowly began to scale WODs so I was safely able to work-out up until the evening I went into labor – literally!  Now, I schedule fitness around a busy home and work schedule. Sometimes it is at the gym, and sometimes it is at my son’s t-ball practice – all the time it is incorporating what I have learned from Romeo Athletics.

My family loves going to the gym, and considers it part of our normal routine.  Everyone knows each other by name, and no matter what time or day of the week you show up, it is guaranteed that you will leave more inspired than when you arrived.

It is a community and culture unlike any other I have experienced. It is competitive yet collaborative, and there is always a cheerleader present, even if that person is yelling at you to move faster because they know you can.

I cannot imagine my or my family’s life without Romeo Athletics.  We have met amazing friends, stayed healthy and motivated, and gained an enrichment that can only be earned through pushing the limits of what you think is possible.  Thank you Romeo Athletics – I look forward to another ten years!!!

Debbie Wright

I have been a member of Romeo Athletics for almost a decade which sometimes seems unbelievable! When I reflect on my fitness journey here,  I appreciate and love that my kids have also benefited from the great classes and positive environment. It’s been something we enjoy together and it’s something we all feel great about.

All you have to do is walk through the door and you’ll get a better workout than you can imagine! The community of members that Romeo Athletics draws continues to amaze me.

The people are so much more than friends, they are such a caring group of motivated people that come together to support and encourage each other in and outside of class.

This has become a very special part of my family’s life, one that has always been and will be extremely special.

Jamie Hurley

I joined Romeo Athletics in 2009 looking for a workout that was something different and would force me to push harder than I would on my own. At that point in my life I was starting down the path of being very unhealthy, and was gaining weight rapidly. I started to see my career as a firefighter become more challenging based on my own lifestyle and knew I needed to change things.

Luckily, I found Romeo Athletics and haven’t looked back. RA has helped me develop a lifestyle that is much healthier and allows me to perform my job more efficiently.

In the last year my Fire Department was looking to provide a fitness program for our firefighters.  Because our Chief, who is also a Romeo Athletics member, and I had with the great success with our training, we felt that RA was the best option for us.

Andrew was able to deliver an amazing 12-week program that included both a physical fitness and a nutritional component specific to our job. In that time frame our members lost weight, gained strength, reduced body fat and had positive reviews during annual physicals. After the program was over many of the participants decided that Romeo Athletics was right for them and became members on their own.

Joining Romeo Athletics in its early years has given me the opportunity to see amazing changes in how this gym has grown. From a small gym with concrete floors and no heat, to a large facility with many options and resources for the members to access. Also, you can’t talk about RA without mentioning the amazing people, friendships and coaches.

Coming to Romeo Athletics has become a family affair for us, with my sons frequently joining me and getting to watch and interact with some great role models. The community at Romeo Athletics is more than just a place to work out, and I highly recommend it.