New Gym Coming to Waltham

Waltham residents will soon have another option for working off stress and improving their fitness – a new gym in Waltham.

Rob Rykowski, a Waltham resident, plans to open Crossfit Watch City at 411 Waverly Oaks Rd .soon, he told Waltham Patch in a recent interview. He is aiming to open on Dec. 2. It will be located below Beat Da Wrap.

“Waltham is a natural fit,” Rykowski said.

Unlike traditional fitness centers that are open to anybody who wants to use machines and weights, Crossfit Watch City will run four daily structured classes teaching the Crossfit program. The program has students perform a high-intensity workout comprising of several parts including cardiovascular exercises and weight training, Rykowski said. It’s designed to focus on overall fitness rather than focusing on part of the body or ability, Rykowski said.

“We do pretty much any and all movement,” he said. 

Rykowski’s journey to Waltham and opening a gym started in Los Angeles. Rykowski, 29, said he flirted with the idea of becoming a personal trainer when he lived in Los Angeles, but his friends pushed him toward an office job. However, his passion for exercise only increased when he moved to Massachusetts and he became a Crossfit teacher and personal trainer at another Crossfit location in Waltham.

“I was enjoying sharing what I learned with people,” Rykowski said on why he chose to open the Waltham location. 

Now, Rykowski is focused on opening by the end of the year. He recently sold his first membership. However, he is still nervous about the undertaking.

 ‘I'm certainly a bit scared,” Rykowski said. “I got my first member and I was like 'oh my God'.”