RAMP offers fitness training

Pablo Amaya, former co-owner of PR Performance Fitness in Annandale, has ramped up his fitness training work since PR closed.

Amaya had previously trained professional soccer players and was recently named the official performance coach for D.C. United. He also opened a new fitness center called RAMP (release, activate, mobilize, perform).

RAMP provides fitness training and classes for people of all ages (clients are 3-96) and all abilities (beginners to professional athletes).

RAMP is located at 7232 Columbia Pike, Annandale. The former occupant of that space, Foundation Fitness, moved to 7023 Little River Turnpike.

Former PR fitness trainers Belichi Ha and Paola Reagan have also moved to RAMP. (Neither Amaya nor Ha say they know what Rachel Martin, the other co-owner of PR Performance fitness, is doing now.)

Amaya, a former member of the El Salvador national soccer team, came to the U.S. in 2004 to play professional soccer. When a knee injury ended his sports career, he become a professional trainer. In 2019, he became a U.S. citizen.

Amaya’s work with D.C. United involves getting the players ready for games. One of the players he trained, Kevin Paredes, was recruited by Wolfsburg, one of the top teams in Germany.

RAMP offers six types of fitness training. Return to Activity is for people recovering from injuries or surgery, Return to Sports helps athletes train after they’ve completed physical therapy, and Senior Physical Wellness focuses on strength and mobility for retired people.

The MVP program helps track and field athletes prepare for the Olympics and Junior Olympics. The Pro Ballers program is for high school, college, and professional soccer players.

There are also classes focusing on strength, conditioning, and body toning, Some classes start as early as 5 a.m. so youths age 12-18 can get a workout before school starts.

The biometrics class for ages 3-5 gets young kids to understand their own bodies through jumping, balancing, and other fun activities.

There’s also Sunday boot camp session for the general public.

Costs vary depending on the type of training and the length of the session. Group classes are $20-$30 per session. Personal training ranges from about $45 for 30 minutes to $75 for 60 minutes.

Amaya also works with local physical therapy clinics and the athletic testing program at Georgetown University and collaborates with the Mason Police District on self-defense training.