Start from each person's main goal
Couples often pick a gym for the partner with the strongest opinion, and the other one quietly stops going by spring. Start instead with one line each: the training you want most, and the one thing a gym must have for it. A lifter might write 'racks available after work'. A Pilates beginner might write 'reformer classes in a women-only studio'.
Then check both lines against one club. RPM's overview shows how its sections divide, and the scenarios below show how common pairings play out there.
Couple scenarios
Common pairings and how they work at RPM. Where one partner's training sits in a section the other cannot enter, the plan is to arrive together and train apart.
| Scenario | Partner one | Partner two | How it works at RPM | Check first |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifter and Pilates beginner | Heavy lifting | Reformer Pilates | If the Pilates partner is a woman, she uses the Ladies section studio while he lifts in the Mixed section. A man cannot use the studio | Whether her tier includes Pilates sessions |
| Runner and boxer | Treadmill and bike sessions | Fitness boxing | The cardio row and the heavy bags are both in the Mixed section | Boxing session times at your hour |
| Bodybuilder and complete beginner | Physique training | Learning the basics | Both on the Mixed floor, though the beginner may want a coach rather than tips from a partner | Which tier adds coaching for the beginner |
| Race-style trainer and recovery fan | HYROX-style work on the functional floor | Strength or a class, then the recovery suite | Functional floor for one, suite visits for the other, with finishing times matched | Suite access for each tier and section. RPM is independent, not an official HYROX venue |
| Both lift, she prefers a women-only space | Strength in the Mixed section | Strength in the Ladies section | Similar goals, different rooms, the same arrival time | Which sections her tier covers |
| Coached and independent | One-to-one coaching | Their own programme | One on Atelier or Engine, the other on Floor, training at the same hour | Each tier's inclusions in writing |
| Early riser and evening trainer | Before work | After work | Separate visits, one set of membership dates and a single renewal | Opening hours and peak times for each slot |
Heat and cold do not suit everyone. Anyone planning to use the sauna, steam room or ice bath should ask a doctor first if they are pregnant, take medication or have a heart or blood-pressure condition.
Timing a joint visit
- Match session lengths. If one of you lifts for 75 minutes and the other does a 45-minute class, add a cardio block or a stretch to the shorter session.
- Drive together and use the free on-site parking at AD HUB, then take the lift to Level 4.
- Agree a meeting point and time, such as reception, because you may be in different sections.
- Book whichever session runs at fixed times, such as a class or a Pilates slot, and fit the flexible one around it.
- On Fridays, with shorter hours, plan a shorter joint visit or make it a shared rest day.
- During Ramadan, many couples switch to a single visit after iftar.
Choosing two memberships
How should a couple with different training goals choose gym memberships?
Choose each tier by what that person will use, not by what the other has. At RPM, Floor covers the training floor, Engine adds coached programming and Atelier is built around one-to-one coaching, so a couple might hold two different tiers. Ask whether any household arrangement exists rather than assuming one, and get each person's inclusions in writing.
Line up the contract dates so you renew together, and check what happens if one of you travels for the summer or changes jobs. The membership page sets out what to ask.
Friends with different goals
Which gym suits friends with different fitness goals in Abu Dhabi?
The logic is the same as for couples, with one difference: friends rarely share a car or a calendar. Choose a club that fits the hours and the commute of each of you and covers each main goal. A mixed group of friends at RPM trains together in the Mixed section, and women in the group can also use the women-only Ladies section if their tier covers it.
Training partners help most when both of you turn up. Agree two fixed sessions a week and count the rest as optional.
When one gym is not the answer
- One partner's main sport needs a specialist venue, such as a pool or a boxing club with regular sparring.
- A man wants reformer Pilates, which RPM's women-only studio cannot offer him.
- Your workplaces sit at opposite ends of the city and you never train at the same hour anyway.
In those cases, two venues may suit you better. One club or two separate memberships works through that choice for households.
Touring as a couple
Book one free guided tour at the hour you would train. The Ladies section is for women only, so plan for her to see it while he looks round the Mixed section, then meet to see the shared areas. Each of you should ask your own questions: access for your section, the tier you need, and who would coach you.
Questions, answered.
Can we train side by side at RPM?
Yes, in the Mixed section, which is open to men and women. The Ladies section is for women only, so a couple training together uses the Mixed section.
Do we need the same tier?
No. Each person's tier should match their own training. Ask the team how two different tiers work for one household.
What if one of us wants a coach and the other does not?
That is common. One partner can take coaching on a tier that includes it while the other trains independently on the floor.
Can two people share a personal trainer?
Ask the team whether shared sessions are offered. Where they are, they suit pairs who want much the same from that session.