Variety is a coverage question
People who like variety rarely stay with one style for long. A month might hold three lifting sessions, a boxing class, a reformer session and a sauna on Saturday. The real test for a gym is whether you can reach each of those at your hour, in a space you are allowed into, without paying for three extras.
That last part catches people out at mixed clubs with women-only areas, where some styles live on one side only. Start with RPM's overview of its sections, then read the matrix below. If you are still weighing one club against a set of specialist studios, one gym for everything or several studios covers that choice.
Coverage matrix: training styles by section
What RPM's published facts show for each style, side by side. Equipment named here is what the club's photos show, so ask which section a piece you rely on sits in. Men train in the Mixed section. Women can use the Ladies section, and the Mixed section too if their tier covers it.
| Training style | Mixed section (men and women) | Ladies section (women only) | Confirm before joining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free-weight strength | Squat rack with colour bumper plates, barbells, dumbbells and benches | Its own strength equipment | Which sections your tier covers |
| Machines and cables | Plate-loaded machines such as a leg press and pulldown, plus cable towers | Its own strength equipment | Whether the machine you rely on is in your section |
| Cardio | Treadmills, cross-trainers and an upright bike by the windows | Its own cardio equipment | Rowers or stair climbers, if your plan uses them |
| Functional and conditioning | Turf lane with a sled, kettlebells, battle ropes, slam balls, step boxes and spin bikes | Not listed in the published facts | Which functional kit women can use in their section |
| Fitness boxing | Heavy bags in the functional area, with bag and pad work | A combat and self-defence coach on the roster | Session times, gloves and wraps, and whether sparring exists |
| Pilates | Not available | The studio, where reformer classes run | Whether sessions are in your tier or sold as packages |
| HYROX-style training | On the functional floor | A coach listed for HYROX training | RPM is independent, not an official HYROX partner |
| Group classes | Run in this section | Run in this section | The current timetable |
| Recovery suite | Ask how access is arranged for this section | Ask how access is arranged for this section | Which tiers or passes include it |
| Personal training | Coaches on the roster | Female coaches on the roster | Which tier includes coaching |
RPM does not publish a full equipment list for the Ladies section. Ask on a tour for women which pieces are there.
Reading the matrix for men and for women
For a man, the Mixed column is the whole club apart from Pilates. It covers strength, cardio, conditioning, fitness boxing, classes and coaching, with the recovery suite depending on how access works for his section. If reformer Pilates is part of his rotation, he will need a second venue for it.
For a woman, both columns can count, depending on her tier. She can keep most training in the women-only space and cross to the Mixed section for the turf lane or the bags, or stay in the Ladies section entirely. Check which sections your tier covers before planning a week that relies on both.
Pilates, boxing and gym access under one roof
Where can I get Pilates, boxing and gym access in one place in Abu Dhabi?
Look for a club with a Pilates studio, coached bag work and a weights floor under one membership. At RPM in Al Manhal, women can do all three: reformer Pilates in the Ladies section studio, combat sessions with the coach there or fitness boxing in the Mixed section, and the strength floor. Men can box and lift at RPM but cannot use the Pilates studio.
Ask whether Pilates and boxing sessions sit inside your tier or come as packages, because that decides whether variety costs one fee or several. Prices are not published online, and inclusions for Floor, Engine and Atelier are confirmed on enquiry.
A varied week that still makes progress
Variety needs a backbone. Keep two strength sessions fixed, then rotate the rest so the same hard work never lands on back-to-back days.
- Saturday: full-body strength.
- Sunday: fitness boxing or a combat session.
- Tuesday: reformer Pilates for women, or a mobility session on the floor.
- Wednesday: full-body strength.
- Thursday: a conditioning circuit or a group class, then the sauna if your tier includes it and your doctor has no objection to heat.
- Friday or Monday: rest.
Write down what you did each week. Without a log, variety soon turns into whatever looked fun that evening. Class timetables change, so check group classes at RPM and ask what runs at your hour.
Gaps worth knowing before you join
- Pilates is for women only, because the studio is inside the Ladies section.
- Boxing means bag work, pad work and conditioning. Sparring, and anything beyond bags and pads, is something to ask about, never assumed.
- HYROX-style training comes from an independent gym, not an official HYROX partner or venue.
- Styles outside RPM's published facilities, such as swimming or yoga, need checking with the team or a separate venue.
- A style you see on a tour may not be in the tier you buy.
Book a free guided tour and walk the matrix: stand in each area you expect to use and ask the access question there.
Questions, answered.
Is one membership enough for all of these styles?
It can be, if your tier covers the sections and sessions you want. Ask which styles are included and which are sold separately, and get the answer in writing.
Can I try several styles before committing?
The free guided tour is a walk-through with a member of the team, not a workout. Ask whether a day or weekly pass is currently available and what it includes, since passes change.
Are group classes included?
Ask the team. Classes run in both sections, the timetable changes, and inclusion depends on your tier.
How do I stop variety turning into random workouts?
Fix two strength sessions, plan the rest a week ahead and keep a simple log. Engine, the tier that adds coached programming, is the option if you want a coach to plan the rotation.