What one gym has to offer for both
Doing both in one club saves a second membership and a second drive across town. For a woman, though, there is a common catch: the bags often hang in a mixed area, while the strength kit she prefers may sit in a women-only space. Check four things before you join.
- Boxing-style sessions with a coach who teaches stance and guard before anything hard, in a setting you are happy to train in.
- Racks, dumbbells and cables where you would rather lift.
- A membership that covers every space your week uses, in writing.
- A timetable that lets you put a rest day between the hard sessions.
RPM's Ladies section is women-only and has its own strength equipment. Whether you would rather box among women or in a mixed group is its own decision, compared in women-only or mixed boxing.
A sample week that alternates the two
This week assumes office hours from Monday to Thursday, the weekend on Saturday and Sunday, and a quieter Friday. Each hard day is followed by a different kind of session or by rest.
| Day | Session | What it trains | How hard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | Lifting A: a squat pattern, a press, a row and loaded carries | Legs, upper body, grip | Hard |
| Sunday | Boxing technique: footwork, guard and combinations on the bag | Skill and coordination | Moderate |
| Monday | Off, or half an hour of easy cardio | Recovery | Easy |
| Tuesday | Lifting B: a hinge, split squats, pulldowns and trunk work | Back of the body, single-leg strength | Moderate to hard |
| Wednesday | Off | Recovery | None |
| Thursday | Boxing conditioning: pad rounds with a coach, then bag intervals | Engine and power | Hard |
| Friday | Off, or a family walk | Recovery | Easy |
Swap days to fit your week, but keep the alternation: a lifting day and a boxing day should not both be hard back to back.
- Three days a week: Saturday lifting, Tuesday boxing, Thursday lifting with ten minutes of bag rounds to finish.
- Five days a week: add a light technique session on Monday, shadow boxing and footwork drills only.
- Ramadan: two or three shorter sessions after iftar, keeping one of each.
- Summer: the same week, with the drive in planned for the cooler ends of the day.
Keeping shoulders, grip and legs fresh for both
Punching and pressing both load the shoulders, and footwork and squats both load the legs. Arrange the week so one does not leave you flat for the other.
| Shared load | What clashes | How to arrange it |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulders | Heavy pressing the day before pad rounds | Press on Saturday, pads on Thursday |
| Grip and forearms | Heavy rows and carries, then a long bag session | Keep carries on lifting A, away from the conditioning day |
| Legs | Heavy squats before a footwork session | Put two days between the squat day and the hardest rounds |
| Sleep | A late class followed by an early lift | Leave a night of full sleep between them |
Start each new block lighter than you think you need. If something hurts, as opposed to feeling tired, stop and have it checked by a doctor or physiotherapist. If you are still deciding whether to add weights at all, boxing plus weights or boxing only weighs that up.
Where a woman can box: three options
| Option | Suits you if | Ask before booking |
|---|---|---|
| Women-only combat sessions with a female coach | You want to learn among women and be corrected by a woman | Is it boxing, self-defence or a mix, and how often does it run? |
| Bag work in a mixed functional area | You are comfortable training alongside men and want more session times | How are partners paired for pad drills? |
| One-to-one pad sessions | You want full attention while the technique settles | Where do the sessions run, and who else trains there then? |
Kit matters more in boxing than in lifting. Bring hand wraps and gloves that fit your hand, or ask how shared gloves are cleaned. A sports hijab that stays put through fast footwork, and light trainers for the boxing day, make the sessions easier.
Boxing and lifting at RPM
At RPM, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, the boxing is fitness boxing. Sessions combine bag rounds, pads and conditioning, and they take place in the Mixed section's functional area, where the heavy bags share space with the sled lane. For women who want a female coach, Imen Hasnaoui appears on the roster as combat and self-defence coach in the Ladies section, a women-only space with strength and cardio equipment of its own.
- Ask which combat sessions are running, when, and in which section.
- Ask about sparring rather than expecting it. Fitness boxing does not require it.
- Confirm which tier covers the Ladies section and the Mixed section, because this week may use both.
- See the bag area and the Ladies section on a free guided tour, at the hours you would train.
For session formats across the club, see boxing at RPM.
Questions, answered.
If I only have one visit, which comes first?
Do the rounds while you are fresh for technique, then a short lifting block. Swap the order the following week if the lifting suffers.
Is sparring part of getting fit through boxing?
No. Bag rounds, pad work and conditioning give a hard session without sparring. If you want to spar later, ask whether it is offered and how it is supervised.
Can a self-defence session replace a boxing day?
It can replace the technique day. It usually trains awareness and escapes rather than conditioning, so keep the pad and bag day.
What if my tier only covers the Ladies section?
Ask which combat sessions run inside the section, and build the week around those. Lift there on the other days.