You are choosing a person, then a place
Personal training is a working relationship with one coach, so the roster matters more than the brochure. The gym still counts. It decides whether your coach has the kit for your plan, whether the floor is calm enough at your hour to coach you properly, and what you can do on the days between sessions.
RPM's personal training page explains how one-to-one coaching works at the club. This guide is about choosing any gym for its personal training. For a closer look at judging a coach during a session, see the coaching quality guide.
Read the roster before the price list
A roster tells you which goals the gym's coaches cover, whether there is a coach for your section and preferred gender, and how many coaches share the busy hours. A gym with a single trainer can suit you if that trainer fits, but it leaves you stuck if they move on or their diary fills.
What makes a gym good for personal training in Abu Dhabi?
A roster with a coach for your goal and time in their diary at your hours. Equipment for the plan they write, and a floor quiet enough at your hour for real coaching. Add clear package terms and coaches who assess you before loading you up. Female coaches matter to many women in Abu Dhabi, so check whether the gym has them and in which part of the club they work.
At RPM, coaches on the roster cover strength, conditioning, Pilates, combat fitness and physique training across both sections, and female coaches work in the women-only Ladies section.
Match the coach to your goal
| Your goal | Look for | At RPM, ask about | A question for the coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getting stronger | Experience with progressive strength plans | Amer Khalil (bodybuilding and strength, Mixed section) or Coach Maria (strength and conditioning, Ladies section) | How will you progress my loads, and how will we track them? |
| Changing how your body looks | Physique and conditioning work | Awab Elsheikh (physique and fitness classes, Mixed section) | How do you handle nutrition questions, and when would you send me to a dietitian? |
| Pilates | Apparatus and mat teaching | Giana Suleiman Daqnoush (Pilates and aerobic, Ladies section, women only) | Which apparatus would we use, and why? |
| Combat fitness | Pad work and conditioning | Imen Hasnaoui (combat and self-defence, Ladies section) or Hamza Taher (kickboxing, Mixed section) | Would sessions include any sparring, and how is it supervised? |
| General fitness or a fresh start | Patience with the basics and a gradual plan | Issam Almasaalmeh (personal training, Mixed section) or Taha Ragab (general fitness, Mixed section) | What will the first month look like? |
Roles are as listed on RPM's coach roster. Ask each coach about their qualifications and experience directly.
Package terms to get in writing
Personal training prices are often not published in Abu Dhabi, and RPM does not publish its own, so the terms matter as much as the figure. Ask for these in writing before you pay.
- Session length, and whether warm-up time counts toward it.
- How many sessions the package holds, and when unused sessions expire.
- The cancellation notice you must give, and what happens when the coach cancels.
- Whether you can freeze the package for summer travel or illness.
- Whether you also need a gym membership, and which tier.
- Whether you can move to another coach within the same package.
- Whether a session can be shared with a friend or partner, and on what terms.
Comparing personal training across gyms
How do I compare personal training gyms in Abu Dhabi?
Ask every gym the same questions and write the answers side by side. Which coach would you train with, and when do they have openings? How do they assess a new client and record progress? What are the package terms? Then meet the coach you would actually get, not whoever leads the tour, and compare what you saw and what you were told in writing rather than bios or adverts.
Two gyms with similar rosters can still differ in what matters to you: one may have your coach available only at hours you work, and the other may have a floor too busy at your hour for focused sessions. Those details decide more than a longer list of names.
Try a session before a package
A first session shows you more about a coach than any profile. Watch whether they ask about your training history and health before testing you, and whether they explain what they are doing and why. You should leave with some idea of the plan. Ask whether a first session is available before you buy a package, and on what terms.
At RPM, the free guided tour is a walk-through of the club with the team, not a training session. Ask to meet a coach while you are there, and ask how a first session is arranged.
Coaches are fitness professionals, not clinicians. If you have pain, an injury or a medical condition, see a doctor or physiotherapist first, and tell your coach what they advised.
Where RPM fits
RPM has three membership tiers. Floor covers the training floor, Engine adds coached programming and Atelier is built around one-to-one coaching. Inclusions and prices are confirmed on enquiry.
Coaches work in both sections. Men train in the Mixed section with the coaches who work there, and women can choose a female coach in the Ladies section or train in the Mixed section if their tier covers it. Profiles of every coach are on the coaches page.
Questions, answered.
Do I need a membership to book a personal trainer?
It depends on the gym. Some sell personal training only to members, while others include gym access in the package. At RPM, ask which tier you would need alongside your sessions.
How many sessions a week should I book?
That depends on your goal, your budget and how much you train alone. Many people book one or two coached sessions a week and follow the coach's plan on other days. Ask the coach what they would suggest for you.
Can I train with a friend?
Some coaches run shared sessions for two people. Ask whether the gym allows it, how the price changes and whether both of you need a membership.
What happens to my sessions if I travel in summer?
Ask before you buy. Some packages can be frozen and others expire on a fixed date. Get the rule in writing, especially if you usually leave Abu Dhabi for July and August.
Is personal training worth it if I already know how to train?
It can be, for a programme review, technique checks or a new goal such as a first HYROX-style race. A short block of sessions may be all you need.