Three kinds of women-only training
| Type | How it works | Strengths | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| A women-only section in a mixed club | A separate area for women, open whenever the club is open | Often fuller equipment, and you can train at any hour | Shared parts of the building, such as the lobby or the route in, need checking |
| A women-only studio or club | The whole venue is for women | Privacy from the front door onwards | Often smaller, with more classes than heavy equipment |
| Ladies' hours in a shared gym | The main floor is reserved for women at set times | Full equipment during those hours | You can only train when the timetable allows, and men use the space before and after |
RPM's Ladies section is the first kind: a separate women-only section within a club that also has a Mixed section, where men train. RPM's ladies gym page describes it in full.
Privacy you can check yourself
Privacy is often the main reason women choose a ladies gym, and it is the hardest claim to judge from a website. Check these on a visit, at the hour you would train.
| Check | How to check it | A good sign |
|---|---|---|
| The route in | Walk from the car park or lift to the women's area | You do not pass through the mixed floor or a busy shared space |
| Windows and glass | Look in from corridors, the lobby and outside | Nobody outside the section can see in |
| Who works there | Ask who enters the section, and when | Female staff and coaches, with clear rules for maintenance visits |
| Cameras | Ask where they are and who views the footage | None in changing areas, and a clear answer about the rest |
| Phones and photos | Ask the house rules on filming other members | A written rule that staff enforce |
| Changing area | See where it sits in relation to the section | Reached without leaving the women-only space |
At RPM, ask the team to show you the route into the Ladies section on a free guided tour. For the privacy questions in more depth, see RPM's private ladies gym guide.
Equipment: measure it against the mixed floor
Some women-only areas hold a few light dumbbells and a treadmill. Measure the women's equipment against what the same club offers on its mixed floor, rather than against nothing.
- Racks and barbells for squats, presses and deadlifts.
- Dumbbells heavy enough for where you will be in a year, as well as where you are today.
- Cable machines, plus plate-loaded or selector machines.
- Cardio machines in working order, with no queue at your hour.
- Room for functional work: mats, kettlebells, a clear area.
One test settles it: could you run your current programme entirely inside the women-only space? At RPM, the Ladies section has its own strength and cardio equipment. Ask to see it at the hour you plan to train.
Female coaches and classes
If you want coaching, check who delivers it inside the women-only space, and when.
- Which female coaches work in the section, and at what hours?
- Is personal training with a female coach available at your times?
- Which classes run in the women-only space, and how often does the timetable change?
- If a male coach ever works in the section, under what rules?
At RPM, female coaches on the roster work in the Ladies section. They include Coach Maria (strength and conditioning), Giana Daqnoush (Pilates and aerobic), Imen Hasnaoui (combat and self-defence) and Asma Jamousi Zadeh (HYROX-style conditioning). Female personal trainers at RPM explains how coaching is booked.
Pilates inside a women-only space
If Pilates is part of your plan, find out where the studio sits. A studio inside the women-only section means you never leave it. A studio shared with a mixed club may only hold women's sessions at set times.
- Is the studio inside the women-only area, or shared?
- Do sessions use apparatus such as reformers, the mat, or both?
- Are classes small enough for the instructor to correct you?
- Are private sessions available, and with whom?
At RPM, the Pilates studio is inside the Ladies section, and reformer classes run there. The studio photos show other apparatus too, so ask which one a session uses. Reformer Pilates at RPM has more detail.
Childcare, timing and the rest of the visit
- Childcare. Provision varies from club to club. Ask, and do not plan around it until a gym confirms the details in writing, including ages and hours.
- School-run timing. If you will train after the morning drop-off, visit then and see how busy the women's area is.
- Recovery rooms. Ask how and when women can use them.
- Getting ready afterwards. A vanity area and hairdryers matter if you go straight on to work or an evening out.
- Ramadan hours. Ask whether the women's area keeps the same hours as the rest of the club.
If you need childcare, ask RPM's team directly before you plan around it.
A comparison sheet for your shortlist
One column per gym. Fill it in after each visit, while the details are fresh.
| Line | Gym A | Gym B | Gym C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: section, studio or ladies' hours | |||
| Route in walked and checked | |||
| Can anyone see in? | |||
| Who works in the space | |||
| Strength equipment compared with the mixed floor | |||
| Cardio and functional space | |||
| Pilates studio and apparatus | |||
| Female coaches at your hours | |||
| Classes in the women-only space | |||
| Childcare | |||
| Recovery access for women | |||
| Hours of the women's area |
Questions, answered.
Is a women-only section in a mixed club private enough?
It can be. It depends on the route in, the windows and who works there more than on the label. Walk the route and look in from outside before deciding.
Can my husband and I join the same gym?
At a club with both kinds of section, yes. At RPM, men train in the Mixed section and the Ladies section is for women only. Which sections a membership covers depends on the tier, so confirm yours with the team.
Are ladies gyms more expensive?
There is no general rule. Compare the total cost for the term and what is included, as you would for any gym, and check that the women-only space is part of the tier you are quoted.
Can I see the women-only area before joining?
Yes, and you should insist on it. Ask for a female member of staff to show you round, ideally at the hour you would train. At RPM, book the free guided tour and ask to see the Ladies section and the route into it.
What should I ask about dress and phone rules?
Ask whether there is a dress code, whether phones are allowed on the floor and how filming is handled. Clear rules that staff enforce protect your privacy as much as walls do.