Find your exit date first
Everything else hangs on one date: the first day you can stop paying without a charge. Look for these terms in your contract, app or welcome email, or ask the gym to confirm them in writing. The contract checklist lists what each one usually covers.
| Find | Where it usually is | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| End of the minimum term | The contract summary or first invoice | Leaving before it may trigger an exit charge |
| Notice period | The cancellation clause | Notice often has to arrive a set time before you want to leave |
| Renewal date and type | The term or renewal clause | Some memberships roll over automatically for another full term |
| How notice must be given | The cancellation clause | In person, by email or in an app, and whether you get a confirmation |
| Exit or early-cancellation charge | The fees section | Lets you compare leaving early with waiting |
If you are thinking of moving to RPM, ask about the membership tiers while you sort out the exit, so the two dates line up. RPM confirms prices and inclusions on enquiry.
Overlap or gap?
Once you know your exit date, decide whether the new membership starts before it, on it or after it.
| Your situation | Usually better | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You are mid-programme or training for an event | A short overlap | Even a few weeks off costs momentum you then have to rebuild |
| You are about to travel for the summer | A gap that covers the trip | No point paying for two gyms, or even one, while you are away |
| Money is tight this month | A gap with a home routine | Bodyweight sessions can bridge a week or two |
| You have not chosen the new gym yet | No overlap until after a trial | Do not commit before you have trained there |
| The old gym's notice ends mid-month | Start the new gym on the exit date | Avoids paying twice for half a month |
Worked example: timing your notice
Say your membership renews automatically at the end of September, and the contract asks for one month's written notice. To leave at the end of September, your notice has to arrive by the end of August. If you will be away in August, send it in July before you fly, and keep the reply.
Now line up the new gym. Book a tour and a trial in early September, once you are back, while the old membership is still running. Start the new membership on the first of October. The only overlap is the trial itself.
Trial the new gym while the old one runs
- Visit at the hour you will train, rather than the quietest time. The tour planning guide covers booking and timing.
- Bring your current programme and check that every exercise can be done there, or has a fair substitute.
- If you rely on a particular rack, a machine or a women-only section, see it in use at your hour.
- Get the new gym's terms in writing before the old membership ends, so you are never left without one by accident.
At RPM, the free guided tour is a walk-through with the team rather than a workout. If you want to train before joining, ask whether a day pass is currently available.
Move your programme and your data
| Take with you | How |
|---|---|
| Your current programme | Ask your coach for a written copy, or photograph the plan |
| Working weights and reps | Export them from your training app, or copy the last four weeks from your log |
| Machine settings | Note seat heights and pin positions, knowing the new machines will differ |
| Notes on injuries or limits | Bring anything a doctor or physiotherapist has told you, so a new coach can work within it |
| Unused sessions or credits | Ask the old gym whether they can be used up, refunded or transferred before you go |
Expect the first week at the new gym to feel different. Machines from different makers load differently, so test your working weights again in that first week rather than copying the numbers across.
Freezes and the calendar
A freeze can help a switch or get in its way. It usually pushes your end date back by the length of the freeze, which is useful while you travel but can delay your exit when you are trying to leave.
- Ask whether you can freeze during your notice period, and whether that moves the exit date.
- If you freeze for the summer, check the new end date before you give notice.
- Think twice about starting at a new gym halfway through Ramadan if your hours change a lot then, unless its timetable suits your Ramadan routine.
- September brings people back from the summer, so book tours early and ask how busy the floor gets.
Close the old membership properly
- Give notice the way the contract requires, and keep a copy of the message or email.
- Get written confirmation of the end date.
- Check that no payment is taken after that date, and ask how card or bank payments will be stopped.
- Use up, transfer or claim back any sessions you have paid for.
- Hand back access cards and empty your locker.
- Keep the confirmation until the first month after you leave has passed with nothing taken from your account.
Questions, answered.
Can I cancel early if I find a gym that suits me better?
That depends on your contract. Many charge an exit fee during the minimum term. Compare the charge with the cost of staying until the end date, and ask the old gym for the figure in writing.
Will a new gym take over my remaining months?
Some gyms run switching deals, such as matching the term you have left. Read them like any offer: the total cost, the lock-in and what happens at renewal.
Should I tell my old gym why I am leaving?
That is up to you. If they suggest a deal to keep you, compare it honestly with the new gym on total cost, and on whether it fixes the reason you wanted to leave.
What happens to unused personal training sessions?
Ask before you give notice. Some gyms let you use them up during the notice period, and some set expiry dates. Get the answer in writing.
Is there a good time of year to switch in Abu Dhabi?
Late summer into early autumn works for many people: give notice before you travel, trial gyms in September and start the new membership when your routine settles. Avoid switching halfway through a training block you care about.