What the choice looks like in practice
In a club with two sections, a husband and wife, or a parent and grown-up children, hold memberships at the same address. Men train in the mixed section. Women can choose the women-only section, the mixed one, or both, depending on what their membership covers. With two memberships, each person picks the gym that suits them, and the household runs two sets of fees and contracts, plus two trips.
RPM's gym page describes one club built this way. This guide works through the decision for couples and families, whichever way it goes.
Side by side for a household
| One club, two sections | Two separate memberships | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting there | One trip and one parking space when you train together | Two trips, possibly in two cars at the same hour |
| Training together | Same time in different sections, or side by side on the mixed floor if her tier covers it | Only if you meet somewhere else |
| School runs | One parent trains while the other drives the children, and both use the same club | Each fits training around their own gym's location |
| Cost | Two memberships at one club (call them A and B) | Two memberships at two venues (C and D), each with its own joining terms |
| Contracts | Two contracts with one club, so ask whether renewals and freezes can line up | Two renewal dates and two freeze policies |
| Summer travel | Freeze both together, if the club allows it | Two sets of freeze rules to read before you fly |
| Each person's needs | One club has to meet both | Each chooses freely |
| When it goes wrong | One of you outgrows the club and the shared trip goes with it | Two fees for gyms neither of you uses much |
Which households each option suits
One club with two sections suits households where:
- you leave home and come back at similar times, or one of you can drop the other off
- she wants a women-only space and he wants a mixed floor, both under one roof
- you would rather keep one diary, one set of contract dates and one place to meet afterwards
- a teenager may later join coach-supervised youth sessions arranged by a parent
Two separate memberships suit households where:
- your workplaces are in different parts of the city, so a shared gym is a detour for one of you
- one of you needs a specialist venue, such as a dedicated boxing club or a Pilates-only studio
- your shifts or office hours rarely overlap
- one of you is happy with a building gym and the other wants a full club
What couples tend to overlook
- Tier for tier. You may need different tiers. Check which sections and facilities each person's tier covers, rather than assuming you both get the same.
- The partner who detours. If one of you always drives out of the way to share the trip, the shared club costs that person time at every visit. Count it.
- Same hour, different rooms. In a club with a women-only section you will often train apart. If working out side by side matters, check whether her tier includes the mixed floor.
- Children. Do not plan around childcare at any gym until it is confirmed in writing. Youth sessions, where they exist, have age rules.
- Leaving. If one of you wants to stop, check whether each contract stands alone. The contract checklist lists the clauses to read.
Questions to settle before signing
- Which sections and facilities does each of our tiers include?
- Are two members of one household priced any differently? Please put the answer in writing.
- Can we freeze both memberships together over the summer?
- Can one of us change tier, or cancel, without affecting the other?
- Where can one of us wait for the other after training?
- If a teenager joins later, which ages do youth sessions accept, and how are they arranged?
Worked example: shifts, office hours and two children
Take a couple with two children at school. He works rotating shifts and she works office hours, and both want to train three times a week. She wants a women-only space with Pilates. He wants heavy lifting and some boxing.
| One club with both sections | Two separate gyms | |
|---|---|---|
| Her sessions | Women-only section with a Pilates studio | A women-only studio by her office |
| His sessions | Mixed floor, with bags in the functional area | A gym by his workplace |
| Weekday trips | Rarely shared, because of his shifts | Each from work, with no detour |
| Weekend | Together on Saturday morning, children with their grandparents | Separate trips, or no weekend sessions |
| Monthly cost | A + B | C + D |
Because his shifts rarely match her hours, the shared drive happens mostly at weekends. They price both options, and A + B comes out about level with C + D. The Saturday session together matters to them, so they choose the single club and add one weekday trip together when his rota allows. Had his shifts moved him to a site across the city, two gyms would have won.
Where RPM fits
RPM is the single-club option. It is one club on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, with free on-site parking and a lift to Level 4. It has a Mixed section for men and women, where fitness boxing runs in the functional area, and a separate women-only Ladies section with its own strength and cardio equipment and the Pilates studio. Men train in the Mixed section.
Membership comes in three tiers: Floor, Engine and Atelier. Prices and inclusions, including which sections each tier covers, are confirmed on enquiry, so ask for both of your options in writing through the membership page or on a free guided tour. For children, youth fitness at RPM is coach-supervised and arranged and approved by a parent or guardian, so ask which ages each session accepts.
Questions, answered.
Can my wife and I train together at a club with a ladies section?
On the mixed floor, yes, if her tier covers it. The women-only section is for women, so you would be in separate spaces there. At RPM, men train in the Mixed section and women can use either section, depending on their tier.
Is one club cheaper than two memberships?
Not necessarily. Compare the two totals over a year, including joining terms and any extras each of you needs. Ask whether a second member of the household changes the price, and get the answer in writing.
What if one of us wants to leave?
Check before signing whether each contract stands on its own. Ideally one person can cancel or change tier without touching the other's membership.
Should we choose by her needs or his?
Start with whoever has the harder requirement. A women-only section with the right equipment is often harder to find than a mixed floor, so many couples begin their search there.