Why some women split their training across both
Pilates builds control, breathing and the deep trunk strength that heavier lifting relies on. What a studio cannot give you is heavy pushing, loaded carries or a barbell you can add weight to every week. Women who enjoy both often take their Pilates in the studio and their strength and conditioning on the Mixed floor, choosing the room by the training rather than by habit.
RPM's Mixed section describes the shared floor and what is on it. For a day-by-day week across both spaces, and how a household can share them, see mixed and women-only options in one club. This guide stays with the training.
What the Mixed floor adds to a Pilates routine
The kit below appears in photos of the Mixed section's training floor and functional area.
| Mixed-floor kit | What it trains | How it complements the studio |
|---|---|---|
| Turf lane and sled | Pushing and dragging with the whole body, legs above all | Heavy leg and conditioning work that springs do not offer |
| Kettlebells | Hip hinges and carries, then swings once you have been taught them | Puts the hip control practised on the mat under load |
| Battle ropes and slam balls | Short bursts of hard conditioning | The breathless work most Pilates classes leave out |
| Squat rack with colour bumper plates | Barbell squats and presses | Strength you can measure from one week to the next |
| Multi-station cable towers | Rows, presses and rotations at adjustable angles | A smooth, steady pull that many Pilates regulars find familiar |
| Heavy bags | Fitness boxing: bag work and conditioning | Trunk work through rotation and striking |
One Mixed-floor session for a Pilates regular
This takes about 45 minutes. Learn it with a coach before you run it alone, and choose loads that leave two or three repetitions in hand at the end of each set.
- Warm-up: five minutes on a cross-trainer, then hip and shoulder mobility you already know from Pilates.
- Goblet squat with a dumbbell or kettlebell: 3 sets of 8.
- Sled push on the turf lane: 4 lengths at a weight you can push steadily, walking back to rest.
- Cable row: 3 sets of 10.
- Kettlebell deadlift: 3 sets of 8, using the hinge you practise on the mat.
- Farmer's carry with a dumbbell in each hand: 3 short walks.
- Optional finish: battle ropes, 4 rounds of 20 seconds on and 40 seconds off.
Leave a day between this session and any class built on leg springs. Two of these sessions and two Pilates classes a week is a full programme for most people starting out.
If you are pregnant, postnatal, injured or managing a medical condition, get clearance from your doctor, midwife or physiotherapist before starting, and tell your coach and instructor.
Feeling at ease on a shared floor
- Ask the team which hours are quieter on the Mixed floor, and go then for your first few sessions.
- Write your session down before you arrive, so you are not hunting for kit between sets.
- Ask a coach for a walk-through of the functional area: how the sled is loaded and where the kettlebells are kept.
- Wear what you are comfortable training in, and ask the team about any dress guidance.
- On days you would rather not share a floor, the Ladies section has its own strength and cardio equipment.
Coaching across two sections
Female coaches on the roster work in the Ladies section, among them Coach Maria in strength and conditioning and Giana Suleiman Daqnoush in the Pilates and aerobic role. The coach roster also lists coaches for the Mixed section, such as Issam Almasaalmeh in a personal training role. RPM has not published whether Ladies-section coaches run sessions on the Mixed floor, so ask before you plan around it.
- If you want a female coach, ask whether she can write your Mixed-floor sessions for you to do on your own.
- If any coach suits you, ask which Mixed-section coach fits your goal and when they are available.
- Either way, keep one plan that shows the studio sessions and the floor sessions together.
What your tier has to cover
RPM has three tiers, Floor, Engine and Atelier, and confirms what each includes on enquiry. Prices are not published online. Before you join, get these answers, ideally in writing:
- whether your tier covers both the Mixed section and the Ladies section
- whether Pilates sessions come with the tier or are sold as packages
- where you change and leave your bag when you move between sections, given that the changing area has keypad lockers
- whether the recovery suite and the grooming hub are part of the tier
Then book a free guided tour and ask to see both sections and the studio on the same visit, at the hour you expect to train.
Questions, answered.
I joined for the Ladies section. Am I allowed on the Mixed floor?
It depends on your tier. The Mixed section is open to men and women, but which sections a membership covers is confirmed on enquiry, so check before you plan sessions there.
Is there a sled or functional kit in the Ladies section too?
RPM has not published a kit list for the Ladies section beyond its own strength and cardio equipment and the Pilates studio. Ask on your tour.
Can I take a Pilates class and train on the Mixed floor in one visit?
If your tier covers both, yes. Put whichever matters more that day first, and keep the second half lighter.
Can men use the Pilates studio?
No. The studio belongs to the women-only Ladies section, so men's training at RPM happens on the Mixed floor.