One club or two venues?
This is mostly a question of logistics. Pilates and lifting sit well in the same week, but two memberships, two timetables and two car parks are a lot to keep up with in Abu Dhabi traffic.
| One club with both | A studio plus a separate gym | |
|---|---|---|
| Memberships | One, though Pilates may be sold as a package on top | Two, each with its own terms and renewal date |
| Trips | Lift and take a class in one visit | Two trips, often on different days |
| Choice of instructor | Whoever teaches at that club | Any studio in the city that suits you |
| Studio standard | Anything from a proper studio to a mat class in a spare room | A specialist studio is usually built around its apparatus |
| Booking | One app or front desk | Two timetables to fit around work and family |
| When it goes wrong | A weak studio or a crowded floor means living with it | One venue changing its Ramadan hours can break the routine |
If the studio is what decides it for you, RPM's Pilates page covers who can use the studio, what its photos show and what to ask before booking.
What counts as having both
Which gym in Abu Dhabi has both Pilates and a full weights floor?
Clubs that advertise both vary a lot, so check what each word means at the club in front of you. A full weights floor should have racks, barbells, a wide dumbbell range, cable stations and machines that you can get on at your hour. Pilates should mean a studio with apparatus and trained instructors, rather than a mat class in a multipurpose room. RPM has both under one roof, with the studio inside the women-only Ladies section.
Then check the parts that join the two halves of your week:
- Does one membership tier cover the floor and the studio, or is Pilates a separate package?
- Can you book a reformer slot straight after a lifting session without a long wait in between?
- Is the studio open during the same hours as the floor, including on Fridays and in Ramadan?
- Can one coach see both halves of your week, or will you plan the link yourself?
For the studio side in more depth, see what makes a gym good for Pilates.
For women at RPM: both in one building
Women have the most options at RPM. The Ladies section is a separate women-only space with its own strength and cardio equipment as well as the Pilates studio, so you can lift and then take a reformer class without leaving it. Female coaches on the roster work there, including Giana Suleiman Daqnoush (Pilates and aerobic) and Coach Maria (strength and conditioning).
Reformer classes run in the studio. The studio photos show reformers, some with towers, along with trapeze-table frames and a ladder barrel, so ask which apparatus a session uses. Women can also train in the Mixed section, on its training floor and in the functional area. Which sections a membership covers depends on the tier, so confirm yours before you join.
For men at RPM: strength yes, Pilates no
The Pilates studio is inside the women-only section, so men cannot use it or book sessions there.
Men train in the Mixed section. The photos there show plate-loaded machines, cable towers, benches, dumbbells and a squat rack with colour bumper plates, plus a functional area with a turf lane. See strength training at RPM for how to check that floor against your programme.
A man who wants Pilates as well needs a second venue: a studio that accepts men, at a time that fits around his lifting days without adding another rush-hour trip. Couples can still share the club. He trains in the Mixed section, and she can use the Ladies section and its studio, or the Mixed floor if her tier covers it.
Questions that decide the cost
RPM does not publish prices online. To compare like with like, ask every venue on your list the same questions in writing.
| Ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Which tier covers the strength floor and the studio? | A lower tier may leave out the section or the studio you need |
| Are Pilates sessions included, or sold as packages? | Packages on top of a membership change the total |
| What does a private session cost, and do you suggest any before group classes? | Some studios want you to learn the reformer one to one first |
| What is the late-cancellation rule for studio slots? | A missed reformer booking can count as a used session |
| If I use two venues, what do both cost over the same twelve months? | Two memberships plus travel can cost more than one club, or less |
Lay the answers side by side over the same period, including packages and travel, before you decide.
Questions, answered.
Can I do Pilates at home and lift at the gym instead?
You can start mat Pilates with little more than a mat and good instruction. A studio adds apparatus such as the reformer, and an instructor who can correct you in the moment, which is hard to recreate at home.
Do I need Pilates experience before a reformer class?
Not always. Ask whether the studio runs an introduction or suggests a private session first. The reformer has springs and a moving carriage, and learning the set-up makes group classes easier to follow.
Can a personal trainer plan both for me?
Ask. RPM's roster covers strength, conditioning and Pilates across both sections, and Atelier is the tier built around one-to-one coaching. Inclusions are confirmed on enquiry.
Is the Pilates studio part of every RPM membership?
Not necessarily. Which sections and sessions a membership covers depends on the tier, so ask the team which tier includes the Ladies section and whether Pilates sessions come with it or cost extra.