A single weekly fixture for the family
Al Shawamekh is a district on the mainland, and the route box rates the drive from there to RPM, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, a long commute. That rules out the island club as somewhere to drop into on a weekday evening. What it leaves is one fixture a week, usually at the weekend, when the drive competes with family time instead of work. Whether that trade is worth making depends on how your family's weekend runs. Before planning, check what a family should know about RPM's location before committing to the drive.
Which weekend set-up suits the trip
| Your family's weekend | How the island trip can work | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday mornings are quiet, Sunday belongs to the family | One adult trains on Saturday morning and is home by lunch | Saturday plans creeping earlier |
| Both adults want to train, and the children are young | Take turns on alternate weekends, or go together only when someone at home can help | Assuming there is childcare at the club, which is not confirmed, so ask |
| A teenager wants to train too | A coach-supervised youth session, arranged and approved by a parent | Which ages each session accepts |
| Weekends are packed with family events | Skip the trip and keep RPM for an occasional coached session | Paying for a membership you are not using |
| Nothing planned on Friday afternoons | Possible, though the club keeps shorter Friday hours | Friday prayers and the earlier close |
For more ideas on fitting training into weeks shaped by children, see these training plans for busy parents.
Keeping the trip from eating the weekend
- Fix the slot in advance and tell the family, so the trip is a known part of the weekend rather than a surprise.
- Go early. A morning session leaves the rest of the day for the family.
- Set a time to be home and keep to it, even if it means a shorter session.
- When a family event clashes, move to the other weekend day instead of losing the week.
- In weeks of family travel or Eid, pause without guilt and restart the following weekend.
- Keep weekday sessions local and short, so the weekend trip carries the work a local gym cannot do.
If the trip still feels as though it takes too much from family time after a month, it probably does. Drop to a visit every other weekend, or keep it for special sessions.
The E11, Al Ain Road and a weekend morning drive
The mapped route from Al Shawamekh uses Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Street (E11) and Al Ain Road, then Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street (Airport Road) into AD HUB. The figures start from one mapped point in the district, so drive it once on a weekend morning, at the hour you would go, before building the family's plans around it. At AD HUB there is free on-site parking, and the lift goes up to Level 4.
| Days | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Saturday to Thursday | 06:00–23:00 |
| Friday | 09:00–22:00 |
Hours can change, for example during Ramadan. Confirm with the team before a late or early visit.
Children, teenagers and the questions to ask first
- Childcare is not among the facilities this page can confirm, so ask the team before you bring young children.
- For teenagers, youth fitness sessions are coach-supervised, and a parent or guardian arranges and approves them. Check with the team which age groups each session takes.
- For women in the family, the Ladies section is for women only, with its own strength and cardio equipment and the Pilates studio, while the men of the family use the Mixed section.
- Which sections each person's membership covers depends on the tier, and the team confirms what each tier includes and costs.
For a first visit, book the free guided tour on a weekend morning, and ask whether the rest of the family can come along. The tour is a walk-through, not a workout.
Questions, answered.
Where exactly would we be training?
On the island, at RPM's only club: Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal. There is no club in Al Shawamekh, and the route box shows the mapped trip.
What if a family event lands on our training day?
Move the session to the other weekend day rather than dropping it. Agree in advance which kinds of events take priority, so the decision is not made afresh every week.
Does a weekend trip make sense in summer?
If the family stays in Abu Dhabi, an indoor session is a sensible answer to the heat. If you travel, pause the plan and ask the team how your membership handles time away.
Can the recovery suite be part of a family trip?
For adults whose tier includes it, yes: a Finnish sauna, an aroma steam room and an ice bath. Ask the team about access, and if you are pregnant or have a heart condition, check with a doctor first.
Is the trip worth it for just one of us?
It can be, if that person gets something they cannot get locally, such as coaching or the women-only Ladies section. If not, a gym in your area is the simpler choice for everyone.