Start with who in the house crosses to the island
Khalifa City is a suburb on the mainland, and the drive from it to RPM, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, is what the route box calls a mainland commute. Nobody should make that drive from home several evenings a week just to train. RPM works for households where the island is already part of a working day, so the useful question is which adult makes that trip, and how often. For the checks worth running on any club you would reach by car, see RPM's single club and how to weigh it from a suburb.
| Your household | Honest verdict | Where RPM could fit |
|---|---|---|
| Both adults work on the island | RPM is worth a serious look | Each adult trains on the commute, on different days |
| One adult works on the island, one in Khalifa City or from home | A separate decision for each of you | RPM for the island commuter, a gym by home for the other adult |
| Both adults work on the mainland | A gym by home or by work will suit you better | An occasional weekend visit for coaching or the recovery suite |
| One adult is on the island only in some weeks | Keep the plan flexible | Ask whether a weekly pass is available for the island weeks, and confirm what it includes |
Morning sessions, evening sessions, and who does the school run
With children at home, nobody plans a session alone: the before-work trainer misses the morning drop-off, and the after-work trainer misses part of the evening. So give each adult a slot that the other one covers.
A relay week for two island commuters
| Day | Who trains | Slot | The other adult covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Adult A | Before work | The morning school run |
| Tuesday | Adult B | After work | Pick-up, homework and dinner |
| Wednesday | Adult A | Before work | The morning school run |
| Thursday | Adult B | After work | Pick-up, homework and dinner |
| Saturday | Either of you, or both | A weekend morning, only with a reason | The children's plans for that morning |
Two sessions each is a realistic target for a household like this. Give the before-work days to whichever of you copes better with early alarms. The guide for parents who are short of time has more ideas for weeks when every hour is already spoken for.
Leave Friday out of the relay. The club keeps shorter hours that day, and the midday prayers shape the middle of it.
| 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.
Out of Khalifa City and onto the island
The mapped route from Khalifa City follows Theyab Bin Eissa Street and Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street, crossing onto the island, then finishes on Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street (Airport Road) into AD HUB, which has free on-site parking and a lift up to Level 4. The route box counts from Khalifa City, but on a training day one end of your trip is the office, so time the leg you will really drive: home to club on a morning day, office to club on an evening day.
What the island session gives each adult
- For the adult who wants to lift: a squat rack with colour bumper plates, fixed barbells, plate-loaded machines and cable towers on the training floor.
- For a woman who would rather train away from men: the Ladies section, with its own strength and cardio equipment and the Pilates studio, where female coaches on the roster work.
- For either of you, coaching at the level you pick: Floor for the training floor, Engine for coached programming, Atelier built around one-to-one coaching. Which sections each tier covers, and what else it includes, is confirmed on enquiry.
- After a hard week, the recovery suite: a Finnish sauna, an aroma steam room and an ice bath. Ask which tiers include it. Anyone pregnant or with a heart condition should check with a doctor before using heat or cold.
Men train in the Mixed section, which women can use as well, so two adults training on different days can hold the same tier or two different ones.
Al Forsan Village, and a first visit
I live in Al Forsan Village. Does this apply to me?
Yes. This page also answers searches from Al Forsan Village, and the same advice applies: RPM fits a household whose working day already takes someone onto the island, and a gym by home suits the days spent off it. The route box measures from Khalifa City, so time your own trip from your door at the hour you would train.
Book the free guided tour for a normal weekday, at the hour one of you would train, and let that adult drive the real trip. The tour shows you round the club and does not include a workout.
Questions, answered.
Is any RPM club located in Khalifa City?
No. RPM runs a single club, in Al Manhal on the island, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex. From Khalifa City that is a mainland commute, and the route box gives the mapped estimates.
We both work on the island. Do we need the same membership?
Not necessarily. Each adult can choose the tier that suits their own training, and the tier decides which sections it covers. Confirm inclusions and prices for both of you when you enquire, as the membership page explains.
Can our teenager train on a day one of us goes?
RPM runs coach-supervised youth fitness sessions, arranged and approved by a parent or guardian. Ask which ages each session accepts before you plan around it.
What happens to the relay in the school holidays?
If the family stays in Abu Dhabi, mornings may open up, and a second weekly session each becomes possible. If one adult travels, the other trains in whichever slot suits a week of running the house alone.
Is a Saturday worth the drive from Khalifa City?
Only with a purpose: a booked coached session, a reformer class in the Ladies section, or a long session that ends in the recovery suite. A routine weekend workout is easier by home.