A regulator's office, not a hospital
The Department of Health's website describes it as the regulator of the healthcare sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Its contact page lists a head office in Al Rawdah, with other offices besides. The route box measures from the head office, so if your desk is in another building, time your own trip.
That makes this a page about office days rather than shifts. RPM is one club, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, with no arrangement with the department, and the route box rates the drive from Al Rawdah a short cross-island trip. For the wider view first, read how a government office day can make room for RPM's one club.
Lunch hour or after work, side by side
| Question | Lunch hour | After work |
|---|---|---|
| What has to fit | The drive both ways, changing twice and the session, all inside your break | The drive and the session, then home |
| Realistic from Al Rawdah? | Only with a long, fixed break your manager has agreed | On most office days |
| Session that suits | Something short and light, so you return to your desk in good shape | A full session on the training floor, or a class |
| Getting back presentable | The grooming hub has hairdryers and products at its vanity area. Ask about towels and showers | Not a concern, since you are heading home |
| Who it suits | People with flexible hours or a long break | Most office staff |
For many people in Al Rawdah, the lunch column fails on time alone, because a cross-island trip each way leaves little of an ordinary break. If your hours are flexible, the guide to training at lunch shows how to test it properly. Otherwise, build the plan around evenings.
A week with two evenings and a weekend morning
An office week has a rhythm, and some evenings protect themselves better than others. Here is a plan that tends to hold:
- One weekday evening after your lightest day of meetings, for the main strength session.
- A second weekday evening for something shorter, such as cardio, a class or a quick lift.
- A Saturday or Sunday morning for the longest session, with the recovery suite afterwards if your tier includes it and it suits you. If you are pregnant or have a heart condition, get a doctor's view before using heat or cold.
- Friday, if your working day is shorter: an afternoon session within the club's shorter Friday hours.
For more on training around a public-sector week, see the guide for government employees.
| 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.
Taking it to HR: the questions they will ask
If several people in your team would train, an arrangement through work may suit everyone better than separate memberships. RPM sets up corporate arrangements per organisation, confirmed on enquiry. These are the questions HR is likely to ask, and what you can say:
| HR may ask | What you can tell them |
|---|---|
| Does RPM already work with the department? | No. Arrangements are set up with each organisation on enquiry |
| What does it cost? | RPM does not publish prices. The team shares them when asked |
| What can staff use? | Three tiers: Floor for the training floor, Engine with coached programming, Atelier built around one-to-one coaching |
| Can women train separately? | Yes, in the women-only Ladies section, depending on the tier |
| How would staff get there? | Free on-site parking at AD HUB, then the lift to Level 4 |
| Can people see it first? | Yes. A free guided tour shows people round with a team member, and nobody trains on it |
The drive out of Al Rawdah after work
The mapped route ends on Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street (Airport Road) into Al Manhal, and the route box gives the figures for this short cross-island trip. Drive it once at your real leaving time before you commit to a plan.
- Pack the gym bag the night before and leave it in the car.
- Change at the club, where keypad lockers in the changing area hold your valuables and the grooming hub has hairdryers and products.
- Women colleagues who prefer to train among women can use the Ladies section, which has its own equipment and the Pilates studio, if their tier covers it.
Sources
Questions, answered.
Is RPM connected with the Department of Health?
No. RPM is an independent club, and the department has no arrangement with it. Its one location is Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, not Al Rawdah.
Can I go in the morning, before my desk?
If your start time allows. Opening is early, as the hours above show, but the cross-island trip comes on top of your usual commute, so test one morning when nothing urgent is waiting at the office.
I work at another DoH office. Does this page apply?
The advice on office days does. The route box is mapped from the head office in Al Rawdah, so time the trip from your own building.
Can a team from our department train together?
Yes. Men and women can share sessions in the Mixed section, while women can also choose the Ladies section if their tier covers it. For a group, start with HR and the table above.
Do I need to bring a towel?
Ask the team whether towels are provided, and about showers, before the first evening you come straight from the office.