One campus in Abu Dhabi, one club on the island
Zayed University's contact page lists two campuses, one in Abu Dhabi and one in Dubai. This page is about the Abu Dhabi campus, which sits on the mainland, and about the students, faculty and staff who spend their weekdays there. RPM has no connection with the university. It is one club, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, and the route box above rates the drive from campus a mainland commute.
A commute like that is easy to keep when it is already part of your day, and hard to keep as a trip of its own. So work out where your day starts and ends before comparing sections. For the general picture, read what RPM offers students who live on the island and study off it.
Mixed classes on campus, and a choice of floors at the gym
The university's Student Affairs page says new students are taught on a coeducational basis, with some public areas of the campus mixed, while students who started on segregated programmes stay on them. How you feel about training alongside men is a separate question, and RPM lets women answer it either way.
| What you want from a session | Where you would do it at RPM | Check before you join |
|---|---|---|
| Training with friends or relatives of both sexes | The Mixed section, which men and women share | That your tier covers it |
| A floor with no men on it | The Ladies section, for women only, with its own strength and cardio equipment | That your tier includes the Ladies section |
| Reformer Pilates | The Pilates studio, within the Ladies section | The class timetable, and which apparatus a class uses |
| Boxing-style conditioning with a woman coach | The Ladies section, where Imen Hasnaoui is the combat and self-defence coach on the roster | What a session covers, and whether sparring is ever part of it |
| Strength work planned by a woman coach | The Ladies section, where Coach Maria coaches strength and conditioning | Her hours against your timetable |
Male students and staff train in the Mixed section. The Ladies section page explains the women-only side in full.
Who drives, and which end of the day the session takes
One question settles most cases: does your day already pass through central Abu Dhabi?
- You live on the island and drive yourself: train on the way home after your last class, or before you set off on a day that starts late.
- A parent, a sibling or a driver takes you: the session has to suit their day too. Choose days when that person is in the centre anyway, and agree the collection time before you start training.
- You live on the mainland side: the club sits off your route in both directions. A gym by home is the realistic choice for most weeks, with RPM kept for a planned visit, such as a reformer class or a coached session.
- You teach or work at the university and live on the island: an evening slot after the drive back usually holds better than a morning one, which adds an earlier start to a long drive out.
If two of you from the same home study on campus, one car can carry two sessions. A brother trains in the Mixed section, and a sister can join him there or use the Ladies section, depending on each tier.
Semesters, exam weeks and the long summer
The academic calendar changes what the island trip costs you. The guide for university students covers semester planning in general. These are the points the commute adds:
- Teaching weeks: one or two home-end sessions, fixed once your timetable settles.
- Days without classes: if you stay on the island, a longer session at RPM costs no commute.
- Exam periods: shorter sessions, and no extra driving.
- Summer and the breaks: if you stay in Abu Dhabi, daytime visits fit easily. Travelling? Ask the team what your membership allows while you are away.
| 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.
The club opens from early morning to late evening, with shorter Friday hours, and Ramadan brings its own timetable. If you fast, a session after iftar is often easier to manage than one before it.
From campus by Theyab Bin Eissa Street, and a first visit
The mapped route from the campus uses Theyab Bin Eissa Street and Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street, 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. If you train at the home end, time the trip from your own front door instead.
Book the free guided tour for the hour you would really come, with whoever drives you. RPM does not publish prices, so ask about any student or staff rate rather than assuming one exists.
Sources
Questions, answered.
Is RPM on Zayed University's Abu Dhabi campus?
No. RPM has one club, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal on the island, and no link with the university. From the campus it is a mainland commute, and the route box shows the mapped estimates.
Does this page apply to the Dubai campus?
No. The mapped route starts at the Abu Dhabi campus. Students and staff in Dubai should look for a gym by home or by their own campus.
Can I train only among women?
Yes. The Ladies section admits women only. It has its own strength and cardio floor and the Pilates studio, and the female coaches on the roster are based there. Confirm that your tier includes it before you join.
Do Zayed University students or staff pay less?
RPM does not publish prices or a student rate. Ask the team what applies to you, and weigh it against the driving a gym by home would save.
I have never done Pilates. Is a reformer class a sensible start?
Ask the team which classes suit a beginner. The reformer Pilates page describes the classes. If you are pregnant or managing an injury, check with your doctor before you begin.