Time on the water, training on land
Marsa Al Bateen is the marina at Al Bateen Wharf, on Abu Dhabi island. This page is for the people it draws to the water: owners who keep a boat there, friends who crew for them, sailors, anglers heading out early and visitors who come for the waterfront. What they share is a body that works hard on board and a training week that has to fit round the boat.
RPM is one club, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, and RPM's location for anyone who keeps a boat on the island explains how to judge the trip. This is not a page about living in Al Bateen. It is about what a gym adds to a life on and around the water.
What a day on board asks of you, and the gym work to match
Boat work is varied, but a few demands come up again and again. These are the gym equivalents to talk through with a coach, using the floor described on the strength training page.
| On board | What it tends to load | Gym work to ask about |
|---|---|---|
| Hauling lines and working winches | Grip, forearms and the upper back | Rows, pulldowns and pulls on the cable towers |
| Holding on as the boat moves | Legs, hips and the trunk | Single-leg exercises and core work |
| Stepping between pontoon and deck with gear in hand | Legs and balance under load | Step-ups and loaded carries with dumbbells or kettlebells |
| Long days out in wind and sun | General stamina | Steady cardio on the bike or treadmill, plus sled work on the turf |
This is general fitness guidance, not advice for an injury. If boat work has left you with pain in your back, shoulders or knees, see a doctor or physiotherapist before you start training.
Fit training around the boat calendar
- Weekends on the water: put your main gym sessions midweek, so you arrive at the boat rested.
- An early departure: keep the day before light on the legs and back, and train again once you are ashore.
- Maintenance days at the wharf: scrubbing, lifting and carrying in the heat is real work, so shorten the gym session that day or skip it.
- A long passage or a race on the calendar: ask a coach to build a block of training towards the date.
- The hottest months: if you go out less, let the gym carry more of your week.
The club's early-morning and late-evening opening helps here, since a session can sit before a working day or after an evening at the marina. Fridays are shorter, and Ramadan can change the times.
| 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.
A coach is most useful to someone with an irregular week like this. With personal training, you tell the coach which days you expect to be out and what you do on board, and the plan moves when the weather or the boat changes your weekend.
After a day in the sun
A long day on deck leaves most people tired in ways a gym session can make worse. Drink water before you train, eat something, and choose a shorter session or easy cardio if the boat took more out of you than planned.
After a day on deck, the recovery suite offers three options: a Finnish sauna, an aroma steam room and an ice bath. Ask whether your tier or pass includes it, and go carefully with heat after hours of sun. If you are pregnant or have a heart condition, ask a doctor before using any of the three.
- Bring a change of clothes, since you may arrive salty and sunburnt.
- Leave wet gear in the car and use a keypad locker for the rest.
- Ask the team about showers, and whether towels are provided, before relying on either.
Off the wharf and across to Al Manhal
King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street carries the mapped route from the wharf, and the route box rates it a short cross-island trip, longer when the roads are busy. On arrival, AD HUB's free on-site parking and a lift to Level 4 make the last part simple.
Visiting Abu Dhabi for a few days and spending some of them on the water? Ask the team whether a day pass or a weekly pass is running for your dates and what it covers. Passes change, so the team confirms availability and price.
Questions, answered.
Is RPM at Marsa Al Bateen or Al Bateen Wharf?
No. The marina and RPM are separate places, and the club is on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal. From the wharf it is a short cross-island trip, and the route box gives the mapped estimates.
Should I train on a day I am taking the boat out?
Lightly, if at all. Heavy work for the back and legs belongs on a day ashore, so you are not tired on deck when the boat needs you.
Can a coach plan around a sailing or fishing season?
Yes. Give the coach your calendar and describe what you do on board. The plan can build ahead of busy months and ease off during them.
Is there a women-only area for women who crew?
Yes. Women can train in the Ladies section, a women-only floor with strength and cardio machines of its own and the Pilates studio, where the female coaches on the roster work. Check that your tier includes it.
I live in Al Bateen and want an everyday gym. Does this apply to me?
The trip is the same, but an everyday routine is a different plan from one built round a boat. Book the free guided tour at the hour you would train and judge it from there.