Shoppers and staff at the centre, not residents of the district
The Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre is a shopping centre in the Madinat Zayed area of downtown Abu Dhabi, and the route box above measures from the centre as mapped. This page is for two groups who spend time inside it: people who shop there in the evenings, and people who work in its shops. Living in the district around it is a separate question.
RPM is one club, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, with no link to the centre. By the mapped estimates it is a short drive away, so the practical question is when in your evening or your working week a session fits. Start with where RPM stands for someone who works a counter at the shopping centre for the general checks.
Evening shoppers: put the session in the right slot
Many people shop after work, once the heat eases. A session can share that evening if it gets the right slot.
| Your evening | Session | Shopping | Why this order |
|---|---|---|---|
| A weekday after the office | Straight from work, before you eat a large meal | Afterwards, on the way home | You train before the evening's energy drains away |
| A weekend evening out | Early in the evening | Later, with the family or friends | The outing becomes the reward for the session |
| A Ramadan night | Once you have broken your fast and let the meal settle | Later at night | Training on an empty stomach late in a fasting day is hard to sustain |
| A quick errand only | On another day | On its own | A short errand is not worth splitting a session for |
Club hours change in Ramadan. Check the hours block below and ask the team for the Ramadan timetable when it is announced.
If you fast and are unsure how hard to train in Ramadan, keep sessions moderate and ask a coach to adjust the plan. Anyone with a medical condition should take their doctor's advice on exercise while fasting.
Working six days a week: a two-session plan
Retail contracts often give one rest day a week, and long shifts on the others. A plan that asks for four visits will collapse by the second week. Two fixed sessions hold up far better.
- Session one goes on your rest day. Make it the longest of the week, with the main lifts, and leave time to eat and rest afterwards.
- Session two goes on the morning of your shortest or latest-starting shift. Keep it moderate so you reach the counter with energy left.
- On the other days, ten minutes of mobility at home is plenty. Long shifts on your feet already count as activity.
- When the rota changes, move both sessions to the new rest day and the new short shift before the week starts.
Women on the staff who prefer to train among women can use the Ladies section, which has its own strength and cardio equipment and the Pilates studio. Men on the staff use the Mixed section. Which sections a membership covers depends on the tier, so confirm it before joining.
Your first job in Abu Dhabi, and your first gym
If the centre is your first workplace in the city, the gym may be new too. A few steps make the first month easier.
- Take the free guided tour on your rest day. It is a walk round the club with a member of the team, not a workout.
- Settle how you will get there and back before you book anything. If you rely on lifts from colleagues, agree the days with them first.
- Bring trainers, comfortable kit and a water bottle. Keypad lockers in the changing area hold your phone and keys, and you can ask whether towels are provided.
- Book one or two coached sessions to learn the machines. A coach can then give you a short routine that fits two visits a week.
For settling into the city more widely, the guide for new Abu Dhabi residents covers choosing a gym from a new address.
The short drive into Al Manhal
From the centre, the mapped route finishes along Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street (Airport Road) into Al Manhal, where AD HUB has free on-site parking and a lift up to Level 4. The route box shows the figures, and evening traffic downtown can add to them.
| 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 closing shift at the centre may end after the club does, which is why the plan above relies on rest days and late starts.
Want to test a full week of rest-day and late-start sessions first? Ask whether a weekly pass is available at the moment. Passes change, so confirm availability and price with the team, and ask what is included.
Questions, answered.
Is RPM part of the Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre?
No. RPM has no connection with the centre. Its one club is on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, close by road, and the route box shows the mapped trip.
Can I train after iftar and still do my shopping?
Yes, if you let the meal settle first and keep the session moderate. Check the Ramadan hours with the team, because the club's timetable changes for the month.
I work six days a week. Is a membership worth it for two sessions?
It can be, as long as both sessions really happen. Ask the team which tier or pass suits two visits a week. Inclusions and prices are confirmed on enquiry and are not published online.
I have never lifted weights. Will I be lost on the training floor?
Not if you start with a coach. Personal training at RPM is planned around your goal and the hours your rota leaves, and a first session usually covers how to use the machines.
Can several of us from the same shop join together?
Your employer can ask RPM about arrangements for staff, which are tailored to each organisation and confirmed on enquiry. Otherwise, each of you can join individually and train on shared rest days.