Sustainable dumbbells are attracting attention among fitness enthusiasts who want to care for their bodies and the planet in one fell swoop.
In a market dominated by metal and plastic weights, a personal trainer named Michael White has introduced a breakthrough that merges exercise with environmental responsibility: dumbbells made entirely from oak and ash. They appeal to those keen on strength training but conscious of their ecological footprint.
The concept emerged from Michaels’s observation that “the fitness industry is particularly bad when it comes to sustainability.”
After 25 years in personal training, he realised that the manufacturing processes behind iron, stainless steel, or sand-filled plastic weights could produce significant pollution and leave a high carbon footprint.
Frequently shipped from overseas, these weights also rack up considerable transport emissions. “Other industries have changed so why can’t this one change too?” he says.
White’s ‘lightbulb moment’ happened as he was cutting up a fallen tree in his garden in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, after his two teenage sons asked for their own weights.
“When I was chain-sawing it up I thought ‘if I popped a wooden bar between two logs it would make a really effective dumbbell,’” he said.
“The end result was a bit rough, a bit Fred Flintstone, but using them was a really tactile, pleasant experience. When I researched further I found there isn’t really anything else like this on the market.”
Driven by his discovery, Michael devoted himself to refining the prototype. The main hurdle lay in striking the perfect balance between comfortable size and adequate heft.
Through persistent experimentation, he settled on five sets of weights: 1kg, 2kg, 3kg, 4kg, and 5kg. Each is made with European Oak—heavy enough for workout needs, yet still responsibly harvested. Meanwhile, the bar (or handle) is cut from ash, chosen for its resilience and capacity to flex under pressure.
From a sustainability standpoint, the square shape of each weight delivers two immediate benefits. First, Mr White found that with round shapes, “there was too much wood that was wasted when they were cut.”
In contrast, squares greatly reduce off-cuts. Second, the dumbbells can stack safely in a neat tower, so they do not require a separate stand.
Coated with beeswax and mineral oil, each piece has a natural finish that highlights the patterns in the grain. “They are beautiful to look at and to handle,” White notes. “They are a great feature to have in your home, gym or hotel room.”
Commercial gyms and studios for Yoga and Pilates have shown immediate interest, reflecting how the fitness community is slowly shifting toward more eco-friendly approaches.
Some gyms already harness energy from treadmills and stationary bikes to generate electricity, although few have given serious thought to planet-friendly equipment beyond cardio machines. For White though, sustainable dumbbells are about filling that gap.
The retail price for the smallest 1kg pair begins at £120, with a full set of five pairs costing £1,100.
While the costs may exceed what many are used to for standard weights, Mr White points out the uniqueness of these items and their consciously sourced materials.
Looking ahead, White plans to fuse conventional iron dumbbells—those that people might be discarding—with wood-based weights.
This combination could recycle older weights and expand the scope of the wooden sets without compromising on sustainability.
It also builds on his broader aim to produce more wooden workout equipment. Having launched his personal training, Yoga, and Pilates business HomeHealth in 1999 during his sports science studies at London Southbank University, White is passionate about raising awareness of greener choices in fitness. “I have loads of different ideas of equipment we can make from wood – this is just the start,” he says.
Time, perhaps, for a twist on a familiar saying: “Mighty oaks – and weights – from little acorns grow.” For those seeking to build strength while caring for the environment, these sustainable dumbbells seem poised to branch out and inspire new directions in exercise gear.
For more information, visit www.woodenweights.co.uk and follow on Instagram @homehealtheco