NOHrD weight plates

Why choose NOHrD weight plates?

This is the only brand in the category that does not sell iron. A NOHrD Weight Plate is a solid timber disc finished to a standard you associate with furniture rather than with gym kit, and that is the whole point. A cast iron plate ends up in a corner of the garage sooner or later; a wooden plate is allowed to stay on a wall rack in the living room, in a treatment room or beside a desk at the office, without anyone objecting.

The plates belong to the same wood line as the rest of the range, which is made by hand in Germany and offered in the same timbers throughout. If you already own a machine from this brand, you simply pick the matching finish and the set stays coherent. If you would rather not drill, there is the matching wooden Weight Plate Tower, available on its own or complete with a plate set among the storage systems. Also take a look at the other fitness equipment from NOHrD to see what these plates belong with.

The honest side of the story: you pay a lot per kilo here, and it stops at five kilos. That is a choice rather than a shortcoming, because these plates are built for light and precise work. If you want to squat and deadlift with serious weight, this is simply not your material.

What defines the NOHrD Weight Plate?

One product, five finishes, and a series of weights within each finish. This is what sets it apart.

• Solid wood instead of cast iron: no powder coat, no rubber and no bare metal rim, but timber with a high standard of finish. It also keeps things quieter and kinder when a plate meets the floor or another weight.
• Five finishes: oak, cherry, walnut, black and Club Sport. These are not colour options but timbers and versions that line up with the rest of the NOHrD range.
• Light weights in small steps: within each finish you choose the weight, in steps such as 0.5, 1.25, 2.5 and 5 kilos. Those half and one-and-a-quarter kilo jumps are exactly what you need when you have to build up carefully.
• Made for a wall rack: the plates are designed to hang in view. Your floor stays clear and you can see at a glance which weight is where.
• Compact storage: if you would rather not drill, stand the matching wooden tower next to it. It takes up very little floor and keeps the plates in order.
• Handmade in Germany: the plates come from the same workshop and the same material choices as the brand's machines, which shows in the edges and the grain.

Do NOHrD weight plates suit your training?

These plates are deliberately light. That makes them excellent for one kind of training and useless for another, so check where you sit.

You work on mobility and shoulder stability: this fits. External rotations, lateral raises and scapular work rarely go above five kilos, and small increments are exactly what you want there.

You are rehabilitating after an injury: this fits. Jumping from five to ten kilos is often too much; half a kilo or one and a quarter at a time keeps the progression manageable. Do agree the plan with your physiotherapist.

You train with high repetitions or in circuits: this fits. Long sets, conditioning work and core exercises call for light loads you can swap quickly.

You do not want to see your training space: this fits. In a living room, a practice or an office, a wooden plate on the wall is often the difference between training at home and not training at all.

You want to squat, deadlift or bench press with real weight: this does not fit. For that you need ten, fifteen and twenty kilo plates in cast iron or rubber, and you will find those among the wider weight plates.

You mainly want the most kilos for your money: this does not fit. Work it out per kilo and you will be cheaper off elsewhere. That is an honest conclusion, not a surprise.

What to look for when buying NOHrD weight plates

The range you actually need

Start with the heaviest exercise you intend to do with these plates and check whether it stays below five kilos. If it does, you are in the right place. If you are regularly above it, you will outgrow the set within six months and end up buying heavier plates anyway.

The steps between the weights

How finely you can load matters more than the maximum. With 0.5 and 1.25 kilos you can add a few hundred grams at a time, and in shoulder and arm work that is the difference between progressing and stalling. Buy several light steps rather than one heavier pair.

The finish and the NOHrD gear you own

Functionally all five versions do the same job, so this is an interior decision. If a machine from this brand is already in the room, take the same timber; that is the entire idea behind the line. Starting from scratch, judge the colour against your floor and your furniture, not against your other equipment.

Where you will keep them

Decide in advance between wall and tower. A wall rack keeps your floor clear and puts the plates on display, but it assumes a wall you are allowed and able to drill into, which is not a given in a rented flat. A free-standing tower goes anywhere, costs a little floor and is harder to move once it is full.

Fit on your bar or handle

Measure the diameter of the bar or handle the plates need to sit on, because that varies from system to system. If you are unsure, tell us what you already own and we will check it with you before you order.

Caring for solid wood

Timber reacts to the room it sits in. Keep the plates away from a radiator and out of direct sun, and wipe them with a barely damp cloth rather than a harsh cleaner. A thin coat of maintenance oil now and then keeps the colour deep and lets marks of use fade.

Our advice: first be honest about whether your ceiling lies below five kilos. If it does, buy a series of fine increments rather than one heavy pair, and only then choose the timber that suits the room. That way you get a set you can use for years instead of a good-looking half solution.

Who are NOHrD weight plates for?

• Home trainers with no gym room: you train in the living room or the bedroom and want that room to stay a room. Wood on the wall is often the only answer the rest of the household agrees to.
• Physiotherapists and personal trainers: you work with light weights in fine increments and your treatment room is also your calling card. Both points meet here.
• Anyone who has to build up carefully: after an injury, after surgery or later in life, a fine increment counts for more than a high maximum.
• Owners of NOHrD equipment: if a wooden machine from this brand is already in place, you pick the same finish and the set stays consistent.
• Offices, hotels and wellness spaces: in a shared room, equipment that matches the interior simply does not jar.

Less suitable once you move on to heavy compound lifts, or when price per kilo is the deciding factor. If you want to load a bar for squats and deadlifts, cast iron or rubber gets you much further for the same budget. In that case look more broadly at our strength equipment, or at the dumbbells if you would rather work with fixed weights.

Need help choosing?

Would you like to buy NOHrD weight plates but are you not quite sure which weights and which finish suit you? We are happy to help. You can reach our fitness specialists by phone on +31 85 773 00 57, send an email or visit our fitness store in Volkel, the Netherlands.

Frequently asked questions about NOHrD weight plates

Why do these plates stop at five kilos?

Because they were made for something other than heavy compound lifting. Half a kilo to five kilos covers mobility work, rehabilitation, core and shoulder exercises and long sets, and fine increments are exactly what those need. If you want to load a bar to squat or deadlift, choose cast iron or rubber plates from the wider category. The two complement each other; plenty of people own both.

Is wood strong enough for weight plates?

For the use they are intended for, yes. These are light weights that you pick up and set down under control, not plates you drop from hip height. Treat them as timber rather than as bumpers: put them down instead of letting them clatter, and the edges stay clean. That is precisely why the finish matters here.

Can I combine them with the bar I already have?

Often yes, but measure the diameter of your bar or handle first, because that differs from system to system. The plates are designed in the first place around the brand's own gear, including the wall rack and the matching tower. If you are not sure, tell us what you have and we will check it before you order.

Why do they cost more than ordinary weight plates?

You are paying for solid timber, for handwork in Germany and for a finish that holds up in a living room. That premium buys no extra kilos: per kilo, cast iron will always be cheaper. What it does buy is equipment that is allowed to stay where you live or work and that matches the rest of the wood line. If that argument does not move you, this category offers plenty of alternatives.

How do I look after the wood?

Wiping with a barely damp cloth is enough for daily use. Leave abrasives and aggressive all-purpose cleaners alone, because they attack the finish. A set that sits in strong sunlight or close to a heat source for a long time can colour unevenly, so move it if that happens. One thin coat of maintenance oil a year keeps the grain deep and fades small scratches.