BORN IN THE GYM. SCULPTED TO INSPIRE.
ZIVA was founded in 2008, but our story begins a bit earlier. A year prior, in a one-of-a-kind gym in the heart of Shanghai, our founder — fitness industry veteran, David Barr — had opened Asia’s first carbon-neutral training facility. It was part of his vision for a new frontier in fitness — a sleek, design-forward space where high-performance training combined with aesthetic ambition in precision, inspiration, and innovation. Yet David’s quest for equipment that met his high-quality, high-design standards revealed an industry stuck decades in the past. A handful of brands monopolized the market with products that lacked creativity, intention, beauty, or high quality.
So he set out to raise the standard. In under a year, David had assembled a team of award-winning Italian designers and best-in-class manufacturing partners. The result of the many late nights they worked together was a meticulously crafted line of dumbbells, barbells, and plates — products that were as visually stunning as they were functionally sound. They were a huge success and formed the basis of our most iconic line — ZVO.
Now, nearly two decades late, ZIVA is a global brand with equipment for every level of athleticism and for every training methodology. We have grown but we have not changed. The values that guide our brand today are the same as those forged in that first gym — precision, inspiration, and innovation.
So he set out to raise the standard. In under a year, David had assembled a team of award-winning Italian designers and best-in-class manufacturing partners. The result of the many late nights they worked together was a meticulously crafted line of dumbbells, barbells, and plates — products that were as visually stunning as they were functionally sound. They were a huge success and formed the basis of our most iconic line — ZVO.
Now, nearly two decades late, ZIVA is a global brand with equipment for every level of athleticism and for every training methodology. We have grown but we have not changed. The values that guide our brand today are the same as those forged in that first gym — precision, inspiration, and innovation.
FROM “ZI” TO “VA”: THE MEANING OF OUR MOVEMENT
ZIVA isn’t just a name—it’s our philosophy encoded in four letters.
“ZI” honors the mythical Daoist teacher, LaoZi, whose teachings emphasize harmony, balance, and alignment with a universal nature known as “the Way.” This principle of inner and outer harmony that is central to Daoist philosophy is at the very core of ZIVA’s mission.
And “VA” comes from the Spanish word “viva” — a celebratory cry of life and innovation that speaks to the boldness, vitality, and full-body joy that animates every workout with our equipment.
Together, ZI + VA is the joyful, intentional pursuit of happiness through movement in harmony with what is beautiful.
“ZI” honors the mythical Daoist teacher, LaoZi, whose teachings emphasize harmony, balance, and alignment with a universal nature known as “the Way.” This principle of inner and outer harmony that is central to Daoist philosophy is at the very core of ZIVA’s mission.
And “VA” comes from the Spanish word “viva” — a celebratory cry of life and innovation that speaks to the boldness, vitality, and full-body joy that animates every workout with our equipment.
Together, ZI + VA is the joyful, intentional pursuit of happiness through movement in harmony with what is beautiful.
PRECISION ENGINEERING THAT POWERS THE ART OF FITNESS
Though ZIVA began with a single line of free weights, it has evolved into a brand that paves every step of the fitness journey. Our expansive product portfolio includes functional training equipment, customizable rigs and racks, prehab and rehab tools, and an ever-evolving array of free weights — all designed with bold aesthetics, premium materials, and refined functionality.
ZIVA’s iterative design process — design, refine, reflect, improve — is born of the lessons we learned so long ago in David’s gym. We work with the greater fitness community — elite athletes, global fitness organizations, everyday users, and medical professionals — to constantly improve on equipment that motivates, content that educates, and experiences that inspire.
From the world’s most iconic gyms to beautifully curated home fitness spaces, ZIVA equips athletes of every level with the tools they need to train with intention. And at its core, ZIVA is more than a brand. It is the realization of the belief:
Fitness is more than physical. It’s the Way to Live.
ZIVA’s iterative design process — design, refine, reflect, improve — is born of the lessons we learned so long ago in David’s gym. We work with the greater fitness community — elite athletes, global fitness organizations, everyday users, and medical professionals — to constantly improve on equipment that motivates, content that educates, and experiences that inspire.
From the world’s most iconic gyms to beautifully curated home fitness spaces, ZIVA equips athletes of every level with the tools they need to train with intention. And at its core, ZIVA is more than a brand. It is the realization of the belief:
Fitness is more than physical. It’s the Way to Live.
THE COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY
100% of our retail packaging is cardboard made from 100% recycled paper and 100% water-based inks. This makes our packaging completely compostable and biodegradable. Within the next year, we will have phased out all plastic in our packaging, as well, making less waste and a more positive impact. But there’s more to sustainability than just packaging. We’re also working to tackle waste and improve efficiency in other ways. We’re reconfiguring our manufacturing processes, making them leaner and cleaner. This commitment to sustainability is a natural extension of the ZIVA Way to Live.
ZIVA® is an elite-performance sports and wellness brand. Distilled to its essence, our brand is driven by the peace of harmony and the joy of living, expressed most powerfully for us through sport, movement, and strength.