Hosting the UK Bulgarian bag Championships

Why do we do it? So much time, energy and money invested in running the ONLY UK Bulgarian bag championships.

BUT

We love it

It motivates people

It’s different

These training tools are awesome

It connects us to other people in the world

We’ve made connections in Hungary, the USA, Ireland and Bulgaria by competing abroad and hosting our own competition here in the UK. Anything that brings people together feels good. Misery loves company after all! But jokes aside, it’s always a nice way to cross cultures and find a common link.

In Bulgaria the Suples competition is intense and there’s a much bigger scene. Everyone in Pomorie, Bulgaria seems to be born with a bag in their hands! You’ll see people walking around the town in Suples shirts. They love it.

The first time I competed there I was terrified. My group was on at 8pm. It was over 30 degrees C. The whole team had gathered around a town square and there were at least 100 people watching and screaming. I’d seen the kinds of numbers these guys were producing and I was bricking it. When I walked across the stage to take my position, my heart was racing. Once I started spinning the bag my heart rate rocketed even more and my mouth was so dry I wasn’t sure if I’d shit myself, throw up or have a panic attack.

But I got through the gruelling 24 minute workout. I was destroyed but I loved it. Fast forward a year and a half and myself and Marcus are running our own comp. But this was very much our comp. Grass roots, analogue rep counters, the chalky dusty interior of the Commando Temple, a punk band at half time…and all the refs and crowd screaming support for EVERYONE. It was our version and it was so amazing. What really shone through was the love and community.

That’s why we do it. You can define all the mobility and endurance benefits to a comp like this but we adore training with the bags and introducing people to them.

At the Temple we went from a couple of people spinning the bags to this huge cult movement involving members, clients etc suddenly getting really into this niche training tool. And doing so many different movements with them. It motivates them, it motivates us and we keep going.

So we put up with the daft messages, the promises of people entering and not following through, the never ending admin. Just like running a PT business you have to love it. Even if you adore it, it might not work out. You just have to accept that you’re going to do it anyway! So if we’re going to do it, we’re going to make it as epic as possible.

With that in mind, sign up HERE