Bulgarian Bag
Encyclopedia
The Bulgarian Bag also known as the Bulgarian Training Bag , is a crescent-shaped exercise equipment
used in strength training
, plyometric weight training
, cardiovascular training, and general physical fitness
. The bags are made of leather or canvas and filled with sand; they weigh from 11 lbs to 50 lbs and have flexible handles to allow for both upper and lower body training, and for building grip strength.
coach at the Olympic training center in Marquette, Michigan and was looking for a training tool that would allow his wrestlers to improve explosive actions and dynamic movements involved in pushing, twisting, swinging, pulling, bending, rotating, squatting, lunging, and throwing.
Ivanov was inspired by the tradition of shepherds performing strength acts with sheep and goats on street fairs in his native Bulgaria. The shepherds were often forced to carry lambs and weak sheep around their shoulders when they were wandering with their herds, and were showing off their strength at festivals. Ivanov based the design of his tool on the body of an ovine and saw its use as a modern interpretation of the old tradition.
Although the Bulgarian Bag was initially designed for Olympic class wrestlers, it came to be adopted by fitness trainers and professional athletes for its ability to increase muscular endurance and make weight training
more versatile. One of the first advocates of the Bulgarian Bag outside the Olympic wrestling circuit was fitness specialist and retired Navy SEAL Stephen Nave. Along with Ivan Ivanov they formed the International Bulgarian Bag Confederation to educate the public and offer advanced instruction to individual consumers, personal trainers and fitness establishments.
The leather bags are handmade in Bulgaria and mostly constructed of goat skin. Because goat skin is finer in thickness and the follicles are shallow in the skin, there is less compromise in the strength of the hide when compared to other leathers. The interior is filled with individually wrapped and weighed sand packets and padded with wool to form a smooth rounded contour. Once filled, the main seam is closed using a heavy gauge soft nylon.
The exterior of the bag consists of three kinds of handles and straps to allow for multiple types of exercises with different grips:
Self-made Bulgarian Bags can be constructed out of automobile inner-tubes or children's ring float toys.
, squats
, push-ups, pull-ups
and power crunches
. Many sample workout routines have been posted on the Internet.
musculature, coordination
, and improving overall shoulder and joint mobility. Because of its shape, material and construction, Bulgarian Bag can be used to develop quickness and agility in ways which solid iron weights and circuit machines cannot.
The multi-angular approach to gravity, momentum and inertia in physical exercise has been termed Variable Angular Resistance training in some use.
Originally referred to as oxygen debt, this post exercise aerobic effect was first hypothesized by A.V. Hill and H. Lupton in 1922. They theorized that the body needs to replace the oxygen used by working muscles during mild to intense bouts of exercise. More recently, researchers have used the term 'excess post-exercise oxygen consumption' to describe the different events that occur as the body restores itself to homeostasis, or rest. The body’s metabolic rate will be raised for a longer period post- exercise from high intensity bouts of exercise. Depending on the level of stress and intensity of exercise, metabolic increase can be seen for up to 18–24 hours.
Because the handles of the Bulgarian Bag are flexible and not rigidly fixed to the body of the equipment, it is harder for an athlete to transfer the weight of the equipment to his or her forearm and arm muscles than with traditional iron weights, and more load is carried by athlete's wrists. The use of wrist wraps
may therefore be advisable for people with weaker wrists to provide additional support.
For general information about the effects of physical exercise on human body and the physiological processes involved, see exercise physiology
.
Exercise equipment
An apparatus or device used in any given physical activity for shaping and forming muscle groups for specific areas of the body. A mechanism or machine that is intended to promote health and fitness by using motion with varying degrees of resistance either fixed or adjustable.-Exercise...
used in strength training
Strength training
Strength training is the use of resistance to muscular contraction to build the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles. There are many different methods of strength training, the most common being the use of gravity or elastic/hydraulic forces to oppose muscle contraction...
, plyometric weight training
Weight training
Weight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. It uses the weight force of gravity to oppose the force generated by muscle through concentric or eccentric contraction...
, cardiovascular training, and general physical fitness
Physical fitness
Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
. The bags are made of leather or canvas and filled with sand; they weigh from 11 lbs to 50 lbs and have flexible handles to allow for both upper and lower body training, and for building grip strength.
History
The Bulgarian Bag was invented by Ivan Ivanov at around 2005. Ivanov, a former Bulgarian Greco-Roman Olympic athlete, was working as a U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman wrestlingGreco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practised worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908. Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can...
coach at the Olympic training center in Marquette, Michigan and was looking for a training tool that would allow his wrestlers to improve explosive actions and dynamic movements involved in pushing, twisting, swinging, pulling, bending, rotating, squatting, lunging, and throwing.
Ivanov was inspired by the tradition of shepherds performing strength acts with sheep and goats on street fairs in his native Bulgaria. The shepherds were often forced to carry lambs and weak sheep around their shoulders when they were wandering with their herds, and were showing off their strength at festivals. Ivanov based the design of his tool on the body of an ovine and saw its use as a modern interpretation of the old tradition.
Although the Bulgarian Bag was initially designed for Olympic class wrestlers, it came to be adopted by fitness trainers and professional athletes for its ability to increase muscular endurance and make weight training
Weight training
Weight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. It uses the weight force of gravity to oppose the force generated by muscle through concentric or eccentric contraction...
more versatile. One of the first advocates of the Bulgarian Bag outside the Olympic wrestling circuit was fitness specialist and retired Navy SEAL Stephen Nave. Along with Ivan Ivanov they formed the International Bulgarian Bag Confederation to educate the public and offer advanced instruction to individual consumers, personal trainers and fitness establishments.
Construction
The exterior of Bulgarian Bags is made out of leather or heavy-duty canvas.The leather bags are handmade in Bulgaria and mostly constructed of goat skin. Because goat skin is finer in thickness and the follicles are shallow in the skin, there is less compromise in the strength of the hide when compared to other leathers. The interior is filled with individually wrapped and weighed sand packets and padded with wool to form a smooth rounded contour. Once filled, the main seam is closed using a heavy gauge soft nylon.
The exterior of the bag consists of three kinds of handles and straps to allow for multiple types of exercises with different grips:
- The main handles are the two hold points which taper out toward the end of the bag and are used for swinging and spinning motions.
- The exterior handles are three tube-like protrusions wrapped in goat skin that sit on the outer top of the bag; the center handle is set between the two outer handles. The exterior handles are primarily used for grip strength and upper body exercises.
- The third elements are called 'straps' and are two looped nylon straps sewn directly to the bag’s exterior. They are approximately 12 inches long and are used to stabilize the bag on the shoulders during lower body workouts, and as grasping handles for arm exercises.
Self-made Bulgarian Bags can be constructed out of automobile inner-tubes or children's ring float toys.
Variations
Depending on a person's size and level of physical fitness, Bulgarian Bags are manufactured in different sizes and weights:| Weight | Strap Color | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| 11 lbs | Yellow | Athletes up to 110 pounds |
| 17 lbs | Green | Athletes 110 to 150 pounds |
| 26 lbs | Red | Athletes 150 to 190 pounds |
| 37 lbs | Silver | Athletes 210 to 250 pounds |
| 50 lbs | Brown | Advanced Athletes |
Use
The bag can be used as a free weight in various simple and dynamic movements like pushing, spinning, swinging and rotating, and added to one's body weight to perform jumpsJumping
Jumping or leaping is a form of locomotion or movement in which an organism or non-living mechanical system propels itself through the air along a ballistic trajectory...
, squats
Squat (exercise)
In strength training, the squat is a compound, full body exercise that trains primarily the muscles of the thighs, hips and buttocks, quads , hamstrings, as well as strengthening the bones, ligaments and insertion of the tendons throughout the lower body...
, push-ups, pull-ups
Pull-up (exercise)
A pull-up is an upper body compound pulling exercise where the body is suspended by the arms, gripping something, and pulled up with muscular effort...
and power crunches
Crunch (exercise)
The crunch is one of the most common abdominal exercises. It primarily works the rectus abdominis muscle.-Form:A crunch begins with lying face up on the floor with knees bent. The movement begins by curling the shoulders towards the pelvis. The hands can be behind or beside the neck or crossed over...
. Many sample workout routines have been posted on the Internet.
Fitness advantages
The Bulgarian Bag strengthens and increases the muscular endurance of the grip, wrists, arms, shoulders, back, legs, and rotational muscles. It also aids in building coreCore (anatomy)
In anatomy, the core refers, in its most general of definitions, to the body minus the legs and arms. Functional movements are highly dependent on the core, and lack of core development can result in a predisposition to injury...
musculature, coordination
Motor coordination
thumb|right|Motor coordination is shown in this animated sequence by [[Eadweard Muybridge]] of himself throwing a diskMotor coordination is the combination of body movements created with the kinematic and kinetic parameters that result in intended actions. Such movements usually smoothly and...
, and improving overall shoulder and joint mobility. Because of its shape, material and construction, Bulgarian Bag can be used to develop quickness and agility in ways which solid iron weights and circuit machines cannot.
Variable angular resistance
The Bulgarian Bag breaks the tradition with static resistance devices such as free weights which adhere to a singular plane of motion (i.e. creating resistance by pushing or pulling weight away from and toward the body), by using accelerating and deceleration movements to swing and spin the bag at various angles to athlete's body. This results in the Bulgarian Bag’s ability to increase overall body strength and agility.The multi-angular approach to gravity, momentum and inertia in physical exercise has been termed Variable Angular Resistance training in some use.
Aerobic effect
After cardiovascular exercise or weight training, the body continues to need oxygen at a higher rate than before the exercise began. High intensity bouts of exercise with the Bulgarian Bag increase metabolic rates higher than traditional weight training and cardiovascular activity because the exercise includes both weight training and fast dynamic movement.Originally referred to as oxygen debt, this post exercise aerobic effect was first hypothesized by A.V. Hill and H. Lupton in 1922. They theorized that the body needs to replace the oxygen used by working muscles during mild to intense bouts of exercise. More recently, researchers have used the term 'excess post-exercise oxygen consumption' to describe the different events that occur as the body restores itself to homeostasis, or rest. The body’s metabolic rate will be raised for a longer period post- exercise from high intensity bouts of exercise. Depending on the level of stress and intensity of exercise, metabolic increase can be seen for up to 18–24 hours.
Safety considerations
Exercises with Bulgarian Bags, like any other plyometric shock-training exercises, involve an increased risk of injury due to the large forces that are generated during acceleration, and should only be performed by well-conditioned individuals or under supervision. For more information on risks involved in plyometric training, see safety considerations in plyometrics.Because the handles of the Bulgarian Bag are flexible and not rigidly fixed to the body of the equipment, it is harder for an athlete to transfer the weight of the equipment to his or her forearm and arm muscles than with traditional iron weights, and more load is carried by athlete's wrists. The use of wrist wraps
Hand/wrist wraps
A hand wrap or a wrist wrap is a strip of cloth used by boxers to protect the hand and wrist against injuries induced by punching...
may therefore be advisable for people with weaker wrists to provide additional support.
For general information about the effects of physical exercise on human body and the physiological processes involved, see exercise physiology
Exercise physiology
Exercise physiology is the study of the acute responses and chronic adaptations to a wide-range of physical exercise conditions. In addition, many exercise physiologists study the effect of exercise on pathology, and the mechanisms by which exercise can reduce or reverse disease progression...
.
See also
- BarbellBarbellA barbell is a piece of exercise equipment used in weight training, weightlifting and powerlifting. Barbells range in length from to although bars above 7' in length are used primarily by powerlifters and aren't commonplace...
- DumbbellDumbbellThe dumbbell, a type of free weight, is a piece of equipment used in weight training. It can be used individually or in pairs .-History:...
- KettlebellKettlebellThe kettlebell or girya is a cast-iron weight used to perform ballistic exercises that combine cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training.Sizes may range from to...
- Exercise equipmentExercise equipmentAn apparatus or device used in any given physical activity for shaping and forming muscle groups for specific areas of the body. A mechanism or machine that is intended to promote health and fitness by using motion with varying degrees of resistance either fixed or adjustable.-Exercise...
- Weight trainingWeight trainingWeight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. It uses the weight force of gravity to oppose the force generated by muscle through concentric or eccentric contraction...
- Strength trainingStrength trainingStrength training is the use of resistance to muscular contraction to build the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles. There are many different methods of strength training, the most common being the use of gravity or elastic/hydraulic forces to oppose muscle contraction...
- Resistance trainingResistance trainingResistance training has two different meanings. A broader meaning that refers to any training that uses a resistance to the force of muscular contraction , and elastic or hydraulic resistance, which refers to a specific type of strength training that uses elastic or hydraulic tension to provide...
- Plyometric trainingPlyometricsPlyometrics is a type of exercise training designed to produce fast, powerful movements, and improve the functions of the nervous system, generally for the purpose of improving performance in sports. Plyometric exercises may also be referred to as explosive exercises...