The Bulgarian Bag exercise equipment can be now seen in many gyms worldwide. It was invented by Bulgarian athlete Ivan Ivanov who was once part of the Bulgarian national wrestling team. Now, Ivan teaches wrestling (Greco Roman style) in the USA. His device helps the functional training of his athletes. The specific form of this sporting equipment resembles the lamb carried on the back of the Bulgarian wrestlers during the national folk-style wrestling fairs. The multifunctional Bulgarian Bag weighs between 3 and 38 kilograms and is equipped with many handles. The Bulgarian flag can be also seen on the original Bulgarian Bag.

One year after the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta Ivan Ivanov was invited to join the coaching team of the US national Greco Roman wrestling team. Ivanov was still an active athlete at that time. However a heavy knee injury made him put an end to the sports career and become a coach. I departed to the USA without any coaching practice whatsoever, Ivan Ivanov told Radio Bulgaria. However, my wrestling coaches were top experts, which helped me a lot in my new profession, Ivan Ivanov recalls. Ivan constantly strives to develop and looks for new training methods. The good results shown by his athletes motivate him a lot. In 2009 the USA Wrestling named Ivanov the Wresting Greco-Roman Coach of the Year. Ivan came up with the idea to invent the Bulgarian Bag during the exhausting trainings. Ivan Ivanov told Radio Bulgaria details about his sports device.

I wanted to use new sports equipment for functional training which helps senior-level wrestlers improve their physical endurance. For the purpose, I developed a special training system. I did not intend to popularize the Bulgarian Bag in the gyms. It just happened so. Experts from various sports disciplines showed huge interest in this device which is very useful both for amateur and top athletes.

However, Ivan Ivanov invented other sports devices as well.

I have developed five Suples training systems. These are five individual sports devices. We offer individual training seminars with every Suples system. We have well-trained instructors in many countries. Nikolay Stanchev is our instructor in Bulgaria.

Today, Ivan Ivanov’s Suples devices are used in various trainings in wrestling, martial arts, gym training and athletics. They are accessible both for male and female athletes, due to their different weight. Ivan has been also developing a special fitness programme for children ages five or above.

We develop safe exercises for the children. They help them improve their physical skills, coordination, physical endurance and speed. The kids show big interest in these trainings, because they like competitions.

Most exercises developed for these sports devices are specially designed to train different muscle groups, Ivan Ivanov points out. The Bulgarian bag can be also used for weightlifting. Thus, the efforts of the athlete are directed towards a certain muscle group. Our purpose is to teach people get used to dynamic trainings and improve their technique which boosts the effect of training, Mr Ivanov contends. His sports equipment can be used both in the gym and during outdoor training. Moreover, the sports tools can be combined- the elastic cord can be attached to the Bulgarian bag. Other sports accessories can be fixed to the Gladiator Wall, etc. When trainees learn the exercises, they want to try new movements and combinations as well as more difficult and dynamic exercises. Thus, trainings become useful, interesting and entertaining both for coaches and athletes, which guarantees good results.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov