Johnny O'Rourke Wins the 12kg Bulgarian Bag World Championship!
From third place to World Champion. An incredible achievement built on hard work, technical efficiency and a fair amount of grit.
A massive congratulations to BearWolf Training's very own Johnny O'Rourke, who has won the 12kg category at the Bulgarian Bag World Championships in the UK!
Johnny has been working with Bulgarian Bags for several years now, steadily developing his strength, conditioning and technical ability. Last year, he finished in an impressive third place.
This year, he came back and won the bloody thing.
And having watched the work that's gone into it, I couldn't be prouder.
What Does a Bulgarian Bag World Championship Involve?
For anyone unfamiliar with competitive Bulgarian Bag lifting, this is not simply a case of picking up a bag and throwing it around for a few minutes.
The competition involves five movements, each performed for as many repetitions as possible within a set time.
The format is:
6 minutes: Maximum Spins
1 minute: Rest
5 minutes: Max Swing Squats
1 minute: Rest
4 minutes: Max Snatches
1 minute: Rest
3 minutes: Max Thrusters
1 minute: Rest
2 minutes: Max Spin Arm Throws
That's 20 minutes of maximum-repetition work, spread across 24 minutes, including the four one-minute rest periods.
And it is absolutely brutal.
It doesn't particularly matter how fit or strong you are. Because the objective is to achieve as many repetitions as possible, everyone ends up working at the limits of their own ability.
Your hands take an absolute battering. Your shoulders are exhausted. Your legs are burning from the relentless squatting, and your cardiovascular system is pushed incredibly hard.
Those one-minute rest periods disappear remarkably quickly.
There is nowhere to hide.
Strength Is Important. Efficiency Is Everything.
One of the things I particularly admire about Johnny's preparation this year is how much attention he paid to the movements themselves.
He didn't just decide he needed to get fitter and work harder.
He got his head down and grafted, focusing on making each movement as efficient as possible.
When you're performing hundreds of repetitions across multiple demanding exercises, small improvements in technique can make an enormous difference.
A slightly smoother transition, better rhythm, improved breathing or a more economical movement pattern can all help preserve energy.
And when you're trying to maintain maximum output over 24 minutes, that matters.
Johnny put in the work to refine those details, and it showed.
Watching him compete was an absolute pleasure. He didn't just turn up to participate or try to survive the workout.
He attacked it.
And he came away with the win.
Becoming a World Champion While Becoming a Dad
What makes Johnny's achievement even more impressive is everything that's been happening outside the gym.
Training for a world championship is difficult enough when you've got plenty of free time, uninterrupted sleep and the ability to organise your life around recovery.
Johnny hasn't had that luxury.
He's been navigating work, the arrival of a new baby, sleepless nights and all the responsibilities that come with being a dad.
Some weeks, training has been difficult to fit in. Recovery hasn't always been ideal. Life hasn't conveniently stepped aside to let him prepare for a competition.
But he's kept showing up.
He's found the time to practise, improve and put the work in, even when circumstances have been far from perfect.
And I think that's worth recognising.
We often talk about dedication in training as though it simply means working harder than everyone else.
Sometimes dedication is getting a session done when you've barely slept. Sometimes it's making the most of a limited window of time. Sometimes it's accepting that training won't be perfect, but doing what you can anyway.
Johnny has demonstrated all of that.
From Third Place to World Champion
Going from third place one year to winning the following year doesn't happen by accident.
It takes patience, consistency, attention to detail and the willingness to keep improving, even when you're already performing at a very high level.
And that's exactly what Johnny has done.
I'm incredibly proud of the way he's approached his training, the improvements he's made and, most importantly, the attitude he's brought to the whole process.
To see him standing at the top of his category after everything he's put into it is fantastic.
Johnny O'Rourke — 12kg Bulgarian Bag World Champion.
Absolutely smashed it, mate.
And thoroughly deserved.
At BearWolf Training, we believe strength and fitness should fit around your life, not demand that your life revolves around them. Whether you're preparing for a world championship, working towards your first pull-up or simply looking to become stronger and more capable, we provide personal training and strength coaching at the Commando Temple in Deptford, South East London.