Russian Gymnastics Training Center – A look inside ‘Ozero Krugloye’

November 2, 2012

ANY gymnast in Russia aiming to be a high flyer will always strive to join the Russian national team (formerly USSR), which has been training for many decades at the camp called “Ozero Krugloye” (Round Lake), just 20 miles off the city of Moscow. ‘Ozero Krugloye’, situated on a plot of 96,000 square meters and surrounded by a woodland park, serves as a training base for the swimming, fencing and gymnastics national teams.

This training center has been in existence since 1953 and was used as a skiing camp run by the Moscow Institute of Physical Culture and Sports. It has been modernised in preparation for the Olympic Games in 1980. The sports complex is located in a green area near the town of Zelenograd, right next to the picturesque ‘Lake Krugloye’.

Russian Gymnastics National Gymnastics Training CenterRussian Gymnastics Training Center

In fact, the “Lake Krugloye” is the only Russian centralised base which operates the whole year round. Athletes have been given all the necessary conditions not only for the preparation for major international events but also the perfect conditions for studying (classrooms and its own library), resting, recovering, nutrition and a comfortable living. On site athletes have access to the professional crew including coaches, doctors and masseurs. You will certainly not find an identical training center available on the vast territory of Russia.

Lake Krugloye Russian Gymnastics National Team Training Center

Lake Krugloye Russian Gymnastics National Team Training Center

Round Lake Russian Gymnastics National Team Training Base

“There is no lack of high quality equipment, – explains the junior team doctor Grigory Marsov. – Anything that we need and ask for is purchased immediately. The quality of our equipment is the same as that of the good health clinic – and much better than most foreign teams have. Compared to ours, foreign national teams have a different – sports club – system: a specialist doctor will consult an athlete once or twice a week after which the physio and massage therapists will take over. What we have is a serious permanent medical control and advanced medical equipment. For example, the unit of the shock-wave therapy costs about 2 million rubles (around $63,000 USD). There are few clubs in the world that can actually afford it”.

One of the mandatory parts of the training program on “Ozero Krugloye” is massage. Massages are made to all athletes every night, plus an extra one during a break in-between the training. As you can imagine the national team is never far away from the massage table. In fact, the very first step on the arrival to the competition is to set up the massage table at the hotel.

There are two gymnastics teams training in the center – national and pre-elite. This helps to establish the succession of the athletes’ generations in both physical and mental way and prepare younger athletes for the amount of workload similar to one in the in older age category.

The former head coach of the Russian women’s national team Alexander Alexandrov says: “Raising a gymnastics champion usually takes at least ten years. Every day it is advisable to train at least six hours but in the end it all depends on the training conditions. Unfortunately, to date, we don’t have all the gymnastics halls available for running the training sessions twice a day, as it was back in the USSR. The squad team trains two-three times per day and at this level we have split them up into the national and pre-elite teams, and also the junior team where you will find the youngest girls of all”.

Take a virtual tour of the ‘Ozero Krugloye’ sports facilities HERE.

source: http://vtbrussia.ru/sport/gymnastic


15 Comments

  • mary diaz says:

    hola, tengo una hija de 6 años, esta en el nivel 2, ella le gusta y ama lo que hace, tiene potencial quisiera tener orientacion para formarla profesionalmente en este deporte, somos venezolanos y quisieramos tener la oportunidad de que ella recibiera entrenamiento en un pais destacado en esta disciplina.
    gracias

  • Adrian Luis says:

    I agree that the shock-wave therapy is costly but it is the best method to reduce pain without any surgery. Surgery can hinder the sports for months but in shock-wave therapy, it is not necessary.

  • Bestun says:

    pease tell me how can i find you ??

  • MADHUKAR SHYAM says:

    IT IS ONE OF THE BEST ACADEME IN RUSSIA . I WANT TO TEACH MY SON ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS THERE

  • Priti says:

    Hi I am calling from Mumbai India. Want 2 male Russian gymnast for an ad film shooting in Mumbai around 24th or 25th MArch. Please revert with details by email or call +919820013374

  • Dear Sir,
    We are a gymnastics club in Lebanon, and we are thinking of doing a gymnastics camp for our gymnasts in Russia, please would like to know who i should contact to have more details.
    Regards

  • Shilpi Agarwal says:

    My daughter is persuing gymnastics from last 6 yrs in Delhi. I want her to take advanced training in artistic gymnastics. Do u provide artistic training. If so pls revert back. I want to bring her this june

  • Vidhu says:

    Hello,
    I am a 17 year old gymnast from India and also a notional medalist I would really like to join your club.
    Kindly send me necessary details like fee structure , how many sessions will I get in a week and how many hours a session is consist of
    Thank you

  • Patrick Champion says:

    Hi I’m looking for a overseas training stint for
    My Daughter in artistic Gymnastics.

  • Guersley Gilbert says:

    Hello,

    My name is Guersley Gilbert, I am 25 years old, I live in Canada. My first language is French

    I am really interested in starting men’s gymnastics in competition in your academy.

    Would you let me start gymnastics with your school?

    I would like to train as much as possible for example 6 hours a day.

    Money is not a problem, I have what I need for more than a year. How much do the sessions cost?

    I am a good athlete and I am ready to immigrate to Russia.

    Thank you in advance,

    Guersley Gilbert

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