[PHOTOS] Training... or torture? Inside the brutal Chinese gymnasium

Nanning Gymnasium in Nanning, China, is one of many ruthless training camps across the country to which parents send their children to learn how to be champions. But while training techniques appear extreme to Western eyes, they do provide an insight into why China's athletes at London 2012 seem so easily able to swim, dive, lift and shoot their way to victory.


Unfortunately this is communist rule, it's no different for kids being trained in Romania, Ukraine or Russia. There is a fine line between motivating children and them living under dictatorship. The Americans in my opinion have got this right and the young gymnasts that compete look like they love it, they are by far the best because they have the performance quality as well as the excellent technique.

The UK haven't quite got that edge, even though they are very talented. These sports are extremley disciplined and difficult and there will be blood sweat & tears no matter what country or sport you're training in - but so long as communism exists these children will always bare the brunt of this style of training.

The picture are shocking. However im not sure what's worse, brutally training children to become fit athletes or allowing your children to slide into obesity at a young age as we are in many parts of the Western world. In the future we will need our younger generations to be fit and strong.