Nanning Gymnasium in China is just one of many ruthless training/torture camps across the Chinese nation that parents send their children to learn how to be champions in the Olympics.

Gymnastic stars are known for starting at an incredibly early age, and the Chinese gymnasts are no different. Their training regimen is a little different however, many would even label it torturous. Photos have been released that show many of these children in extreme pain, as they go through demanding routines on bars, rings, and mats.

Boys and girls who looked very young, maybe five or six years old, were tasked with swinging on beams, hanging from pairs of rings, and bouncing across floor mats during the physically strenuous training sessions. Many of these youngsters appear to be in extreme pain, as the trainers keep pushing them further.

Where do you draw the line when it comes to gymnastics?

It should be at the part where the children begin to cry. There is no reason to have to train a young gymnast to the point where they experience more pain than benefit. These ruthless training camps are molding children to be champions, but at an extreme cost: their well-being.

There comes a point where athletics and competition can take a side-door to feelings of these poor children. I bet a lot of these kids don’t even have the option to say no, they just go along as they are told, all backed with their parents support of their torture. It is really sad to see things like this going on in modern society, and regulations should be put in place to make sure these kinds of things don’t happen to innocent kids.

Just because the Chinese athletes at the London 2012 Olympics are phenomenal at swimming, diving, and lifting, doesn’t mean they should put their young children through extreme training torture regimens.

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