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Russian team gathered for the first training camp since the end of the season 2009/10. Russian squad has a new coach and also hired a foreign expert, Isabelle Knaute as a physiotherapist. Alexander Legkov talks about the first training camp and new inputs in the training.

Q: Hi, Alexander. Tell me, how was your first training camp after the end of the Olympic season?

Alexander Legkov: I was leaving for Ramsau not having a clue what I should expect. I was surprised by how many skiers were there - about 80! And they said that this is not the limit. In Otepaa there will be with is a junior national team, so we will have over a hundred. For me it was important to find a common language with our new coach - Oleg Perevozchik. I was even a bit nervous. But everything went well. We talked and understood each other very well, and the atmosphere at the team training camp was positive. I trained and rested quietly without any hassle. Well, the appearance in our team such a person as Isabelle Knaute for me plays a huge role.

Q: Let's talk about this. Hiring a foreign expert is a real breakthrough in Russian team.

Alexander Legkov: I agree! I think never in Russian skiing there was a foreign expert. Isabelle Knaute came to Austria with huge luggage. She conducted a survey and identified all the weaknesses. She wrote a personal program to each of us. We work with her 45 minutes on static stretching exercises, and this gives enormous progress. Then, Isabelle has gone further and proposed how to change the thrust of our work force. Isabel knows how Dario Cologna trains and now we go to a gym straight after our workout to stretch and work with weights necessary to us to strengthen the muscles. This is a completely different approach.

Q: Cords? This is for static stretching?

Alexander Legkov: Not only. Isabel brought a long cord. We stretched it between the trees and tried to walk on it. First, almost no one could but now it is much easier, and I'm pretty confident on it.

Q: This is for balancing on the thin skating skis?

Alexander Legkov: Yes, for that it is necessary for skating. It should significantly improve the gliding phase. Well, for those who frequently fall. And to me specifically, it will help me stand stronger on my feet!

Q: Who works Isabelle with?

Alexander Legkov: Generally she works with me, Natalia Korosteleva, Maxim Vylegzhanin, Ilya Chernousov, Sergei Novikov, and Petr Sedov. Isabelle works as much or even more than we train. Therefore, I agree with you appearance of Isabelle Knaute is a breakthrough for the Russian ski team! Such experts should work in team, but not those who come to the collection and do not want to bother themselves.

Contributed by skirun.ru, original article HERE.

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