Artistic gymnasts are training behind closed doors in Shenyang, the capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. /VCG

Artistic gymnastics requires not only physical fitness, but also music and dancing talent. Emotions and facial expressions must also be strictly controlled. /VCG

The pioneer in China's artistic gymnastics, the Liaoning team, is known as the "Dream Team." A total of 20 gymnasts are preparing for next year's National Games, which includes both adults and teenage events. /VCG

Eight teenagers practice hundreds of times daily for their group performance, according to coach Ma Qianhui, a gold medalist at the 2013 National Games. /VCG

"The group event is 150 seconds, they practice it dozens of times every day, sometimes 100 times for a single movement", Ma said. "We will fine-tune some movements according to their reactions. It is not easy to repeat day after day, but practice makes perfect." /VCG

20-year-old Shang Rong, at a height of 1.71 meters, was the first Chinese gymnast to compete at the Olympics in Rio in 2016. She is now practicing seven-eight hours a day in preparation for her individual performance. /VCG

Back from training in Russia, Shang said her technical skills have developed. "I can see my improvement in skills, even though it is exhausting to practice every morning, I am making progress." /VCG