Zenit begin preseason training
Zenit Basketball Club first team have begun preparations for the 2026/27 season. Today, August 8, the Blue-White-Sky Blues held their first training session under new head coach Duško Ivanović.
The team began their training camp in Saint Petersburg with not full roster. Zenit U21 players Anton Suikonen (born in 2009) and Mikhail Presnyakov (born in 2007) are also taking part in the first team's training sessions.
From August 5 to 7, the players underwent an in-depth medical examination and comprehensive functional testing as part of their preparations for the new season. The testing was conducted by specialists from the Medical Rehabilitation Centre of Zenit Football Club together with the basketball club's medical staff — CEO medical advisor Mikhail Kosarev and team doctor Pavel Pleshkov.
The programme included functional and strength tests, as well as a body composition assessment. This year, the specialists also used the capabilities of the Noraxon Biomechanics Laboratory — a unique equipment complex in Russian sport that allows for a detailed analysis of athletes' movements. At present, Zenit are the only club in Russia to have access to this technology.
Semyon Vtyurin, Sports Medicine Physician and Rehabilitation Specialist at Zenit FC's Medical Rehabilitation Centre:
Over the past three days, in addition to the general medical examination that athletes traditionally undergo before the season, we conducted jump testing, testing on force platforms, as well as a unique method of lactate testing, which allows us to determine blood lactate levels and heart rate zones in order to improve the endurance of our athletes and monitor overload during games on the court.
Ivan Frolov, Sports Medicine Physician and Rehabilitation Specialist at Zenit FC's Medical Rehabilitation Centre:
The Noraxon Biomechanics Laboratory includes several different types of sensors. These are biomechanical insoles that measure pressure in real time, 3D motion-capture sensors that assess joint function while a basketball player is running and jumping, as well as surface electromyography sensors that assess how the muscles work and how they are activated during different movements. In laboratory conditions, we try to replicate the patterns that basketball players perform during games in order to identify vulnerable areas and provide recommendations for preparing for games.
The data collected will help the coaching and medical staffs assess the players' current functional condition and use the testing results throughout the team's preparations.
Zenit will continue their training camp in Saint Petersburg until August 23. The Blue-White-Sky Blues will then travel to Belgrade, where they will play three friendly games.
The full Zenit preseason schedule is available in our article.
