张艺谋介绍说，首先，李宁要在高空做高难度动作，不大可能邀请一位现役的运动员来做，因为他要长时间的训练，现役的运动员要准备参加比赛，是不大可能留出很多时间来做这样的训练。所以当时希望找到一个退役的，但是他又获得过崇高荣誉的，而且有体操和技能上的技术。空中的转身、横着走是有特别训练的，所以经过国家体委的推荐，最后推荐了李宁。
张艺谋说，李宁特别的努力，最近每天晚上基本上是一点钟上班，到鸟巢进行训练，尽管他有非常好的身体基础，但是做这样的空中动作，而且要做得万无一失。李宁深知自己责任重大，他真的是非常的辛苦，他在空中做这样一个500米，转一圈三分零十秒，转完一圈下来他要休息一个小时才可以上第二圈。
“有时候我们下班了以后天都亮了，还看到他在天空中一个人在练习，我们都感动了，觉得他非常成功。”张艺谋说。
Zhang Yimou said, first of all, Li-Ning to do difficult moves at high altitude, is unlikely to invite an active athletes do, because he wants a long period of training, active athletes to prepare for the competition, is unlikely to stay A lot of time to do such training. So at that time to find a retired, but he also won the highest honor, but also on the gymnastics skills and technology. The air turns, the sideways take a special training, so the national committee of the recommendation, the final recommendation of the Li Ning.
Zhang Yimou, Li Ning special efforts, the last one o'clock every night is basically to work, training to the nest, although he has very good physical basis, but to do so the air moves, but also to do foolproof. Li Ning is fully aware of its responsibility, he really is very hard, he in the air to do a 500-meter, two-thirds, 10 seconds to the lap, lap down to the end he has to rest more than one hour before the second round .
"Sometimes we have work after a bright day, he also saw in the sky in a person in practice, we have moved, that he was very successful." Zhang said.
