Lviv State University of Physical Culture - higher educational institution, which appeared on the centuries-old traditions of national physical culture, which is a significant part of Ukrainian culture in general.

The traditions of the national physical culture, despite the foreign oppression, never interrupted, and they develop the next generation. Fixing these traditions and active education, initiated "Rus Trinity", the late XIX - first half of the twentieth century signaled a particularly active sports movement. It was theoretically grounded in the writings of Basil Nagorny, John Boberska, Cyril Trylovskoho, Taras and Peter Franks, Stephen Hayduchka, Edward Zharskyj, Roman Dashkevich and other. It stimulated the creation of numerous sports associations ("Sokil", "Sich" "Plast", "Lyg"), sports clubs ("Ukraine" Lviv, "Syanova Seagull" in Przemysl, "Dovbush" in Chernivtsi, "Rus" in Uzhhorod, etc.), construction of sports facilities (stadium "Sokol- Father" in Lviv), establishment of Ukrainian sports periodicals (magazines "Proceedings of Zaporozha", "Sokilske Vesti", "Sports", "Sports Vesti", "Ready," and some other). So in the first half of the twentieth century at Western was a well developed national system of physical education, which were based on domestic theoretical developments, a number of organizational forms and sport specific infrastructure.

For the first time in Ukraine, in Lviv, a hundred years ago was originated the following kinds of sport: football, basketball, hockey, water polo, archery, cycling. Already in 1912 at the Olympic Games in Stockholm Galicia had a representative - sprinter Vladislav Ponurskoho. In general, long before the establishment of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, Lviv 96 athletes, speaking at the Olympics under the flags of Austria-Hungary, Poland and the USSR, participated in the competitions of 19 kinds of sports, from where they brought 46 medals: 15 gold, 16 silver and 15 bronze. So creation in Lviv in 1946 Lviv State Institute of Physical Culture had presupposition.

May 7, 1946 by order of the USSR Council of Ministers on basis of the College of Physical Culture was established Lviv State Institute of Physical Culture. His task - to prepare highly qualified personnel especially for the western regions of the USSR and scientific development of physical education and sports, scientific and methodological assistance to various sports organizations. Initially in the institute was a teaching faculty, 15 departments, 150 students enrolled.

In May 1958 institute was given consultative point of correspondence of the Kiev Institute of Physical Culture. Actually, it started in LDIFK distance learning, and in 1964 formed a separate department. It should be noted that in 1959 the Institute opened a school coaches with two years of training, which lasted until 1964. In addition, in 1960 began working evening division. In 1969/1970 was opened in LDIFK sports department. At that time specialists were trained at three faculties: teaching, sports and correspondence. If the 1956 school was 542 students, then in 1974 trained 1,245 people in stationary and 434 extra-mural students.

In the 70s years in the institute taught: Victor Chukarin - absolute world champion in 1964, USSR - 1949, 1951, 1955; XV-XVI Olympic Games; Andrievsky Vadim - USSR Champion in Fencing (1946), honored coach of the USSR, Vladimir Safronov - champion of the USSR (1975), silver medalist in gymnastics world Cup (1975) and many other celebrities.

1981 Lviv State Institute of Physical Education, one of the leading sports educational institutions of the country, celebrated its 35th anniversary. Then he had a structural reorganization.

New perspectives for the development of the institute came after proclamation of independence of Ukraine in 1991. Given the centuries-old traditions of the Ukrainian Physical Culture, it was necessary to create a national system of physical education and sports, from the introduction of the Ukrainian language in spravoznavstvo and teaching, curriculum development and programs, publication of educational literature, the introduction of new disciplines, including history of Ukraine, history of Ukrainian culture, history of Ukrainian sports movement, processing and finishing and developing Ukrainian sports terminology and education specialists sports profile, including athletes who have felt the connection with the state in which they were born, live, study, for which they compete in different sports forums. To address these challenging tasks it needed not only proper material resources, financing, but also nationally conscious professionals. This was possible under favorable political, economic and spiritual situation in the country. Certainly, the leadership of the Lviv State Institute of Physical Culture had to overcome the difficulties which experienced the young state.

With appointment to the post of rector, the famous sports specialist, master of sports, champion of Ukraine and the USSR Honored Coach of Ukraine Miroslav S. Hertsyka, in the development of the institute entered a new period.

To expand the areas and improve the quality of training in the sports department in 1996 was established the department of rehabilitation and recreation, and the Department of Economics of Sports, Recreation and Physical culture theory and methodology of Olympic and professional sports.

With Ukraine's accession to the Bologna Convention LDIFK purposefully moves to creditmodular system, are introduced new forms and methods of training. Institute, according to the list of specialties within their field of physical culture and sports, trains specialists of different levels - bachelors, and masters.

At the meeting on the occasion of Institute 60 years the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine declared an order of August 3, 2006