National Training Center, Beijing, 2011

Hi, Everyone,

I’m taking you back three years to when I was working with athletes in Beijing during Chinese New Year.

Beijing is “alive” with the sounds of fireworks everywhere. I don’t think I’m going to get much sleep tonight – it’s really loud. The girls at the National Training Center told me that the Chinese government only allows fireworks during the Chinese New Year celebrations. Being the last day, it seems everyone is out in the streets setting off fireworks.

I played badminton with the National staff and it was really fun. They were really excited to see me play and in their enthusiasm insisted that I warm-up with one of their young male players. He’s on the 2nd tier of the National team – only 18 years old. I tried to tell them it was YEARS since I played and I shouldn’t be hitting with that young guy. However, I surprised myself that my form and strokes were still there and that I was able to keep up with him – just my timing and power of my strokes were lacking. My right shoulder doesn’t have full range of motion any more, which makes it difficult for overhead lobs and smashes.

A short time later the National women’s team (1st tier) arrived to train at the center. What a treat to watch them again, as it reminded me of all the drills that I had to do during my training. I was particularly impressed with the youngest member of the team, age 18, who I think is going to win many future championships. Her strokes were crisp and her movement patterns were almost perfect.

On this trip I’ve seen mostly swimmers, badminton and table tennis players. Last trip I worked with gymnasts, track & field athletes and divers. I also have been giving lectures and hands-on practice to the National staff. They have been receptive, although it’s tough for most of them to grasp all the concepts as they are not physios by training. I’ve tried to keep it basic so that they don’t get too confused.

Everyone here has been very gracious. Beijing today is definitely different from the Beijing that I knew in 1989. It’s much more service oriented and people actually smile now, not then. I guess that’s what capitalism can do to a country.

Looking forward to getting home.

Clare

Lake Temenggor, Malaysia 2012

Taking you back to 2012 when I visited my native Malaysia and former badminton coaches in my hometown of Ipoh.

Greetings from Malaysia…

Weather here is hot and humid – I really don’t like being hot and sweaty all the time and wonder if I will ever get used to it. This is a view from our room. The lake used to be a valley and about 30-40 years ago a dam was built and the entire valley was filled with water. I was told that it’s about 400 feet deep and there are parts of the lake where the tops of trees are still showing. My brother who came here to visit years ago said that before the highways were built, there were elephants, buffalos and other wildlife swimming in the lake, plus lots of monkeys. Alas, with tourism they have been driven deeper in the forest. The mountainous areas are the protected Belum rainforest, which is older than the Amazon. This lake is about two hours’ drive from Ipoh, my hometown.

My time helping out at the local university hospital in Kuala Lumpur went well and was made more fun with my team members Tracey and Kelly assisting me. I believe it was a good experience for both of them to work in a non-U.S. setting. The Physios here are very receptive and were very interactive.

My last few days visiting were spent in Ipoh. The highlight whenever I visit here is seeing my former badminton coaches who had a tremendous influence in my formative teen years. I credit one in particular as being instrumental in helping me analyze and dissect movement at such a young age, which is now my area of interest. Master Teik Swee is now in his mid-70s and was so happy when I told him how his careful coaching helped shape my career. I was already a state champion when he started to coach me, but he felt that my footwork and strokes would not carry me to the national level. So he rebuilt my foundation and changed my footwork and strokes, an arduous and painful process for me.

After about six months of “re-programming” and refining of my movement skills, I became the national junior champion, and later on to the national team for the World games. My strokes and footwork were changed completely with increased speed and power. That’s why I believe that "re-programming" is possible with the right and precise guidance, and with lots of focused practice.

Take care,

Clare

Beijing & Nanjing, China: January 2013

My fellow PT Lily, Vic (a strength/conditioning coach) and I were recently in Beijing and Nanjing, working with the provincial teams. The athletes from the various provinces are currently training for the ALL-CHINA games in July for spots on the National Training teams, in preparation for the next Summer Olympics.  

The stakes here are higher as the coaches and directors of the various programs need to produce results, so there is more pressure on us to "produce miracles" for their injured athletes. This is quite an unrealistic goal as we are there for only about a week in each city.  

Our biggest challenge over the last few years has been to educate the administrators, coaches and training staff on the role and balance of rehab, strength & conditioning, and training. Vic gave a presentation to the Beijing group on why rest should be part of the training regime for recovery. One of the coaches trained his athletes 7 days a week and when he heard that rest is needed, he gave a day off to his athletes from training in the gym. Instead, he took them for a 7-10 km uphill hike to "rest." :( That was his idea of REST.

It's been good to be with the athletes, although I'm not sure how much impact we will be able to make, as their training methods do not lend to recovery and injury prevention. Some of their coaches overtrain their athletes with massive load. We saw a track & field girl in September who has had back pain and couldn't run without pain in her foot and cramping in her hamstrings. She got better since then and has returned to running. However, on this trip, she came to see us again because her pain returned. Her coach says that rehab didn't work because she still has pain. Upon further questioning, we asked when the pain comes on — she says after running 10K! I think I would hurt, too if I ran that far (or, rather if I could run that far :))

Lilian Chen-Fortanesce, China's national wrestling coach, and Clare

She then said their coach makes them run 10K twice a day. GO FIGURE why she has pain. I've heard so many similar stories like that....such talented and gifted athletes, but lots of injuries and unregulated overtraining. Kind of makes one really sad! Their painstaking perseverance and dedication to train and excel with minimal complaints are truly astounding. My admiration for them grows and I have concluded that the ones who emerge as champions are truly specimens of "the survival of the fittest."

I spoke to one of the top Beijing judo champions. He's 26 now but has lived in the athletes' village since he was recruited out of middle school at age 14. Another gymnast we worked with has lived in the village since she was 7 or 8. Can you imagine eating, sleeping and training like that every day for years? Most of the athletes are really sweet — "innocent" in some ways, unlike some of our Western counterparts. They are really grateful for any help they can get.

Conditioning - rope climbing

It was a busy time for us here. After seeing the athletes at the center, we returned to our hotel to write reports on the athletes for our records, as well as for the administrators of the sports bureau. Then those reports had to be translated. The list of stuff to do is never-ending. Amidst our busy schedule, Lily and I have been able to get some "me" time with foot and back massages.

One of the the highlights of this trip was meeting up with my niece who lives and works in Beijing.  Incidently, her mom (my sister) and step-dad were also visiting from Malaysia, and I managed to see them, too. What a treat! Another highlight was having a day to hang out with my dear friend and colleague, Heidi. We kinda "tag-teamed" on this trip — I was finishing my 2 weeks in Beijing/Nanjing and she took over where I left off. Heidi was with Lily for another week. It was Heidi's first time to China, so it was an awesome experience for her. I've known Heidi since she was a PT student a long while ago, and we have become really good friends over the years.

I am really grateful to Lily, who has given me the opportunity to work with the Chinese Olympic athletes at their National Training Center in Beijing for the past 2 years. I met her when she was doing her residency in PT 6 or 7 years ago, and we "clicked." Lily and her husband have become my good friends, too.

I'm just so grateful to be working with quality folks, but above all, what makes it all worthwhile is that I'm among good friends who make work so fun and gratifying.

Our rehab team with one of
the National volleyball players

Zhong Man, 2012 Olympic
gold medalist, sabre fencing

Clare, Heidi and Isabel