Psychological Training and the Big Sister

At the end of Chunghua Road in Kao-hsiung, with its eucalyptus and coconut palm, the road narrows and the houses are built in the squat old style. In the alleys small restaurants, their signs askew, offer regional dishes from mainland China. This is Tsoying, the most important navy base in Taiwan.

But some of the residents practice the arts of peace. The facilities are also home to the largest athletic training center in the Republic of China, where athletes ready for the Olympic Games. Many are holders of national records and have the potential to break world records. One well-known figure has short cropped hair, wears jeans and sneakers, and rides an 80cc motorcycle. She will set no records, but is recognized by all as "Big Sister Lu."

Big Sister Lu, whose real name is Lu Hsun-chieh, graduated from college 15 years ago, after majoring in journalism. Her first job found her at a newspaper, where she lasted two years as a reporter. Lu then taught high school for a year and a half, became pregnant, and then led the life of a housewife until July 1982, when "liking sports and wanting to do something," she sent her resume to the Tsoying Training Center. The Center had just changed directors, and the new man looked at her broad experience and sent for her immediately to work as a guidance counselor.

Once at Tsoying, Lu became a ubiquitous presence, at the track, the swimming pool, and in the weight room, always lending moral support to the athletes. Most of her salary was spent in paying transportation fares to the various meets and competitions her charges were entered in. Whatever the situation, Lu always remained calm and kept a small smile on her face. She stepped into the limelight only once.

That happened when decathlon athlete Ku Chin-shui returned from Japan because of injuries. Ku had been touted as one of the successors of the great C.K. Yang, and a possible medal winner at the 1984 Olympics. Hoping that he would gain from international experience as did Yang, Ku was sent to Japan for training, despite being injured. Less than four months later, after dismal performances and amid talk of quitting, Ku came home. His early return sparked a small uproar in the press, which speculated on the value of sending him overseas. When asked for comment, Lu Hsun-chieh, a close friend of Ku, responded, "There's nothing wrong with them. The people that should be held responsible are the sensationalistic press."

In October 1982 at a meet in Tainan, Ku scored 7505 points in the decathlon competition, coming closer than any ROC athlete had in a decade to breaking C.K. Yang's record. Other track and field athletes also turned in outstanding performances, and became the subjects of extensive media attention. Most of the articles, however, merely reported their times and gossiped about their personal lives.

Writing under a pen name, Lu Hsun-chieh reported on the sports scene, but took a different approach. In one article entitled "Physical Fitness and Competition Results," she pointed out the integral link between conditioning and performance.

Assisted by Wei P'ei-wen, a Center official with a degree in psychology, she began a series of unusually candid pieces. When some suggested that high jumper Liu Chin ch'iang might break the Asian record, Lu looked at his 1.75 meter frame and wrote, "Breaking the world record would be extremely difficult." She similarly downplayed other possibilities eagerly speculated on in the press. While some readers considered her a killjoy, many came to appreciate her frankness.

According to most experts, ability only accounts for 20% of that which separates athletes. The remaining 80% is said to be psychological. The Soviet Union and East Germany were the first nations to make psychological preparation a basic part of their training regimen, and the United States has followed suit. In Taiwan, such programs have been late in starting.

Mental condition and athletic performance are closely related. Some people think of everyday nuisances as the spice of life, but to an athlete, whose success is decided by inches and tenths of seconds, a collected mind can mean the difference between victory and defeat. "What we aim to do," says Lu Hsun-chieh, "is to set their minds at ease so they can do exactly what they want." Problems include arguments with the coach, dissatisfaction with training regimens, family economic difficulties, and academic and employment worries. "I can't solve these problems," Lu sighs, "but I can help the athletes analyze the situation and see it clearer."

Ku Chin-shui is a good example. He used to be an introverted athlete whose only hope was to qualify. His family's financial situation was poor, and Ku wrote in his diary that he could help only by eating less. His athletic performance inevitably suffered under this pressure. Lu offered to find him a job, and Ku, his mind relieved of this burden, began to improve immeasurably. Lu never did need to find him a job, because Ku kept winning scholarships. Later, when he went to Japan, she organized a "Ku Chin-shui Support Association" composed of his closest friends to help him supplement his inadequate living stipend.

Along with managing these practical problems, Lu assists in the mental training program. "I try to get them to remember the exact situation of their best performance. It's like a slow-motion replay." Baseball pitchers, for example, are made to recall the sunlight, the breeze, the grass, the pitcher's rubber, the glove, the coach's signals, every detail down to the first pitch, to recover the feeling present on that special day. But unless this preparation is done religiously and is accompanied with conditioning and skill development programs, it will fall short of expectations, warns Lu.

Before a meet or game, athletes often fear the wait before competition begins. Inadequate preparation sometimes can dull the competitive edge and disrupt one's timing and concentration. To maintain an alert mental state, Lu advises players to think of a happy event or an item at home, such as a bed or clock.

"Compared with other professions, an athlete's life is short," says Lu, "but there's a lot more sweat and tears. People who worry about their studies and job have difficulty relating to them. They worry, 'Why am I training?' 'What else should I be doing?' If they're doing it for someone else, for the coach, the school, their parents, then it's not worth it. I tell athletes to be straight with themselves and decide why they're training. Ku Chin-shui is not terribly gifted, but he's the clearest about why he's out here. Those that are competing for themselves generally are the ones bothered the least by outside influences, like school or job."

Lu Hsun-chieh left the Center after about 600 days. Following her departure, many others also went elsewhere, among them Wei P'ei-wen and Ku Chin-shui. Psychological guidance in Taiwan again became a topic often talked about but rarely practiced. Lu still helps athletes though, playing the role of underground counselor. In her house near an oil refinery, many people are forever visiting her and her drawer is full of letters. Ku Chin-shui, baseball star Chuang Sheng hsiung, and karate expert Yao Li meet with her every chance they get. Such closeness cannot be replaced in a day and night.

"I used to be a benchwarmer," she laughs, "but my coaches managed to drill into me a positive attitude." Lu only regrets that where she once could be a relaxed spectator, now she cannot help but get emotionally involved in the competition knowing the labors that athletes daily go through.

[Picture Caption]

This is Lu Hsun-chieh, a housewife that cares about athletes.

Another record broken. Ku Chin-shui at a meet in Changhua broke the R.O. C. pole vault record for the decathlon. (Photo by Lin Ming-yung).

At center is karate standout Yao Li with her coach Su Shang-chih. Off to the side sitting calmly is Lu Hsun-chieh.

Athletes lead a life full of both joy and sorrow. (Photo by Lin Ming-yung).

Building a strong body takes years of conditioning. Above is the weight room at Tsoying Training Center.

"Sign right here!"

The dentist's office beside the Tsoying oil refinery counts among its clients many athletes from the Center.

Lu gives a word of advice to baseball star Chuang Sheng-hsiung.

Another record broken. Ku Chin-shui at a meet in Changhua broke the R.O. C. pole vault record for the decathlon. （Photo by Lin Ming-yung）.

At center is karate standout Yao Li with her coach Su Shang-chih. Off to the side sitting calmly is Lu Hsun-chieh.

Athletes lead a life full of both joy and sorrow.

Athletes lead a life full of both joy and sorrow.