Winter Olympics: Hong Kong’s Sidney Chu leads cupping charge as athletes embrace traditional alternative therapy

Speed skating star Chu says the application of suction cups on the skin helps in recovery from strenuous workouts

American snowboarder Shaun White, and former Olympic downhill skier Lindsey Vonn, have previously posted photos of themselves getting the therapy on Instagram

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Olympians are getting cupping as a way to recover from hard workouts ahead of Beijing 2022. Photo: Ruth Lee

Published: 4:15pm, 18 Jan 2022Updated: 6:03pm, 18 Jan 2022

For Hong Kong speed skater and Winter Olympics athlete Sidney Chu, life is all about hot, cold and balancing out temperatures. Chu will be one of three local competitors looking to make his mark on the ice at the National Speed Skating Oval, and said his use of cupping into his recovery programme has enhanced his training.

“I mostly use cupping in my back every once in a while to promote my overall wellness,” said Chu, who is 22 years old and will compete in the 500m short track event with 31 other skaters.

“I usually live and train in cold places where indoor heat is always on, so it’s easy for my body to accumulate a bit of inner heat. I have also used cupping on my quad and glute muscles too to get rid of muscle tension after a long day of training.”

The traditional practice of cupping, which dates back thousands of years, is a well-known form of therapy for a variety of ailments in China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East and is now being embraced by athletes, a number of whom will compete at Beijing 2022.