With the Olympics in full swing, many fans and viewers have been gearing up. They’ve organized their viewing parties, they’ve studied the strengths and weaknesses of their country’s competitors, and they’ve kept a close eye on the well-being of their favorite athletes.
Although none of us has close personal relationships with these extraordinary beings, they seem to matter to us as if we did. We are concerned for their health and form, so that they can make our country proud!
For example, can you imagine being Aly Raisman’s parents? The pair is so invested in their daughter’s every move, we can’t help but feel a little sorry for them!
Gold medalist Michael Phelps is a highly decorated Olympian, to say the least. But to reach this level of accomplishment, we can imagine that he must try some pretty strange tricks to meet his goals.
One of them? Cupping.
Like many viewers, you must have noticed the perfectly round purple splotches on his and others’ backs. They don’t seem to bother him one bit, but the rest of us are left scratching our heads.
Cupping is a form of therapy from ancient Chinese medicine. It’s meant to relax the muscles with suction. Special cups are placed on certain areas of the body, and the vacuum “pulls” blood to that area — leaving bruises under the skin.
Now, the next time you see these on your favorite athlete, you’ll be able to explain the strange phenomenon to your friends!
Please SHARE if you were one of the perplexed thousands of viewers!
Photo source: NBC Sports
