[lin3ar]

Other than draconian discipline that is common in mainland Chinese culture, another possible reason that they resort to such extreme methods to produce athletes is that athleticism is not as rewarded in China as it is in the United States. In the United States, athleticism can give you far more success than a job in a top paying field like medicine. Asian cultures have traditionally placed higher value on intellectual and occupational pursuits as opposed to sports, so there is less incentive for people to train to become athletes by their own choice.