BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- With only 10 days to go before the Beijing Olympic Games, both Chinese men's and women's handball teams walked out of their gym and received a pressure-releasing psychologic aid in their training camp here on Tuesday.

    Psychologist Ding Xueqin, vice chairman of China Sports Psychology Society and professor of China Institute of Sports Science, has been working in the sport psychology community for years.

    During her aid session, Ding pointed out to the handballers some possible pressure they could meet in the coming Beijing Games and taught them how to cope with it.

    "Pressure is not a horrible thing. You need learn to get used to it and control it. You shall have a brave heart and learn to dance with the pressure," Ding said in her speech.

    She also told the handballers several ways to control the in-game mood and highlighted the importance of teamwork.

    The one and a half hours' aid session was filled with not only theories and instructions, but also games and stories, as well as communication time.

    Pivot of the men's team Yan Liang said that "this kind of psychologic aid is very useful for us. The one and a half hours' aid is more important for me than three hours' training. A good athlete must learn to control the pressure."

    "When I first came into the national squad, I was too nervous to fall asleep, let alone having good performance in games," Yan added.

    The Chinese handball squad was not Ding's only client. Recently, she has given professional psychologic aid to several Chinese national teams like the gymnastics and the badminton teams.

    "I will go to the weightlifting team on Thursday. And before the athletes move to the Olympic Village, I will try my best to help them," said a determined Ding.

Special report: 2008 Olympic Games