Gymnasts call it “the twisties.” It’s like “the yips” in golf, only with far more serious consequences.
It’s what Simone Biles was experiencing when she withdrew from the all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympics.
Biles posted a video of herself during practice on the uneven bars on July 30 in which she tries a 1½ twist and falls flat on her back, ESPN.com reported.
“I don’t think you realize how dangerous this is on hard/competitive surface,” she commented along with the video.
Biles had a bad performance on the vault in the women’s team final on July 27. She had the appearance of being lost in midair — that’s “the twisties” — which can cause serious injuries to gymnasts who perform airborne routines. It usually takes some time before the gymnasts can get over the twisties.
This was not happening before she left the U.S, Biles said, adding that “it randomly started happening after prelims competition the very next morning.”
Answering questions from fans, Biles said she was still dealing with the twisties as of July 30, adding, “Sometimes I can’t even fathom twisting. I seriously cannot comprehend how to twist. Strangest and weirdest thing as well as feeling.”
Biles, as you may know, is on the short list for greatest gymnast in the history of the sport. There are gymnastic moves named for her: “The Biles” is a double-twisting, double somersault off a balance beam. “The Biles II” is a triple-twisting, double somersault in her floor routine.
So when this particular young woman says she “seriously cannot comprehend how to twist,” that’s a disconnect between mind and body, in a sport where such a disconnect can lead to serious injury.
If a golfer doesn’t feel mentally ready to compete but competes anyway, the worst that could happen is that he gets a bad score.
If a gymnast of Biles’ caliber doesn’t feel mentally ready to execute complex midair maneuvers, she could break her neck and die.
In other words, the stakes are a bit higher.
So when the couch potatoes got in Keyboard Warrior mode and took to social media — and in some cases, traditional media — to chastise Biles for prioritizing her mental health over Olympic glory, they revealed their ignorance.
Simone Biles didn’t cross the Pacific with her U.S. Olympic teammates to not compete. But at a crucial moment, she wasn’t mentally healthy.
She absolutely made the right decision to not compete until she was mentally ready. She returned to competition last week, taking bronze on the balance beam with a series of flips and somersaults, but no twists.
“I wasn’t expecting to medal,” she said after Tuesday’s competition. “To have one more opportunity to be at the Olympics meant the world to me.”
Simone Biles doesn’t owe you anything.
She owed it to herself to prioritize her mental health, to recognize that it’s no less important than physical health.
Editorial link: https://journaltimes.com/opinion/editorial/journal-times-editorial-simone-biles-the-twisties-and-mental-health/article_28dc932e-afe3-5e28-807c-306b4d6e7b55.html
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