In her latest book, coach Aimee Boorman reveals that Simone Biles faced episodes of the 'twisties' prior to the 2016 Rio Olympics as well. This disorientation, where gymnasts lose spatial awareness, first appeared for Biles in January 2016 and re-emerged powerfully in 2021, leading to her withdrawal from the Tokyo Games team competition. Boorman emphasizes the gravity of this condition, distinguishing it from the 'yips' in other sports, and recounts how she supported Biles through her struggles without unnecessarily pushing her to perform risky maneuvers until she felt ready.
When Simone realized her mind and body had become disconnected, she would physically stop herself from twisting during her routines because she was afraid of getting lost in the air.
When this happens to a gymnast who is flipping ten-plus feet in the air and they lose body awareness in space and time -- not knowing if they're going to land on their back, feet or head -- it's much more dangerous than the 'yips' in baseball or golf.
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