Simone Biles Said She Had the "Twisties," but What Does That Mean?

Tons of athletes took center stage at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, one of them being the G.O.A.T. Simone Biles. The most decorated U.S. gymnast of all time, she shocked viewers when she withdrew from some of the Olympic events. But another shock came when she said she did so because of her mental health.

For some, it may seem like physical health, not mental, would be a big cause behind this kind of decision. But she said that she "felt good" physically. "I'm in shape," she said on Today on July 27, 2021.

Washington Post Emily Giambalvo tweeted what Simone told reporters on July 27: "They saw it a little bit in practice. Having a little bit of the twisties." Emily then noted that it's the "absolute worst."

But what does that actually mean? What are the "twisties" in gymnastics?

Having the "twisties" is a kind of mental block. It basically means that your mind and your body aren't on the same page, making those moves Simone is known for and has been training for that much more difficult.

As CNN's Elle Reeve, who was a competitive gymnast for a decade, wrote: "Your brain loses track of where you are in the air. You find out where the ground is when you slam into it." Of course, something like that can be extremely dangerous and even deadly.

The twisties can have a variety of physical consequences. Olympic gymnast Melissa Anne Marlowe tweeted about it as well, saying that it can take months to overcome. She compared it to a "non-serious stroke":

"It's hard to explain the twisties to someone who doesn't do gymnastics, but it's a mental block and it's real. I had it happen twice, when I was 12 and 20. You cannot fix it quickly — can take months, if at all. It's like a non-serious stroke, your brain and body disconnect," she wrote.

While most of the internet rallied behind Simone’s decision to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics, some quickly judged her choice. In her Instagram posts and the Netflix documentary Simone Biles: Rising, she reflected on the support and criticism she faced. Simone shared, "The outpouring [of] love & support I’ve received has made me realize I’m more than my accomplishments and gymnastics which I never truly believed before. 🤍"

Commentator Piers Morgan was one to share his opinion on the matter, tweeting that kids need strong role models and "not this nonsense."

Charlie Kirk went as far as to call Simone a "shame to the country" and a "sociopath" in his commentary, which has since been deleted. "We are raising a generation of weak people like Simone Biles," he said. He did mention that she is an incredible athlete but also said that she shouldn't have come to the Olympics at all if she has "all these mental health problems."

Many came to Simone's defense, however, mentioning other gymnasts who may have pushed themselves to perform before they were ready and suffered the consequences. This includes Soviet gymnast Elena Mukhina who became permanently paralyzed one month before the 1980 Olympics after falling and landing on her chin, according to The New York Times. She later died from complications having to do with quadriplegia.

Another gymnast, Julissa D'Anne Gomez, also became a quadriplegic and died from those injuries after she performed at the World Sports Fair in Japan in the 1980s, according to the Los Angels Times. She was only 15 years old.

Obviously, the twisties is a serious and dangerous phenomenon and it led Simone to step away from gymnastics for an extended period of time. After taking time to focus on her mental health, she made a triumphant return to competition in 2023 and delivered a stellar performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics.