Simone Biles Releases Video Demonstrating How ‘The Twisties’ Is ‘The Craziest Feeling Ever’

With recent news of Olympic superstars from Naomi Osaka to Elizabeth Cambage to Simone Biles withdrawing from competition due to strains on their mental health, the tide might finally be turning to offset the myth that Black people don’t need to do anything when it comes to their mental health.

According to ESPN, Biles went on her Instagram Live to engage with her millions of fans and explain to them that she didn’t “quit” but was instead upended by the curious case of the “twisties” that have affected her performance level.

Several days before she took herself out of the Olympic competition for the sake of her mental health, Biles indicated that her mental state was a bit strained.

“It wasn’t an easy day or my best but I got through it. I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times. I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but damn sometimes it’s hard hahaha! The Olympics is no joke! BUT I’m happy my family was able to be with me virtually🤍 they mean the world to me!”

On her IG stories, Simone Biles responds to people who think she “quit” on her team by explaining the “the twisties” she’s been experiencing and what it feels like “not having your mind and body in sync” …. pic.twitter.com/79hN973rkd

— Kimberley A. Martin (@ByKimberleyA) July 30, 2021

In the Instagram Live video posted, Biles posted a clip of her during practice on the uneven bars in which she tries a 1½ twist and falls flat on her back. She stated, “I don’t think you realize how dangerous this is on a hard/competitive surface.”

Biles didn’t have a great night during the women’s team final on Tuesday. She appeared to get lost in the air — a phenomenon called “the twisties.” It’s been said that having “the twisties” can cause serious injuries to gymnasts who perform airborne routines. According to Biles, this was not happening before she left the U.S, and that “it randomly started happening after prelims competition the very next morning.”

She allowed fans to ask her questions to which she responded to several. When she was asked what it feels like while twisting, she responded by saying, “Literally cannot tell up from down. It’s the craziest feeling ever. Not having an inch of control over your body. What’s even scarier is since I have no idea where I am in the air I also have NO idea how I’m going to land, or what I’m going to land on. Head/hands/feet/back. I also have no idea how I landed on my feet on that vault because if you look at the pictures and my eyes you can see how confused I am as to where I am in the air. Thankfully I landed safe enough but I also don’t think some of you realize I was supposed to do a 2½ and I only completed 1½ twists before it looks like I got shot out of the air.”