On the "twisties"

We've all had 'em; we've just all mostly had 'em in secret

American gymnastic phenomenon Simone Biles has spent part of the Tokyo Olympics explaining to earth-bound types exactly what means “the twisties.” As Biles explains, the twisties occur when your body and mind are out of sync. That can be deadly when you’re performing death-defying leaps and turns mid-air, as gymnasts do.

Biles’ own bout of the twisties moved her to withdraw from some of her events. Sadly, this is under the glare of international lights, in a field of endeavor that doesn’t seem to allow for balking.

The rest of us feel the twisties in more pedestrian fashion. In fact, we all get them. For writers, it may be going blank at the keyboard (writer’s block). For a softball pitcher, it might be an unintentional hitch before releasing the ball over the plate (a balk). In other sports, it’s the yips.

The twistie-yips can become self-perpetuating. We start thinking more and more about our inability to move forward until, well, we really can’t.

Here’s a more scientific explanation for what’s going on in with the twisties. (It’s fascinating).

Because everything is political, the usual suspects have cried foul that Biles’ sat out some events. From the cheap seats of The Federalist, from whom we’ve come to expect very little:

…instead of being ashamed of that, or apologizing to her teammates and her countrymen, Biles seemed to revel in taking care of her “mental health,” whatever that means.

Contrast this mealy-mouthed talk about mental health from Team USA to what Russian gymnast Angelina Melnikova said after her floor routine sealed the gold for Russia: “I knew that it was depending on me, and I was feeling overwhelming happiness and I knew I did it. I knew I had done my job.”

Check your privilege, Federalist writer. Does Simone Biles owe you anything other than doing her best? She does not. Might there be a little bit of racism involved in that commentary? There just might be.

Might there be some sexism thrown in? Oh, HAIL, yes.

We are so reluctant to talk about mental health and it’s going to take many brave people being honest and open about their own struggles to shake loose the stigma. Biles continues to blaze trails. Gymnastics is a grueling sport. It will take everything from you. Just make sure you go home at the end of the day.