Imagine something you do every day. Let’s say, climbing down the stairs. And one day you wake up, and you have no clue how to do that anymore. Wouldn’t that shock the daylights out of you? Well, something similar but way more intense happened with Simone Biles. In fact, it often gets to the biggest and best of athletes. And that’s nothing but the much-dreaded ‘twisties.’ But here’s the shocking part. Biles first encountered this demon way before her Olympic debut. Yes, let that sink in.

Simone Biles and the twisties are a combination that takes us straight to 2021. The Tokyo Olympics were going on in full swing. And Biles was trying to perform a “2.5 twist” but ended up doing a “1.5 twist.” That’s because she felt lost in the air. Imagine this notoriously dangerous condition when you’re 10 feet high in the air. Simone instantly withdrew from the remainder of the event. And that’s when the world learned more of this phenomenon that makes one lose perception of their body. However, for Simone, this was old news.

Yes, the Tokyo Olympics weren’t the first stage when Simone experienced the twisties. Aimee Boorman recently published her memoir, “The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles,” where Boorman detailed Simone’s first encounter with the twisties. “We were less than six months from the Olympic Games, and Simone couldn’t twist on anything!” That’s when she knew, “The Rio Olympic Games were quickly approaching, and Simone had the twisties.” It was so bad, Simone Biles described it, “Literally can not tell up from down.”

But the question is, if Biles had the “

Twisties” in 2016, how did she get rid of them? Boorman detailed that in her book, saying, I tried to make it a nonissue. “Oh, you don’t want to twist? We won’t twist. I would tell her and leave it at that.” Boorman even tried her best to remove the pressure off of Biles’ mind. As a coach, she realized, “I needed to protect her with the timing and pace of reintroducing skills, all while keeping her confidence up.”

Also, a mental health professional was needed, and so Boorman went to Biles’ parents with the team’s sports performance therapist, Robert, where they sat and had a conversation about what was happening. Luckily, even the second time around, when this happened in Tokyo, Simone Biles was under a coach who protected her. It was Simone who highlighted the importance of mental health for athletes when she decided to drop out of the Tokyo Olympics.

And ever since, Landi herself has grown more attentive to the girls’ body language. She tries to see and then asks, What’s going on? But when it comes to Boorman, she knew since October 2015 that pressure was piling up on Simone Biles. A clear sign of the pressure Simone was under became obvious to Boorman during her third world championship in Glasgow.

After finishing her final routine, Biles walked straight to her coach, Aimee Boorman, and quietly asked, “Did I do it?” Then she wrapped her arms around Boorman and buried her head in her shoulder. Simone had just won her third consecutive world all-around title, something no woman had ever done before. It was the first time she truly felt how heavy the expectations were becoming. And now, Biles has opened up on her LA plans.

Is Simone Biles not sure about LA 2028?

Looks like Simone Biles is unsure of the LA 2028 plans. “Right now, I’m still focusing on healing physically and mentally because doing the Olympics kind of takes a toll on your body,” Biles shared after picking up her fourth Laureus Sportswoman of the Year Award.

Now 28, Biles knows what it takes to get back on the Olympic stage, and for the moment, she’s enjoying the break. “I’m really enjoying my time off before I decide if I want to go back to the gym and compete,” she explained. “A lot of people think it’s just a one-year commitment, but it truly is the four years leading up to the Olympics.” As for the LA Olympics? Simone Biles says she will be there—one way or another.

“It is in LA; it’s back in the States, which is so exciting,” Biles said. “But if I’m going to compete again, I’m not so sure. But I will be at the Olympics—whether it’s on the floor or in the stands.” What do you think? Is this the pressure again? Let us know below!