"I took over a year off and then came back... So I was petrified"- Simone Biles talks about dealing with the twisties ahead of her comeback

Legendary gymnast Simone Biles talked about effectively dealing with the twisties in her latest interaction with her fans. The gymnastics condition had kept the four-time Olympian from participating in championships for the past two years. However, with time, Biles has recovered from this mental block and also has a few things to say about it.

During the 2021 Summer Olympics, Simone Biles experienced twisties while she was set to perform her gymnastics routine in front of the world. However, her condition froze her from moving her body. It led her to the decision to take a break from the sport and focus on her mental well-being.

Simone Biles during her QnA session (Image via Instagram/Simone Biles)

After two years, Simone Biles is finally set to make a comeback at the 2023 U.S. Classic scheduled on August 5. Undoubtedly, the gymnast is sweating it out at practice sessions.

Recently, when Biles conducted a Q&A session on her Instagram profile, one of her fans asked her about the event that she found tough to return to. To this, the 26-year-old gymnast answered in her story,

“It’s always bars... mentally & physically”

She explained how twisties became a problem in her preparation journey and how she overcame it,

“But this go around … BABY!! twisting on any event iykyk. Mainly because when the twisties happen, you go right into the gym & work on it..”

Furthermore, Biles talked about taking time off to work on herself,

“I took over a year off and then came back... So I was petrified. But I’m fine. I’m twisting again. No worries. All is good.”

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Simone Biles’ mental health was affected before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics

Simone Biles at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics

After the Tokyo Olympics, Biles appeared in a video interview with her mother Neille Biles in partnership with Athleta. While talking about her decision to pull out from the Olympics, Biles revealed that her mental health was hampered before the the major event,

"I wouldn't even say it started in Tokyo. I feel like it was probably a little bit deeper-rooted than that," Biles said.

Furthermore, she explained how her mental health got affected,

"I think it was just the stress factor. It kind of built up over time, and my body and my mind just said no. But even I didn't know I was going through it until it just happened.”

After taking a break in 2021, Biles concentrated on her personal life. Not only did she spend time with her family, but she also got married to NFL player Jonathan Owens in May 2023.