"I had to start seeing it as work" - When Simone Biles revealed how tough workouts led her to change her approach towards gymnastics

Simone Biles, widely regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, has enjoyed a successful career decorated with remarkable achievements, including multiple Olympic and World Championships medals. She began her gymnastics career at the age of six when her parents enrolled her in a program.

After training under her longtime coach Aimee Boorman, Biles was invited by Martha Karolyi to the Karolyi Ranch in New Waverly, Texas, when the gymnast was 13. Biles realized the difference in the coaching approach at the Ranch which helped her amend her attitude too.

In her autobiography, Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance, published in 2016, Biles opened up about the shift in her approach. She highlighted how, despite not enjoying the intense drills at first, she realized that being invited to the ranch was a significant opportunity, and she needed to adopt a dedicated mindset.

"My parents had raised me to be polite even when I secretly had an attitude, so even though I wasn’t enjoying the drills, I didn’t dare let anyone else see that," Biles wrote.

"It was not just a privilege, but also a rite of passage simply to be invited to the ranch, so I dug deeply and did everything the coaches asked. I was starting to realize that if I truly wanted to move to the next level, I was going to have to get used to this intensive style of training. Up until then, gymnastics had been mostly fun and games for me; I had to start seeing it as work too."

"I’m glad now that Aimee Boorman stuck by me" - When Simone Biles reflected on her long-time coach's significant role in her career

Simone Biles and her coach Aimee Boorman during the Rio Olympics in Brazil. (Photo via Getty Images)

In her autobiography, Simone Biles attributed her career's success to her longtime and first coach, Aimee Boorman. She trained under Boorman for 11 years before parting ways at the conclusion of the 2016 Rio Olympics.

"I’m glad now that Aimee stuck by me, because I wouldn’t be where I am today without her. In the elite world, everyone loves my coach because they know how understanding she is."

Simone Biles added:

"She carefully assesses every situation and keeps it real. Sometimes, like on the afternoon with the beam routines, she’ll push me hard. But other times, she’ll notice I’m exhausted and say, “Simone, it’s not working today. Go home. I think you could use some rest.”

Coach Boorman led Biles to three world all-around championships and four U.S. all-around titles. She also won four medals in the Paris Olympics, including a gold with her team, comprising of Jordan Chiles and others.