The Real Science of Sport Podcast

Science of Sport Bonus Short: Biles beats rivals and "the Twisties". Insights from performance psychology

Aug 2, 2024

Simone Biles, the legendary Olympic gymnast and two-time All Around champion, shares her remarkable journey overcoming 'the twisties,' a perplexing psychological phenomenon that hampers gymnasts' spatial awareness. Joined by Prof. Dave Collins, a performance psychologist with four decades of experience, they delve into the nuances of mental performance barriers. They discuss the differences between the twisties and the yips, strategies athletes use to regain confidence, and the critical importance of psychological resilience in elite sports.

11:52

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Simone Biles

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Quick takeaways

The twisties, a phenomenon that disrupts athletes' spatial awareness, highlights the critical intersection of mental health and performance in sports.

Recovery from the twisties requires personalized strategies that enhance both physical capability and mental resilience for elite athletes.

Deep dives

Understanding the Twisties

The term 'twisties' refers to a phenomenon where gymnasts lose their sense of spatial awareness while performing aerial movements, which can lead to unsafe situations. It differs from the 'yips,' where an athlete previously capable of executing a move suddenly finds themselves unable to do so despite their overall skill level. According to sports psychologist Professor Dave Collins, twisties involve a loss of proprioception and can stem from various causes, including anxiety and interruptions in cognitive processing. Recognizing the specific nature of the twisties is crucial for developing effective strategies for athletes to regain their confidence and ability to perform.

Intro

3min

Understanding Performance Anxiety in Elite Athletes

2min

Understanding Performance Disruptions: Yips and Twisties

3min

Rebuilding Confidence in Athletes: Overcoming Fear and Anxiety

2min

Exploring Psychological Resilience in Athletes

3min

Simone Biles became the Olympic All Around champion for a second time in Paris yesterday. In doing so, she defeated her rivals, seemingly conquered gravity on some elements, and put to rest certain 'demons' from Tokyo 2021. Back then, she withdrew from competition citing a case of "the twisties". But what are the twisties? Often described as equivalent to the "yips" that affect golfers, the twisties can affect athletes in skill movement sports, effectively costing them the ability to know where their bodies are in space. To explore this phenomenon, and understand how athletes overcome it, we are joined by Prof Dave Collins, a performance psychologist with 40 years' experience in elite sport. Prof Collins has worked with 90 elite athletes, many in sports where the dreaded twisties can strike, such as freestyle skiing, BMX, snowboarding and gymnastics. He explains the differences between the yips and the twisties, and offers insights into they are conquered.

Show notes

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