The Twisties
The “twisties” are a certain kind of mental block in gymnastics. A gymnast can develop the twisties in the air during a twisting skill. Gymnasts can overcome the twisties through techniques like visualization and cue words.
What Causes the Twisties?
The twisties cause you to lose your sense of where you are in the air. This brain-body disconnect makes you feel “a loss of a sense of control over the movement,” Jamie Shapiro, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Denver, told Health.
Proprioception is your body’s ability to sense its movement and position in space, helping you know where you are relative to the ground. This sense prevents you from falling or landing incorrectly. This sense prevents you from falling or landing incorrectly.
Simone Biles withdrew from the 2020 Summer Olympics, citing the twisties. She also mentioned having the twisties during the 2016 Summer Olympics. It’s common for gymnasts to experience the twisties, particularly at the Olympics. Normally, a foam pit provides safety for improper landings.
Olympic training facilities lack foam pits, which can increase anxiety and stress. This stress may lead to distracting or negative thoughts, which can cause mistakes. You might fear failure or feel pressure from high expectations, further intensifying anxiety.
Focal dystonia, a neurological disorder that causes involuntary muscle spasms, may also cause the twisties. The twisties frequently happen “out of the blue,” said Shapiro. You can go into a skill, and then, for whatever reason, you feel off in the air.
Other Mental Blocks in Sports
The twisties do not only affect gymnasts. Performance anxiety is common in sports. An athlete playing any sport that involves twisting, flipping, or rotating—really, any time you need to spot where you are going to land—can develop the twisties. Another example of a mental block in sports includes the “yips” in baseball and golf. The athlete may be unable to throw the ball or putt where they want.
Signs and symptoms of performance anxiety may include:
- Fidgeting
- Fingernail biting
- Increased heart rate
- Racing negative thoughts
- Sweating
How To Overcome Mental Roadblocks
The twisties can have physical and mental implications. You may be unable to physically perform skills as you previously could. This can cause anxiety, exacerbating the mental block.
The twisties can happen just during one or two attempts or last for several days or months. Everyone’s experience with the twisties is different, and there’s no standard for how long it takes to overcome them.
There are several techniques you can use to calm your anxiety and overcome the twisties, including:
- Develop simple cue words: Say these to yourself during the routine to focus on the skill rather than the fear.
- Focus on a different skill: Pick a skill you are confident in rather than forcing yourself to attempt a skill that causes the twisties.
- Progress: Start with a basic skill, then gradually work your way up to a more advanced one. Let’s say you experience twisties with a double twist. Start with a half twist and then a full twist and a twist and a half. Remind your body where you are in the air to build confidence. You’ll eventually build your way up to a double twist.
- Talk to someone: Speak with a mental healthcare provider or a sports psychologist to help treat anxiety and stress.
- Visualize: Picture what the skill will look like.
- Watch videos: It may help to watch footage of yourself. You can see and feel yourself move.
Remember, it’s perfectly okay to have an off day, especially in sports like gymnastics, where you are judged on perfection. Even the most mentally resilient people have off days.