We’ll start by saying this: Simone Biles is a legend.
That’s why it’s so frustrating that everyone and their brother had an opinion on her decision to care for her mental and physical health by bowing out of several events in the 2021 summer Olympics.
Her reasoning behind this decision was that she was experiencing extreme pressure and mental stress that was having a negative effect on her physical safety during competitions. A lot of people came out to express their support of her decision. And, of course, a lot of other people (who we just assume can’t do nearly half of the things of which she is capable) took to twitter to condemn her…’weakness.’
The haters come from the mainstream idea of exercise and fitness that we specifically try to avoid - the ‘no pain no gain’ camp. They represent the toxic mindset that mental health is secondary to competition, Biles somehow ‘owes America’ the risk of her safety, and that pushing through no matter what is the right thing to do.
Despite it all, Biles stuck to her conviction to do what was right for her body and mind, thereby setting a precedent that all mainstream fitness and athletics should follow.
A large part of being an athlete, or even just someone ‘serious about fitness’ in this day and age involves sacrifice. We see it all the time - sleep is sacrificed for 5am wake up calls for practice, or for pre-work gym runs. Socializing is sacrificed in order to stick to a training or exercise schedule. And, unfortunately, mental and physical health is often sacrificed to ‘be the best.’
An example? Many women college athletes lose their periods. We’ve experienced it. We’ve seen it. And we’ve been told by doctors and coaches that it’s normal. Period loss due to the body being overstressed is anything BUT normal, and can lead to brittle bones, injury, hormonal issues, and more.
Another example? The ol’ run of the mill ignoring pain in order to get in a workout. Mainstream society encourages us to dissociate from our bodily sensations while moving in order to ‘go harder,’ thereby ignoring pain and inviting injury. Not only is this dangerous, it also promotes a general disconnection between the mind and the body, removing the mental benefits of exercise.
Simone Biles is no stranger to pushing through pain in order to compete, as she has done with broken toes and kidney stones in the past, which makes her decision during the olympics to break that cycle all the more powerful. She took a breath and showed the entire world that putting mental health above all else is possible. She demonstrated that she is a whole, worthy person outside of her sport - that gymnastics does not make her who she is.
Whether you’re an athlete, or simply someone who participates in fitness, you should take away from Biles’s decision that mental health and physical wellness are connected, and you should not be sacrificing your mental health for any kind of movement - competitive or otherwise. It doesn’t mean you’re quitting. It doesn’t mean you’re not trying hard enough. It means you actual give a f*ck about your own wellbeing and longevity.
Basically, if the GOAT Simone Biles can stand up in front of the entire world and state that she’s taking a breather to get her mind right, so can we.
