The other day, I tripped over air and scraped my knee. No real injuries other than my bruised ego, but I’m definitely not on anyone’s list of graceful people.
You can probably imagine how mystified I am by Simone Biles and gymnastics in general. For one, the balance beam is literally four inches wide. I can’t even stay vertical on a sidewalk, so I can’t imagine trying to keep myself steady on that beam.
Interestingly, sensory nerves play a huge part in success. Simone Biles relies on sensory nerves in her muscle fibers to monitor her arms and legs.
One of the most important skills to have here is reaction to balance. She’s trained herself to not freak out if she feels herself losing balance, which is the way many of us may respond.
The brain plays a pretty important part in Simone’s success. She tracks the beam with her eyes and it sends signals to her muscles, and her brain also makes correcting movements during her entire routine.
We can’t all be Simone Biles, but if you’re interested in athletics, you have to know where to train. Check out our list of the top 10 athletic facilities in the country.