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Simone Biles is a gymnastics legend. Biles has won several Olympic golds and world championships due to her strength, accuracy, and athleticism. She overcame challenges and advocated for sport reform to succeed. Biles’ tale pushes athletes to exceed their limitations, accept their individuality, and prioritize mental and physical health.

Simone Biles has amazed the world with her incredible feats. Biles’ rise to gymnastics greatness from Columbus, Ohio, on March 14, 1997, is a monument to her skill, endurance, and drive.

Biles was athletic and loved gymnastics from childhood. She excelled in competitive gymnastics, doing gravity-defying routines with ease. She was lauded for her strength, flexibility, and accuracy. Biles broke through at the 2013 World Championships, becoming the first African American woman to win the all-around championship. She dominated gymnastics from then on, making history.

Biles became a legend at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She earned four golds, including the all-around title, and one bronze. Her breathtaking vaults, complicated balancing beam routines, and powerful floor workouts captivated spectators worldwide. Biles’ success comes from her physical and mental strength. She has freely expressed anxiety and performance pressure throughout her career. She took a vacation from competition in 2018 to focus on her mental health, starting a much-needed dialogue regarding athletes’ mental health.

Biles inspires athletes globally by prioritizing her mental health and advocating for sport transformation. Her courage in speaking out against abuse and demanding responsibility has motivated others to come forward and started crucial dialogues about gymnastics structural improvements and athlete welfare. Biles’ abilities and ingenuity continue to drive gymnastics forward despite her struggles. She has named new components and techniques after herself, cementing her legacy in the sport.

Biles has inspired people outside of gymnastics. She promotes body positivity, self-acceptance, and uniqueness. She broke prejudices and proved excellence had no limits with her sincerity and resilience. Simone Biles’ journey is about perseverance and brilliance. Her perseverance inspires athletes worldwide. She has shown the value of prioritizing mental and physical health, fighting for change, and accepting individuality.

Biles’ influence in gymnastics goes beyond her records. She has become a symbol of power, courage, and sincerity, reminding athletes that success is not just medals but also beneficial influence on the world. Simone Biles’ incredible skill, unrelenting devotion, and passion for change have made her one of our greatest athletes. Her narrative inspires generations of athletes to exceed their limits, embrace their individuality, and prioritize mental and physical health.

The following breathing techniques can help calm your nerves and get you in the zone pre-game.

Box Breath

A great breathing technique for pre-game anxiety or jitters is called box breathing. It has four equal parts inhale, hold, exhale, and hold. Start with two seconds each and slowly increase the time as you become more comfortable with the technique.

1. Breathe in for two seconds

2. Hold the inhale for two seconds

3. Exhale for two seconds

4. Hold the exhale for two seconds.

When it is time for the game to start. If you find your nerves coming back during play, extend the length of your exhales. Refocus on your breathing to get your head back into the game.

In-Game Breathing

Many people ignore their breathing while working out or exercising. The difficulties many people experience during rigorous exercise can improve with proper breathing.

Marta Montenegro, professor of exercise science, says “the more efficiently you can deliver oxygen to your muscles, the harder and more efficiently you can work, which leads to better results”.

Consistent breathing during exercises allows more nitric oxide into your body. This increases the amount of oxygenated blood that flows to your heart and allows your heart to work more efficiently.

Consistent breathing does not mean slow breathing. A strong breathing rate while you are doing an endurance workout is inhaling for 2-3 seconds and exhaling for 2-3 seconds.

Many athletes learn from an early age that when they are out of breath, to put their hands behind their heads. A 2019 study discovered that athletes recovered faster when they bent over with their hands on their knees. These athletes were able to draw more air into their lungs in this bent-over position than outstretched with their arms above their heads.

What happens if your anxiety or stress reappears while in the middle of the game? This is a common problem for athletes. Maybe it is a close game? Maybe you are battling an opponent that consistently challenges your mental clarity.

How can you refocus? Return to your breath! Using the box breathing method, extend the length of your exhales to help calm your nerves back down.

This is easier said than done while in a game. But, if you consistently practice box breathing outside of game time, it will be easier for you to return to the technique when you feel your heart begin to race or your mind begin to wander.

Post-Game Recovery Breathing

Practicing a regular breathing exercise helps the nervous system recover after physical workouts. In a 2011 study, sixteen athletes were monitored during an exhaustive workout session. Results indicated that the athletes who participated in diaphragmatic breathing had lower cortisol and increased melatonin levels. Diaphragmatic breathing helped to reduce their stress levels and return their heart rate to a relaxed state. Long-term effects of diaphragmatic breathing can lead to increased muscle recovery and help fight the effects of free radicals.

4-7-8 Breathing

This technique is a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system. It switches your autonomous nervous system from a “fight or flight” mode to a “rest and digest” mode. Post-exercise, this type of breathing can help increase recovery, lower your cortisol levels, and increase the antioxidant defense status.

1. Start by sitting up in a comfortable, straight position.

2. Place the tip of our tongue on the ridge of your gums, behind your upper front teeth.

3. Slowly inhale through your nose for a count of 4. Expand your diaphragm.

4. Hold your breath for a count of 7.

5. Keep your tongue in place, slightly open your mouth, and exhale for a count of 8.

6. Repeat 4 times.

When you complete a training session or workout, you need to switch your body from energy expenditure (sympathetic) to energy production (parasympathetic). Recovery of the nervous, muscular, and immune systems are key factors in assisting athletes in reaching their goals. Athletes cannot perform at optimal levels when they are overtrained, injured, or have compromised immune systems.

Practice using these various breathing techniques with your training. Do not wait until game day to implement the breathwork. You want to be able to sit down and almost immediately put your body into a state of relaxation. The longer you practice, the more efficient your breathing will become and the better your body will adjust to stressful situations.

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