Watch Simone Biles's superhuman gymnastics routine in slow motion

And then someone like Simone Biles comes along:

(This was from 2019, she’s had at least one more since then.)

8 Likes

Chelsea Peretti Eye Roll GIF by Brooklyn Nine-Nine

6 Likes

they really need the soundtrack from if Tigger signing about how great it is to the only one…

The wonderful thing about Tiggers
Is Tiggers are wonderful things!
Their tops are made out of rubber
Their bottoms are made out of springs!
They’re bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy
Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!
But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers is
I’m the only one

I get that “superhuman” doesn’t always mean “supernatural”, but this isn’t even on the border. This is someone who has worked her ass off to be able to be at the far far end of the curve as far as ability.

I worry that using words that border on placing her achievement as something not quite human runs a bit close to the usual racist bit of “well… you know they’re all naturally athletic…”, diminishing the absolute effort that must have gone into getting to this level. Not that we’ve seen this before when melanin rich athletes hit the top of their field… (cough cough Venus Williams…)

3 Likes

Simone Biles is the greatest athlete in the world today. For me, this isn’t a debate. It’s a statement of fact. On Sunday, she won a record seventh United States gymnastics championship, continuing her jaw-dropping winning streak in every all-around competition she’s entered since 2013. The 24-year-old hasn’t lost in eight years. Typical gymnasts her age aren’t beating all their rivals by the big margins that, for Biles, have become routine.

13 Likes

Rewind to 0:40+/- and press play. Watch the power flip, sponsored by ankles of steel, starting at 1:06…

She has to be pushing the limits of what human muscles can do…

1 Like

Schitts Creek Comedy GIF by CBC

7 Likes

10 Likes

Goats gotta goat!

:goat:

6 Likes

Hm. :confused: Well that wasn’t where I was coming from with it at all, nor would I want to defend what you’re worrying about. I have that complaint with the word ‘prodigy’ when it’s used to handwave away work people have done to achieve their talent. I can’t say I’d give any credence to anyone who looked at what Ms. Biles has accomplished but then burps out an opinion that suggest she didn’t work hard to achieve that. Idiots gonna idiot.

Superhuman (to me) implies excellence which other humans would do well to emulate, if they have the ability to do so. But if I see ‘Superman’ and think of the guy flying around with his underwear over his pants while someone else goes to Nietzsche’s Ubermensch I think we’re pretty clearly talking apples and oranges. Which isn’t what you’re doing, but I think it’s fair to say you and I are taking the same word in different directions.

1 Like

Just for a sense of perspective…

4 Likes

I love this part:

“It’s important to teach our female youth that it’s OK to say, ‘Yes, I am good at this,’ and you don’t hold back,” Biles told USA Today in 2019. “You only see the men doing it. And they’re praised for it, and the women are looked down upon for it.”

The last sentence reminded me of our US Women’s World Cup team’s experiences…
What an amazing person :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

(Edited, typo)

(Edited once more bc, oh my gosh! Look at this.)
https://twitter.com/intlgymnast/status/1402698917872033797?s=20

9 Likes

6 Likes

So soon she’ll be able to dunk her own head! While sailing right over Shaq! And a dinosaur!!

#superhuman

8 Likes

Imagine being 4’8" and actually dunking BBs. Then there’s her still to be quantified ‘hang-time’. She’s like one of those movie fantasy heroes… but without all the ‘cable artists’, CGI, and stunt doubles.

5 Likes

Just here late to say I dragged my kids in to see her at the Olympics just so they could say they saw the greatest. Her power and aggression on the floor are so next level as to defy belief. She really looks like she pushes the planet out of her way.

How lucky we are to get to live to see her brilliance.

7 Likes

All infographics must bow to this infographic

1 Like

I agree. Except for her ponytail (indicating descent, not the apex of her leap), everything about it works. I can’t think of anything else (Wheaties… genius) that could go in there for height comparison, except for maybe a male Polar Bear; she could kiss it on the nose without using a ladder.

This topic was automatically closed after 5 days. New replies are no longer allowed.