When you watch Simone Biles step onto a floor mat, the atmosphere shifts. Honestly, it’s not just the crowd getting louder—though they definitely do—it’s the collective holding of breath. You know you're about to see something that technically shouldn’t be possible for a human being under the current laws of physics.
In 2024, the world saw her reclaim her throne in Paris. Now, in 2026, we’re still dissecting that floor routine Simone Biles used to cement her legacy as the greatest to ever do it. It wasn't just a comeback; it was a masterclass in atmospheric pressure and pure, raw power.
The Biles II: A Move Nobody Else Wants to Touch
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the triple-double in the air.
The Biles II on floor—a triple-twisting double-tucked salto backwards—is rated as a J on the difficulty scale. In gymnastics speak, that’s the highest rating currently in the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) Code of Points. It’s basically the final boss of tumbling passes.
Think about it. She’s flipping twice while spinning three times before her feet ever touch the ground. Most elites are struggling to stick a double-double (two flips, two twists). Simone adds that extra rotation almost casually. But it’s not casual. It requires a "block" or a punch off the floor that would snap a normal person's ankles.
She doesn't just do it; she does it with height that makes other gymnasts look like they’re playing a different sport. If you look at the 2024 Paris tapes, her hips are often level with the judges' heads at the peak of her flight. That kind of air awareness is rare. Actually, it’s one-of-one.
Why the Music Mattered (Taylor Swift vs. Beyoncé)
Gymnastics can sometimes feel a bit stiff. Classical music, rigid smiles, the whole nine yards.
Simone flipped the script for her 2024-2025 cycle. She leaned into the "GOAT" narrative with a mashup that was basically a pop culture event. She opened with Taylor Swift’s "...Ready For It?"—the heavy bass beat practically demanding the audience to wake up.
Then she transitioned into "DELRESTO (Echoes)" by Travis Scott and Beyoncé.
It was a vibe. Gregory Milan, the French choreographer who worked with her, managed to blend her explosive power with a sort of swagger that felt very "Texas." It wasn't just about hitting the corners of the mat; it was about performing. You’ve probably noticed she smiles more during her floor routines now than she did back in 2016. It feels less like a job and more like she’s showing off for friends.
The "Biles I" and the Necessity of Invention
People forget there are actually two floor skills named after her.
The Biles I is a double layout with a half twist. She started doing it back in 2013 because her ankles were bothering her. Funny enough, she and her coach at the time, Aimee Boorman, realized that landing forward (which the half-twist allows) was actually easier on her joints than the traditional backward landing of a double layout.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
In 2026, we see more gymnasts trying to emulate her "blind landings." Hillary Heron from Panama famously performed the Biles I at the World Championships, proving that while Simone is a unicorn, she’s also a pioneer. She’s giving other athletes a roadmap to high difficulty that doesn't necessarily mean destroying their bodies by age 20.
Breaking Down the 14.6+ Scores
How does she keep winning even when she steps out of bounds?
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It's the math. Gymnastics scoring is split into two parts:
- The D-Score (Difficulty): What you're attempting.
- The E-Score (Execution): How well you did it.
Simone’s D-score is so astronomical—often hovering around 7.0 or higher—that she can literally walk off the mat with both feet and still beat someone who did a "perfect" but simpler routine. In Paris, even with a few hops on her landings, her floor routine Simone Biles score stayed in the mid-14s.
Her rivals, like the incredible Rebeca Andrade, have to be nearly flawless to keep up. It’s a game of inches and rotations. While Andrade has the elegance and the world-class technique to challenge her, Simone’s "difficulty cushion" is her safety net. It’s why she can afford to take risks.
The Physicality of the "Block"
If you’ve ever tried to jump on a trampoline, you know that timing is everything. Now imagine doing that on a spring floor that’s only slightly more forgiving than plywood.
Simone’s technique on her round-off back handspring is what sets her apart. She stays low and long, which converts her forward momentum into upward lift. Most gymnasts pop up too early, losing energy. Simone stays "hollow," rips her arms through, and basically catapults herself.
That’s how she gets the "Biles II" around. It’s not just muscles; it’s physics.
Actionable Insights: What This Means for the Future
So, what does the floor routine Simone Biles tells us about where gymnastics is going?
First, the "power era" isn't over. While there’s a push for more artistry, the judges still reward the big tricks. If you're a young gymnast or a fan, watch her landings. She’s moved toward a "controlled lung" landing rather than trying to stick everything dead-still, which saves her knees.
Second, mental health is now a permanent part of the technical conversation. The "twisties" she experienced in Tokyo changed how coaches train air awareness. They use more foam pits and video feedback now. Simone didn't just change the moves; she changed the culture.
What to watch for next:
- The 2026-2027 Season: Keep an eye on whether she introduces a new "Biles III" on floor. There are rumors of a triple-twisting double layout.
- Choreography Trends: Expect more "pop" and "hip-hop" influences in floor music as other gymnasts try to capture that Biles energy.
- Scoring Shifts: The FIG (International Gymnastics Federation) is constantly debating if skills like the Biles II are undervalued. A bump in difficulty rating would make her even more untouchable.
Honestly, we might not see another athlete like her for fifty years. She’s basically the Steph Curry of the mat—she didn't just play the game; she changed how everyone else has to play it just to survive.
If you want to see the future of the sport, you can start by analyzing how other countries are now training the "Biles I" as a standard elite skill. It’s no longer an outlier; it’s the new baseline. Keep watching the podium training videos from the upcoming World Cups—that's where the next "impossible" move will probably leak first.