The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance

by Steven Kotler

That commanding lead has been erased. It’s down to Kerri Strug, but hers is a difficult trick, and she underrotates, lands awkwardly, and hears a loud snap. Her ankle is now badly sprained. She is limping, in considerable pain, but if she doesn’t stick her next attempt, the Russians will take home gold. The United States is in a tough spot. Strug, a four-foot-nine gymnast from Tucson, Arizona, has always been their weakest link. As ESPN The Magazine once wrote: “Strug…does not possess the fearlessness, the toughness, the aggressiveness, the heart and the threshold of pain as her teammates.” All of this changes on her second attempt. She tears down the runway, nails her back handspring, flawlessly flips over the vault, and perfectly lands a difficult twisting dismount. On impact, she hears another snap. Gingerly, like a dancer, Strug tucks that leg behind her, never losing her balance. She hops in one direction, then another, both times raising her arms in the traditional judges’ salute. An instant later she collapses, but not before scoring a 9.712 and taking home the hardware.

Motivation