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Radar-gun culture has turned a lot of young pitchers into speed-chasers, and we see the fallout everywhere: inconsistent command, rushed mechanics, and more shoulder and elbow injuries at younger ages. Dr. Kevin McGovern brings back Coach Brian Hall, a longtime high school coach from Colorado, to talk about his new book, The Pitcher’s Handbook: A Complete Pitching Development System, now available on Amazon and Apple Books. We get into why Brian wrote it in the first place, how it grew from a team manual into a full pitching blueprint, and what players and parents keep saying they love most: clear structure, day-to-day routine, and a plan you can actually follow.

We break down the traits that make a pitcher improve fast, starting with being coachable and doing intentional work outside practice through dry reps and repetition. Then we go straight at the mental game of baseball: “clear the last pitch,” competing with composure, emotional control, and why acting like you’ve done it before isn’t old-school fluff, it’s part of being a reliable teammate that coaches trust.

From there, we talk pitching mechanics and injury prevention with a practical lens: using the lower half, creating ground traction, improving arm timing, and finishing through the catcher instead of recoiling. We also tackle velocity training myths, why “practice makes permanent,” how to think about pitching backwards and deception, and why arm care can’t be just a pitcher thing as position players face more Tommy John surgery. If you care about pitching development, arm health, and sustainable velocity, this conversation is a must.

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Pain that “pops” every time you move is more than an annoyance, it’s a warning sign that your movement base may be failing you. I’m Dr. Kevin McGovern, and I sit down with Eric and his son Cameron to tell the full story of a pitcher who didn’t fit the usual mold: unusual movement patterns, hypermobile elbows, and a body that kept finding the wrong path in basic tests like the squat and lunge. What starts as frustration turns into a clear roadmap for baseball pitcher rehab, arm care, and performance built on fundamentals that actually stick.

We get specific about what changed. Cameron explains how pain showed up in real baseball moments: pushing off the back leg, getting into fielding positions, throwing from the outfield, and even stepping into his swing. From there, we break down why we spent so much time rebuilding the squat, how “reps, reps, reps” becomes motor learning instead of mindless volume, and why quality reps beat sloppy grinding every time. We also dig into scapular stability and serratus-focused work on the wall to help stabilize the shoulder blade and protect an elbow that wants to hyperextend.

The payoff is what every player and parent wants to hear: less pain, better movement, stronger throws, and better pitching command. Cameron reports throwing 10 to 15 mph harder than before, plus more comfortable hitting and fielding, while Eric highlights more efficient outings and soreness that feels normal instead of scary. If you’re chasing pitching velocity, cleaner pitching mechanics, or reliable injury prevention, this conversation is a reminder that there’s no immediate fix, only the right work done consistently.

If this helps you, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next, share it with a pitcher who needs it, and leave a review so more players can find the path back to pain-free throwing.

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The Velocity Rx podcast mission is to help save one million arms by giving the very best mechanical, health, and arm care information to it's listeners.

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Arm injuries in youth baseball are exploding, and “just throw harder” is not a plan. We get blunt about what we see every day: pitchers chasing the radar gun, parents drowning in buzzwords, and coaches stacking drills on top of drills while more elbows and shoulders keep breaking down. The problem is not a lack of effort. The problem is starting in the wrong place. Before we talk mechanics, velocity, spin rate, or recruiting, we ask the question most people skip: how does the athlete move in the first place?

We walk through how we are changing Velocity RX by applying the sports medicine model directly to pitching development. That means we evaluate first, take a real injury and training history, identify risk, and build a plan based on what the athlete’s body is actually doing, not what we wish it would do. You will hear why measuring the result of a pitch is not enough, and why movement quality, sequencing, and compensation patterns often explain the “mystery” behind chronic pain, inconsistent command, and stalled performance.

We also break down the GAME Test and the GAME level system, a simple way to describe movement competency from 1 to 7. It is not a talent score or a scholarship score. It is a clarity score, helping us predict where breakdown may happen and what must improve. We close with the four outcomes we’re chasing: healthier arms, blindfold command through repeatable movement, velocity that comes with less stress, and pitch correctability so athletes can fix misses in real time.

You can also find our content on Dugout TV, the streaming home for the Atlantic League and more. Subscribe, share this with a baseball parent or pitching coach, and leave a review so more players can start with an evaluation instead of a guess.

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The Velocity Rx podcast mission is to help save one million arms by giving the very best mechanical, health, and arm care information to it's listeners.

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Most pitchers chase velocity by tweaking mechanics, copying drills, or grinding more throws. I take a different route: I start with the foundation. In this Velocity RX podcast, I give you a clear inside look at the Velocity RX Elite Pitching Program and explain why movement testing comes before any big mechanical change. When the body cannot squat, hinge, rotate, or stabilize on one leg, the “perfect cue” on the mound falls apart and the arm pays for it.

I walk through my GAME test (Graded Active Movement Exam) and the specific screens I lean on for baseball pitchers, including shoulder coordination, scapular control, and the patterns that predict lost range of motion and future pain. We talk candidly about why so many athletes struggle with basic athletic movement today, how that shows up as preventable shoulder and elbow issues, and why rehab after Tommy John surgery can stall when something important gets missed. If you are still dealing with pain months after returning to throwing, you will hear exactly how my Mound Ready process looks for the real “why” and then fixes it.

From there, I explain how we use OnForm video analysis to review tests and mechanics frame by frame, how corrective exercises fit into your routine without wasting time, and why I teach pitching “backwards” by mastering the finish and front-foot strike before piling on more. We end with the four outcomes I want every pitcher to earn over six months: a more bulletproof arm, blindfold command built on feel, a real velocity increase, and pitch correctability so you can miss a spot, know why, and fix it on the next pitch.

If you found this helpful, subscribe for more pitching mechanics, arm care, and baseball performance training, share it with a pitcher who needs a better plan, and leave a review with your biggest velocity or command question.

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The Velocity Rx podcast mission is to help save one million arms by giving the very best mechanical, health, and arm care information to it's listeners.

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A pitcher can feel great in the first inning and still be fighting his body by the third. That’s the problem we dig into with Red Sox pitcher Austin Arlocker calling in from spring training, where the goal isn’t just throwing harder, it’s holding velocity, recovering well, and staying healthy across a season. Austin shares what the last few years of arm issues felt like, including nerve-type symptoms running from the neck into the arm, and why “no pain” didn’t mean “no problem” when fatigue kept showing up and the radar gun kept slipping.

We get specific about what changed. We talk upper trap dominance, how a constant shrug can crowd the area under the collarbone and irritate the nerves, and why a simple drill like supine scapular depression can be a game changer when you do it consistently. Austin also breaks down how he blends band work, posture training, plyometrics, and just enough strength work to match his body, plus a surprising tool that keeps his arm feeling athletic: shooting basketball.

Then we zoom out to pitching mechanics and pitch design. We cover why forcing an arm slot can backfire, how correcting early drift can improve timing so the arm isn’t always late, and how those changes show up in real numbers. Austin talks hitting a lifetime PR 97.1 and averaging mid- to upper-90s, plus the process of building a harder sweeper, shaping a high-movement changeup, and using team analytics to understand where each pitch plays best for swings, misses, and weak contact.

If you care about pitching velocity, arm health, reducing arm fatigue, and command that holds up deep into outings, this one is for you. Subscribe, share it with a pitcher who needs it, and leave a review with the biggest change you’ve made to stay healthy on the mound.

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The Velocity Rx podcast mission is to help save one million arms by giving the very best mechanical, health, and arm care information to it's listeners.

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“Get fast down the mound” has become a default cue in modern pitching, and we think it’s a big reason so many arms are breaking. Coach Brian Hull joins me for a role-reversal Q&A where we dig into the mechanics that actually hold up over time, especially for high school pitchers who need both velocity and longevity. We start with the core idea behind the up-down-out approach: load the back hip first, get into the ground, and let that set the timing so the arm isn’t forced to play catch-up.

From there we zoom in on front foot strike and sequencing. We talk about what “on time” really looks like, why early drift tends to create a late arm, and how rushed arm action can show up as drag, inverted W patterns, and unnecessary strain on the UCL and shoulder. I lay out my Tommy John formula (drift, shrug, drag) and why each piece can push pitchers toward the same outcome: a late arm under stress for too long. We also challenge trendy drills and early hip opening by comparing pitching to hitting, golf, and football, where leaking the hips early is an instant power leak.

We finish with practical coaching solutions: drills to clean up foot drag, how to teach mechanics backwards from a strong finish, and why foundational movement like squats, hinging, and rotation has to come before “high-level” pitching work. We also cover warm-up efficiency when practice time is tight, throwing volume with purpose, recovery red flags based on where soreness shows up, grip tension (“hold the ball like an egg”), and even why set-shot basketball can build safe extension without beating up the arm.

If you coach, pitch, or parent a pitcher, hit play, then subscribe, share this with your staff, and leave a review with the one cue you’re removing from your pitching program.

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The Velocity Rx podcast mission is to help save one million arms by giving the very best mechanical, health, and arm care information to it's listeners.

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Want to know why so many promising pitchers break down just as they hit college—and what to do about it? We sit down with Coach Brian Hull, a high school baseball coach and former National PE Teacher of the Year, to map out a practical path from raw talent to durable success. Brian opens up about dominating in high school, tearing his labrum in college, and realizing that missing structure, poor mechanics, and a rushed rehab—not a lack of grit—derailed his career. That experience inspired him to build a 275-page pitching manual built on structure, consistency, and health, designed as a one-stop guide for players and parents.

We get specific about the root causes of arm injuries. Dr. McGovern breaks down the Tommy John formula: drift (center of mass racing forward too early) and shrug (upper traps hijacking the shoulder). Those two errors quietly add stress to every throw until something gives. From there, we challenge radar-gun culture with a better hierarchy—deception, command, then velocity—and a smarter lens on performance using OP10, an efficiency stat that tracks outs per 10 pitches. You’ll hear how pressure changes mechanics, why 78 can play like 85 when tunneling is right, and how pitch counts hide the real load an arm endures.

We also tackle the travel ball treadmill: 80 to 90 summer games, pitching one day and catching the next, with little oversight of mechanics, workload, or recovery. Instead of quick fixes and heavy plyo balls on unprepared bodies, Brian lays out the habits that actually protect arms: daily warm-ups, simple mechanical drills, consistent throwing progressions, and solid movement patterns like a real squat. We look to longevity models—think Clemens and Rivera—for proof that control and efficiency beat highlight-chasing slinging.

If you’re a parent, player, or coach tired of seeing arms fail before futures begin, this conversation offers a clear blueprint. Subscribe, share with a baseball family that needs it, and leave a review telling us the one habit you’ll change this week.

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The Velocity Rx podcast mission is to help save one million arms by giving the very best mechanical, health, and arm care information to it's listeners.

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A misread MRI, a rushed surgery recommendation, and a family searching for answers—this story tracks a teenage catcher’s long road from chronic shoulder and back pain to a confident, pain-free throw. We walk through the turning points: why three orthopedists said “no tear” while one pushed the knife, how a second MRI with a trusted reader changed the narrative, and what happened when we stopped chasing symptoms and rebuilt the kinetic chain instead.

You’ll hear how we used clear video angles and a simple Game Test to reveal the real culprits: poor scapular coordination and a lat caught between shoulder and pelvis duties. From there, the plan got smaller, not bigger—high-rep scapular depression holds, sub-centimeter chair lifts, and isometric work that reconnected brain to body. As control returned, we layered skill with the front-foot-strike, three-tap, and finish drills to restore rhythm, downhill posture, and smooth release. No tall-and-fall shortcuts. No band carnivals. Just repeatable mechanics that put the athlete in charge of every inch of the movement.

The result? Pain that lingered for days after tournaments disappeared. Command improved. Velocity likely ticked up, but more importantly, the throw felt easy again. The mom now filters every provider with a simple test: do they speak the kinetic chain? If you’re a parent or athlete stuck between conflicting diagnoses and quick fixes, this conversation shows how to demand clarity, measure progress on video, and choose the boring drills that actually change your game.

If this helped, follow the show, share it with a teammate, and leave a review with the one drill you’re adopting this week. Your feedback helps more families find a smarter path back to play.

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The Velocity Rx podcast mission is to help save one million arms by giving the very best mechanical, health, and arm care information to it's listeners.