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The alarming rate of arm injuries in baseball isn't just bad luck—it's the predictable outcome of fundamentally flawed mechanical approaches dominating the sport today. In this eye-opening conversation, Chris O'Leary returns to explain why modern pitchers can't stay healthy and what can be done about it.

O'Leary presents compelling visual evidence of what he calls "Flat Arm Syndrome"—a timing problem where the pitching arm is parallel to the ground (not up) when the body begins rotating, creating devastating stress on the elbow and shoulder. Through detailed comparisons of classic pitchers like early-career Verlander, Nolan Ryan, and Tom Seaver with today's injured stars, he demonstrates how modern mechanics have fundamentally changed for the worse.

The discussion doesn't just identify problems but explains their origins. The "Inverted W," "Tommy John twist," and other mechanical shortcuts promoted by velocity programs are systematically breaking down pitchers at all levels. Perhaps most troubling is how these flawed mechanics are being taught to young athletes as the path to success, creating a pipeline of arm injuries waiting to happen.

What makes this conversation particularly powerful is O'Leary's predictive track record. He's correctly identified injury risks in numerous pitchers before they broke down, including Sandy Alcantara and Spencer Schwellenbach. These aren't coincidences but the result of understanding how mechanical flaws inevitably lead to physical breakdown.

The solution isn't complicated training protocols or exotic conditioning—it's about returning to fundamental athletic movements that work with the body's natural biomechanics rather than against them. As O'Leary puts it, "There's no free lunch" in developing velocity; sustainable speed must be built through patience and sound mechanics rather than shortcuts.

Ready to understand baseball's injury epidemic and protect the arms of the next generation? Listen now and discover why the difference between healthy and injured pitchers often comes down to just a few critical mechanical distinctions that anyone can learn to identify.

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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.