Muscles and Management

Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode! In Episode 252 of Muscles and Management, Gerry welcomes Dr. Ismael Gallo—former professional baseball player, physical therapist, and founder of Baseball Flows—for a wide-ranging conversation on athlete development through movement, not gimmicks. Gallo brings a unique blend of experience from pro baseball and clinical rehab to the discussion, offering a practical, science-driven lens on what athletes truly need to move better and perform at a higher level. The two dive into the pitfalls of traditional strength training and rehab, how exaggerated drills can cause long-term harm, and why individualization doesn’t mean abandoning all shared movement fundamentals. Gallo also shares the origin of Baseball Flows, the one-year program he built to address the lack of practical movement training in youth sports. Together, Gerry and Ismael break down the difference between productive training and flashy nonsense, the dangers of chasing size without context, and why athleticism—not rigid templates—is the future of sports performance. This episode is a must-listen for parents, coaches, and athletes who want clarity, not confusion, when it comes to athletic development. Timestamps: 0:00 – Introduction to Episode 252 and guest Ismael Gallo  1:42 – Ismael’s background: from high school dropout to pro ball and physical therapy  4:07 – The origins of Baseball Flows and need for practical movement application  6:32 – Why conventional strength training failed Ismael as a player  8:04 – The problem with chasing size without tracking movement and speed  10:42 – Watts per kilo and why relative power is what matters most  12:50 – How to use data + movement quality to guide training decisions  14:36 – Head control, posture, and nervous system-focused training  17:03 – Dynamic neuromuscular stabilization and why it didn’t go far enough  18:29 – Sprinting, pitching, and the importance of pelvis control  21:41 – Why not every athlete should copy Tim Lincecum  22:22 – Individual movement ≠ no fundamentals: the key principles still apply  24:04 – Exaggeration drills: helpful or harmful?  25:41 – Teacher Man, over-coaching, and motor learning gone wrong  27:23 – Why most young athletes shouldn’t be exaggerating movements  28:43 – The real risk of gimmicks and one-size-fits-all programs  30:50 – Basics are boring but effective—don’t chase trends over fundamentals  31:44 – “Grind every day” culture vs. the need for recovery  32:10 – Why youth athletes are getting hurt: volume overload  33:12 – Survivorship bias and pro athlete training misinterpretations  35:26 – Correlation vs. causation: muffins and Derek Henry  37:27 – Paul Skenes and the full package of elite athletes  38:10 – The mental side of performance and staying even-keeled  40:00 – Ismael’s upbringing, family journey, and motivation  44:09 – Movement patterns weren’t trained in the past like they are now  45:36 – The purpose behind Baseball Flows: athleticism through global movement  47:30 – Gerry and Ismael reflect on how their failures shaped their coaching  48:56 – Final thoughts: building confidence in young athletes through better training  50:39 – How to connect with Ismael and Baseball Flows Get A 7 Day FREE TRIAL On Onlystrength! - https://www.onlystrength.training/podcastoffer Support the show