Prior to the training session, you'll be asked to complete a comprehensive questionnaire designed to gather specific information that will shape the upcoming session. This questionnaire will cover key areas such as the athlete's current condition, training history, goals, and any recent performance data. Additionally, you'll be required to submit video footage and recent statistics to provide a complete picture of your current state. The thoroughness of this information is crucial, as it forms the foundation for a tailored and effective training session.
In this critical initial stage, your coach will personally engage with the you to ensure optimal movement freedom and neurological readiness. Through expert demonstration and guided practice, the athlete will be introduced to various movement patterns, focusing on enhancing mobility, neurological force production, and motor coordination. Additionally, the athlete's arm will be strategically tested using a highly specialized dynamometer to ensure it is fully primed for the demands of the training session. This foundational stage is essential for achieving peak performance and reducing injury risk.
Now that you're physically and neurologically primed, your coach will guide you into the initial throwing phase. This stage begins with an assessment of the athlete's inherent movement patterns, often referred to as their movement mechanics. These intrinsic patterns are shaped by both their training and environment, influencing how they practice and compete. While these patterns provide a foundation for performance, they can also limit the athlete's potential by restricting movement exploration (hence why mechanical adjustments can be so difficult to actualize).
Having unlocked new motor freedoms, your coach will transition you to the mound to integrate these enhanced motor skills into their competitive setting. Utilizing advanced technology, your coach will meticulously identify subtle motor adjustments and their impact on pitching performance. In follow-up sessions, this stage will also involve the development of detailed pitch profiles, as the shape, speed, and accuracy of the athlete's pitches evolve with their enhanced movement capacities.
After the throwing portion of the training session, your coach will conduct a thorough assessment of the athlete's arm and neurological system to evaluate their response to the day's training. Based on the collected data, your coach will craft a hyper-specialized training protocol tailored specifically to your needs. This phase will begin with a focus on regaining any lost motion resulting from the throwing session. The athlete will then transition into a comprehensive arm care and strength and conditioning phase, designed to enhance their ability to produce and absorb force effectively. This targeted approach ensures the your arm and body is not only recovered but also fortified for future performance demands.
In this final stage, your coach will collaborate with you to review the array of data points gathered throughout the session. Together, you will analyze the insights and metrics to develop a customized plan of attack for the athlete between training sessions. These strategic plans, spanning one to two weeks, will be meticulously crafted to ensure continuous progress and development, keeping the athlete on the path to peak performance.
Dr. Nicholas Serio brings an exceptional blend of academic expertise and practical experience to his role at VeloU. With an undergraduate degree in Exercise Science, a Master's in Motor Learning, and a Doctorate in Performance Psychology, Dr. Serio's educational background is both diverse and robust.
For the past 10 years, Dr. Serio has been the driving force behind VeloU, where he has revolutionized the way athletes and coaches approach the learning process for throwing. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping the methodologies that VeloU employs, ensuring that each athlete receives cutting-edge training grounded in the latest scientific research.
Tom, a Quinnipiac University graduate with a bachelor's degree in business management and a former baseball player drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2016 MLB draft, pitched for 7 seasons in the minor leagues, reaching AAA. In the offseason, he served as a throwing instructor across multiple facilities in NY, CT, and MA.
After concluding his playing career, Tom transitioned to work as an analyst for a consulting company, bringing a data-driven approach to enhance athlete performance.