Are “Individualized Programs” Really Individual?

Most parents hear this and feel relieved:

“My child is on a customized, individualized program.”

It sounds exactly like what a developing athlete needs.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth most people don’t talk about:

Many so-called “individualized” programs aren’t truly individual at all.

They’re often filtered through a coach’s beliefs, preferences, or movement model—

not through the athlete’s natural movement system.

That matters more than you think.

The Hidden Bias in “Customization”

When a program is built primarily on:

• a coach’s preferred exercises

• a specific mechanical model

• a checklist of positions to fix

…the athlete is being guided toward someone else’s idea of how they should move.

Even with good intentions, this creates bias.

The player isn’t discovering how their body organizes movement.

They’re being shaped to match a predefined template.

And under game speed?

That’s where problems show up.

Why This Breaks Down in Games

Baseball doesn’t reward perfect positions.

It rewards solutions.

Every play is different:

• different angles

• different speeds

• different timing

• different stress

When athletes are trained to execute instead of adapt,

they often look great in controlled environments— but struggle when the game demands improvisation.

That’s not a discipline issue.

That’s a movement system issue.

What True Individualization Actually Looks Like

Real individualization doesn’t start with:

“Here’s how you should move.”

It starts with:

“Let’s see how you move.”

At Baseball Flows, we don’t try to force athletes into a model.

We create environments and movement challenges that allow the body to:

• explore

• self-organize

• clean up inefficiencies

• build options

We use developmental global movement patterns and athletic plays

to restore flow—so each athlete finds their most efficient solutions.

No two players look exactly the same.

And they shouldn’t.

Movement First. Skill Follows.

When movement improves:

• confidence grows

• mechanics stabilize

• decision-making speeds up

• injury risk drops

Not because we micromanaged positions— but because the athlete learned how to move well.

That’s the difference between programming for compliance and training for adaptability.

The Bigger Picture

The future of player development isn’t:

more drills

more cues

more rigid “custom” plans

It’s about giving athletes the space to develop clean movement flow

so skills can emerge naturally under pressure.

That’s what we’re building with Baseball Flows.

Not a system that tells athletes how to move— but one that helps them discover it.

If this resonates with you as a parent,

you’re not alone.

This is the gap we’re working to close—every day.

Move Better. Play Better.

Want to take a deep dive into our training methods, reply “FLOW” and we will send you our Baseball Flows starter kit

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Coaches! welcome to our Level 1 Certification, where you'll witness the extraordinary influence of Global Pattern Screening firsthand. Together, we will unlock the true potential of baseball and softball players, revolutionizing player development through the art of movement system training.

Baseball Flows (Level 1 Certification): Global Patterns Screening (GPS)

Share your experiences and insights with your friends! If you enjoy our newsletter and feel that a coach, parent, or player will benefit from reading our content, hit the “forward” button and toss it over to them. Let's learn from each other and embrace the power of Baseball Flows together!

Let's train smarter, move better, and flow in the game.

Best Regards,

Dr. Ismael Gallo DPT, MBA

Founder, Baseball Flows

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