Ok, so I honestly had not heard these words used before in describing the physical action used so my apologies. I have actually used a bull whip when trying to impart the feel and action of cracking the whip. Back in the day working with my DD and Java we looked at and discussed a lot the compound pendulum effect, the kinetic chain, summation of velocities, rotational movement across multiple planes and more. I must have slept through the "bow-flex-bow" piece so thank you for bringing it up and for the explanation of it in regards to actual body position through the pitch. I haven't looked at the link you offered yet but I will. Below is an excerpt from here: https://tht.fangraphs.com/exactly-what-are-effective-throwing-mechanics/
Baseball stuff but the physics still apply. Thx!
"Using the body to throw the baseball, the “bow-flex-bow.”
Athletic activity involving the generation of speed and power is typified by eccentric-concentric muscle action. The eccentric refers to a lengthening of the muscle. Concentric refers to the shortening of the muscle.
For example, to achieve a maximum standing vertical jump height, a countermovement precedes the actual jump itself. The countermovement does several things. It creates a longer distance over which to apply force. The act of going down before reversing direction generates and stores energy in connective tissue, which then can be released in the opposite direction. And it more readily prepares the muscle to reverse direction and contract more powerfully.
This same eccentric-concentric cycle can be seen in pitchers; I call it the “bow-flex-bow” cycle. This cycle describes the sequence of first bending at the waist then arching the back and then unarching the back and bending forward during the throwing cycle.
This movement can be thought of as being analogous to the cracking of a buggy whip, were first the handle of the whip is flexed backward, creating a loop in the “popper.”
Figure 9. The “buggy whip” sequence.
I first noted this phenomenon in Nolan Ryan. Later, I created a little graphic showing the cycle in the delivery of Mike Mussina.
Figure 10. Mike Musina demonstrating “bow-flex-bow” sequence"
Baseball stuff but the physics still apply. Thx!
"Using the body to throw the baseball, the “bow-flex-bow.”
Athletic activity involving the generation of speed and power is typified by eccentric-concentric muscle action. The eccentric refers to a lengthening of the muscle. Concentric refers to the shortening of the muscle.
For example, to achieve a maximum standing vertical jump height, a countermovement precedes the actual jump itself. The countermovement does several things. It creates a longer distance over which to apply force. The act of going down before reversing direction generates and stores energy in connective tissue, which then can be released in the opposite direction. And it more readily prepares the muscle to reverse direction and contract more powerfully.
This same eccentric-concentric cycle can be seen in pitchers; I call it the “bow-flex-bow” cycle. This cycle describes the sequence of first bending at the waist then arching the back and then unarching the back and bending forward during the throwing cycle.
This movement can be thought of as being analogous to the cracking of a buggy whip, were first the handle of the whip is flexed backward, creating a loop in the “popper.”
Figure 9. The “buggy whip” sequence.
I first noted this phenomenon in Nolan Ryan. Later, I created a little graphic showing the cycle in the delivery of Mike Mussina.
Figure 10. Mike Musina demonstrating “bow-flex-bow” sequence"