| At one stage in his career Phil Taylor was | | | | consistently find the twenty you can then |
| practising for up to eleven hours a day. | | | | concentrate on hitting the treble on a |
| Darts players do not get the credit they | | | | regular basis. There are obviously many more |
| deserve for all their skill and dedication. | | | | aspects to successful darts but a straight |
| They may not be athletes in the popular sense | | | | throw is critical. |
| of the word but it takes great levels of | | | | |
| skill, endurance and concentration to perform | | | | Throwing Darts |
| on stage under lights at a high level for a | | | | |
| couple of hours. In most other sports other | | | | Playing the game of darts can be a good |
| than darts Phil Taylor would have already | | | | recreational activity, as well as a good |
| been recognised universally as one of | | | | sport provided an individual knows the |
| Britain's all time top sportsman. | | | | technique of throwing darts. |
| | | | |
| Throwing darts accurately and consistently is | | | | To learn the technique of throwing darts, one |
| a skill which requires a great deal of | | | | should understand that the dart travels |
| concentration and excellent hand and eye | | | | through a curve, and the speed with which the |
| coordination. Any the factors listed below | | | | dart is thrown should continue the movement |
| can have a dramatic effect on a person's | | | | until it reaches and strikes the dartboard. |
| performance. | | | | |
| | | | The throwing of darts is completed through |
| Which eye to use for your aim? | | | | five stages -- aiming, backward move, and |
| | | | acceleration, release and a follow through. |
| The stance at the oche. | | | | While taking e aim, the dart, the eye and the |
| | | | target have to be in a same line. Backward |
| The grip, holding the dart. | | | | movement of the dart has to done slowly and |
| | | | by controlling the aim, which normally comes |
| The throw. | | | | with practice. Acceleration, although not |
| | | | essential, has to be done very smoothly, |
| The aim. | | | | allowing it to go along with the follow |
| | | | through. If the throwing technique is right, |
| The positioning of the elbow. | | | | the proper release comes naturally. Follow |
| | | | through is keeping the same position for a |
| Many people can hit big scores but the key to | | | | while, even after release, that is to aim at |
| successful darts is accuracy and consistency. | | | | the target. |
| You need to develop a consistent throw with | | | | |
| every movement the same. To help you achieve | | | | While throwing a dart one should not move the |
| this use the vertical line as a training | | | | whole body, but the movement should be |
| tool. Draw a chalk line through the centre of | | | | restricted to the arm alone. The elbow should |
| your board from double top to double three. | | | | be in a fixed position while moving backward |
| For a couple of sessions purely concentrate | | | | and should be alleviated during acceleration. |
| on hitting that line. If you find you are | | | | Using the wrist to throw a dart does not |
| consistently hitting left or right of the | | | | really help, but many people believe that by |
| mark, readjust your throw until you are | | | | using their wrist, they can gain the required |
| consistently hitting the line. Once you have | | | | speed. To get best results while throwing |
| developed a consistent straight throw, you | | | | darts and to avoid the dart from wobbling, |
| are well on the way to becoming a competent | | | | one should use standard form flights and |
| darter. In darts nothing destroys your | | | | middle length shafts. Moreover to get the |
| confidence quicker than regularly hitting | | | | best throw, the darts should not point too |
| fives and ones when going for the treble | | | | much upward or downward. |
| twenty. Once your line is right and you | | | | |