Is my routine okay?

[jp58]

Okay guys, I've had a few days of individual practice. A couple days a week, I've been playing my dad, brother, or anyone else I could talk into a game. The last few times I'd had the board to myself, I'd just mindlessly thrown to the board hoping to improve my accuracy.

Today, I had my first deliberate practice session.

I did two rounds of around the board. I didn't keep a score, but I did shoot six darts at each number. I was working on both accuracy, and a new grip/throw. After watching some videos, I was definitely throwing wrong. The new grip seems to be working, as I was hitting with much more frequency, my misses weren't so bad (comparatively), and I was getting quite a few deflections. I even managed my first robin hood. I feel like that's telling me that this throwing motion and grip are much more repeatable.

I followed that with 10 rounds of T20-T19-T18 to work on improving my 01 scoring. I managed a 140 and a pair of 120's, but that could've been luck.

I went with 10 rounds at the bullseye, and out of 30 darts, I hit 3 doubles and 4 singles.

Thank I finished up with a game of baseball. I scored a couple of 5 run innings and ended up with 18, so I don't feel like I did so bad.

I was beginning to lost focus, so I called it a night.

Will this be okay until the Flight School emails begin to come? Is there anything obvious that I'm missing?

[mc1958]

I don't know what baseball entails, but if it doesn't include finishing and set ups for 01 games then try playing 121 instead (or as well). Basically you get 9 darts to finish 121, if you succeed you move on to 122, succeed again then up to 123, etc. If you fail to finish the number you are on in the requisiste 9 darts then you go back to 121 and start again. The more experienced you become you can reduce it from 9 darts down to 6 if you want a harder challenge.

Another thing I used to do when I did proper practice was play a couple of sets of 501 (or 301 double in double out) against no1.

[trekbowl300]

I see you are from the USA and from your words I am guessing you are a beginner with darts.  Now also since you have signed up for flight school that was your best move as that program has helped me improve once I took darts a little most seriously.

I am also in the USA and am going to recommend that if you are just playing non league games now that you practice the cricket numbers making sure you include the bull.  This is because cricket is most likely the game played at most taverns and clubs.  Although you played baseball that is not a game played in leagues however if you ever start playing any x01 games you will need to be able to hit other numbers.  For now though I would not concentrate on that as it is just a bar game (unless that is your purpose).

You could practice the cricket numbers and I would include the bull in there more then once because many cricket games come down to the bull in the beginner levels.  I would also throw three darts at each number then go to the next number in your list trying to keep the in order because they are in different parts of the board.  As an example you could do 20-19-18-bull-17-16-15-bull.

If you get bored easily doing this look up the different practice routines listed on this website as many are very good.  However, try not to pick a routine that is very hard because you want to have success and learn how to shoot the dart where it will make you motivated to continue.  If you pick a doubles, triples drill they are harder and less likely to hit for a beginner and that may make it seem impossible however just hitting a number and being able to get all 3 darts in it may be a better positive factor so you want to improve more.

Don't do this "I'd just mindlessly thrown to the board hoping to improve my accuracy"  you may not keep your stroke, grip and stance the same and pick up bad habits.  Find a routine that challenges you but is not completely impossible then when you get the flight school drills follow that program.  Even if the drill is hard it can be adjusted to your skill level.

Good luck in your dart practice.