Hi girls and boys,
My father's only bit of advice about darts was "look to where you're going to point them...then throw them to where you're pointing'.
(He was a local dart champion from South Wales back in the days when you threw lumps of brass from 9 ft and the dart board wire was almost as thick as fencing wire.)
His advice seemed straight forward enough of course but I was a kid and I never understood that you had to have everything else right first.
Anyway earlier today whilst I was trying to adjust the way I held the dart ....Bingo I suddenly became aware that my new grip was actually allowing me to point my forefinger towards the intended target much more comfortably... Then Bang 180! Two throws later ....bang another 180 so what was I doing right?
So I started to think about it a little deeper...
My stance is firm and steady, I line the darts up so they are straight and parallel in my hand perpendicular to the board and pointing at the target. I'm looking directly at the target and my shoulders are relaxed but steady. The amount of force required is all muscle memory so now with the adjusted grip my hand is much more closed now I.e no more loose fingers, (no Eric Bristow Pinkie in the air either )...I'm ready and relaxed. From here on in the hand eye bit takes over and I simply point and follow through.
Suddenly the consistency in grouping is there and I can be far more accurate and yes 'I've got a great adeptness at grasping the bleeding obvious' but now that fatherly advice all makes sense. After all the grip and release are quite probably the key mechanical points to accuracy. Any slight misalignment or unnecessary movement and the error is magnified over the throwing distance.
Now then here's what you need to do....get a bottle cork and stick in over your dart point so you don't stab yourself. Hold the dart in the 'best position' trying to close the hand around tuck the loose fingers in touching your palm etc and simply try to get used to how the new position feels.
Maybe hold it whilst watching TV etc so the grip becomes second nature and feels 'right'.
An 'A ha' or a Simpson Doh, moment I'm not sure probably both but it's starting to work for me why not try it out yourself it may just help you're consistency in grouping and overall accuracy.
Cheers
My father's only bit of advice about darts was "look to where you're going to point them...then throw them to where you're pointing'.
(He was a local dart champion from South Wales back in the days when you threw lumps of brass from 9 ft and the dart board wire was almost as thick as fencing wire.)
His advice seemed straight forward enough of course but I was a kid and I never understood that you had to have everything else right first.
Anyway earlier today whilst I was trying to adjust the way I held the dart ....Bingo I suddenly became aware that my new grip was actually allowing me to point my forefinger towards the intended target much more comfortably... Then Bang 180! Two throws later ....bang another 180 so what was I doing right?
So I started to think about it a little deeper...
My stance is firm and steady, I line the darts up so they are straight and parallel in my hand perpendicular to the board and pointing at the target. I'm looking directly at the target and my shoulders are relaxed but steady. The amount of force required is all muscle memory so now with the adjusted grip my hand is much more closed now I.e no more loose fingers, (no Eric Bristow Pinkie in the air either )...I'm ready and relaxed. From here on in the hand eye bit takes over and I simply point and follow through.
Suddenly the consistency in grouping is there and I can be far more accurate and yes 'I've got a great adeptness at grasping the bleeding obvious' but now that fatherly advice all makes sense. After all the grip and release are quite probably the key mechanical points to accuracy. Any slight misalignment or unnecessary movement and the error is magnified over the throwing distance.
Now then here's what you need to do....get a bottle cork and stick in over your dart point so you don't stab yourself. Hold the dart in the 'best position' trying to close the hand around tuck the loose fingers in touching your palm etc and simply try to get used to how the new position feels.
Maybe hold it whilst watching TV etc so the grip becomes second nature and feels 'right'.
An 'A ha' or a Simpson Doh, moment I'm not sure probably both but it's starting to work for me why not try it out yourself it may just help you're consistency in grouping and overall accuracy.
Cheers
