Getting Started

 

Here at darts-online.co.uk, we want you to get started quickly and effectively so you can be playing darts like a true pro! So we've included some basics regarding the throw, the grip and the stance you should adopt. You can also find out how to set up a dartboard.

The Throw

The throw is obviously the most important thing in darts! The shoulder should not change its postion at all. Keep your body still. The elbow should stay in position when moving the dart backward, and on some point in the acceleration phase starts to go up. The wrist should be kept level with the flight of the dart. If you use 'wrist snap' then it is one more thing to control which can reduce long term accuracy.

The Grip

Point up - your grip's main objective must be to keep the tip of your dart pointing up in every throwing phase.

Solid but not tensed - the grip must be firm, but it must not strain your finger muscles. To maintain your touch hold the dart loose enough so it doesn't slip away, but hold it firm enough to keep control when accelerating.

How many fingers? At least 3 fingers (thumb + 2) to give enough controll. All fingers should touch the barrel or the point, no finger shall touch the shaft or even the flight. More fingers give more control in acceleration but it makes the release more difficult as more fingers have to be coordinated.

Barrel shape - Not all kinds of grips are usable on different kinds of barrels. So it's obvious that longer barrels force a more finger grip, while less fingers must be used for short barrels.

No fist! What to do with fingers not involved in the grip? The best is to spread them away, or keep them in the same position as the other fingers.

The Stance

There is only one proper stance that fulfills the requirements for throwing: The right foot (left foot for left handers) forward stance.

When we aim we put the target, the dart and the eye in one line. When we throw we should try to put the arm in a 2-dimensional plain. This reduces the margin of error by eliminating sideway movements of the arm.

The shoulder angle defines the stance. You should try to get close to the perfect 90 degrees, but not with an absolute sacrifice of throwing comfort. Proper angles start from approx. 50 to 80 degrees. The exact value here is your personal compromise. The feet angle simply follows the shoulder angle, otherwise you will fall on the floor...

In every point of the throw you must stay perfectly balanced. This will be tricky for beginners and force them to start at a lower angle without leaning forward much. Your weight distribution will mainly rest on your forward foot (stance foot), while your behind foot (balance foot) will just hold enough weight to perfectly balance your stance. Remember, no matter which weight distribution you use, your stance must be rock-solid. Don't jump with your forward foot, it must always stay flat on the floor.

The more you lean forward the nearer you will get to the board, but the more physically demanding and unstable your throw will be. If you lean forward too much you will soon find yourself with serious back problems. Your balance leg is responsible for balancing the work. Lifting it during the throw is not recommended - 'one foot on the floor' is not only a pool rule!!