How to Throw More Consistent Darts

When I ask players about their goals in receiving dart instruction, I often hear a common response: “I really want to be more consistent.” Well yes, of course, but what does that mean? 

Whether you are a new player or have been around a while, we all have caught a wave where everything is working perfectly and we ride it as long as we can – until all of a sudden it’s gone and we don’t know why it came and went. 

Wanting to throw consistently is a bit amorphous. We don’t want to be consistently bad, and in the same vein we need to slow down and be mindful of what we are doing when we play consistently well. The more pointed question to find the answer to is: How do you throw more consistent darts?

Before delving into particulars of dart form, let's talk about balance – both physical and emotional. In doing so, allow me to make a case for Gerwyn “The Iceman” Price, the former professional rugby player who is currently ranked #3 in the PDC Order Of Merit.

For those of you unfamiliar with him, he is an athletic and temperamental sort. He often steps back towards his opponent with prolonged, uproarious fist pumps. In doing so, it sometimes impedes the opponent from stepping to the oche in rhythm. 

In his World Championship semi-final match against Peter Wright, there were many of Wright's throws where Price was standing with his feet in the yellow exclusion zone. On a few occasions, he was nearly throwing his first dart at Peter Wright’s head as Wright was retrieving his darts from the board.

Gerwyn Price came into the PDC in 2014 after qualifying through Q-school. As a former rugby athlete, Price's training was a combination of strength and endurance workouts. Through his early dart career it is evident that he still trains and stays in peak physical condition. 

By 2016, he cracked the top 32 in the PDC Order of Merit – a huge threshold to cross to be automatically invited to all tournaments. I argue that he was able to achieve this so quickly in large part because of his balance.

There is always something to learn whether we like a particular player or not. In saying so, let’s treat Gerwyn Price's participation on the big stage as a great case study for balance and consistency.

There is no dart player in better physical shape than Gerwyn Price. Though not in professional rugby anymore, he has made a decision to stay fit. His choice to stay fit is worth noting for players of all levels. It is a choice – one we all can make. 

From an outside perspective most people would laugh thinking about fatigue in relation to darts. But as players, we feel the strain when we are in our stance for a while repetitively over a night, an event, or a weekend. 

Over the long haul, this wear and tear builds up quietly and our body unconsciously compensates ever so slightly by adjusting our stance. We unknowingly compromise consistency for comfort.

Overall, I like advocating for general life wellness. In saying so to the dart community, I know moderation can be challenging at times. The best way to look at any type of exercise is to identify life benefit first. If it can help life, it can help darts. 

When it comes to the important muscle groups we use in a dart throw, the lower back, abs, and obliques (think side abs) all engage repetitively with everyone’s dart posture. These muscle groups are often referred to as your core and are primarily used for standing straight and walking. Hyper-extensions and toe-touches are great for your lower back and side bends will work out your obliques. Basic sit-ups, crunches, and planks will exercise your abs. These can all be done at home or at the gym for a higher intensity workout. 

Now before anyone gets out of breath thinking about exercising for the sake of darts, think about the times we have seen an opponent (or ourselves) bending over behind the oche to stretch something tight. Those tight muscles are related to core muscles that have fatigued. While I am not the epitome of a chiseled physique, I incorporate these very basic exercises into my life on a routine basis.

Another great exercise for basic wellness with ancillary benefits to the dart game is cardio. Think about what we often do in a pressure-laden moment before we step to the oche. We take a deep breath and let it out. Why? What happens when we do this? It is multifold but it is all in an effort to relax, calm nerves, and be still. On a cellular level, we are oxygenating our blood and attempting to slow our pulse. 

When we are at ease, we tend to shoot better than when we are tense. I am a huge proponent of fitting in a cardio workout the day of a match. Getting the blood pumping, the lungs breathing, and the pores sweating for just 20 minutes feels great. Some great cardio exercises include fast walking, running, biking, etc. 

Back to Gerwyn Price. We have seen the levels of professional etiquette morph over the years. There are plenty that took issue with Michael van Gerwen’s excitement during his ascension to #1. Gerwyn Price’s “look at me” moments during his matches directly affect his opponent – and perhaps even himself. 

Regardless of what you think of his behavior, there is something to learn here. Being boisterous and intimidating on the oche is nothing compared to what happens on a rugby pitch. That is no excuse for not exhibiting the proper decorum of Price's newly chosen profession. 

More importantly, he should recognize how having better control of his emotions might benefit his own game. Staying emotionally balanced is so vital. 

The exultations on great shots and the vehemence on horrible ones can really mess with mental focus and physical balance. You can feel the adrenaline spike and dump with each show of emotion. The swings can be too great to overcome. 

In addition, it is equally valuable not to show your opponent any cues as to what is going on inside of your mind. Just like a "tell" in poker, showing your emotions on the oche can lead to bad results. Eventually though, we all end up coming across a player who thrives on being animated and riling up others. It is challenging to deal with. 

Overall, the game would be more respected without such intimidating behavior. Notice how I said behavior, not people. Behavior can be modified. On the pro level, it is often modified with suspension or fines when rules are enforced. If those who make the rules decide not to enforce them, then a larger statement is being made about the narrative they are trying to sell. 

I think it is fair to say that if all the players failed to keep their emotions in check, a lot of the league and personal sponsorships would dry up. On a local level, such behavior usually corrects itself in time. Either the offending person recognizes their missteps in a community or they slowly ostracize themselves.

I think the important thing to glean from this is that poor sportsmen can be skilled and win, but you don’t have to be a poor sportsmen in order to win. Many winners aren’t. If Gerwyn Price could find the stoic emotional balance of many of the past greats, I think he could be recognized and revered like them because of how skilled and physically balanced he is. 

Take the good, leave the bad, and recognize what this case study on Gerwyn Price can teach you about your game so that you can find your own ideal balance – both physical and emotional – and start throwing more consistent darts.