Darts throwing technique: stance, arm, follow-through, rhythm

In darts, power counts for almost nothing. What makes the difference is repeating exactly the same throw, dart after dart. Good technique is, above all, technique you can repeat. Here are the basics, from where you put your feet to how you breathe.

Your feet

If you're right-handed, your right foot goes forward, up against the oche (left foot if you're left-handed). That lead foot carries most of your weight. The back foot is mainly there for balance.

You'll see three common stances:

• Front-on: body facing the board. Comfortable, but your shoulder has less freedom.
• Side-on: lead foot almost parallel to the oche, body in profile. Eye, dart and board line up easily.
• Somewhere in between: lead foot angled, at around 45°. It's the most common stance and a good place to start.

Whichever you go for, what matters is always taking the same one. Pick a reference for your foot (a floorboard, the edge of the oche) and go back to it every visit.

Shoulders and upper body

Your body should stay still during the throw. Only your arm moves. Lean forward slightly if it comes naturally, but don't overdo it: the further you lean, the harder you have to work to stay balanced, and the more your throw varies from one dart to the next.

Keep your shoulders steady and relaxed. If your shoulder lifts or twists during the throw, the whole trajectory moves with it.

The arm as a lever

Picture your arm as a lever pivoting around the elbow. The upper arm stays more or less fixed, and the forearm does the work:

1. Aim: the dart at eye level, point slightly up, lined up with the bed you're going for.
2. Draw back: your forearm comes back towards you and the dart moves closer to your face. No need to pull back far.
3. Accelerate: the forearm swings back towards the board, smoothly, without jerking.
4. Release: your fingers open naturally, as your arm nears full extension.

The elbow as an anchor

The elbow is the pivot of the whole throw. If it drops, rises or swings out to the side, the dart follows. It's normal for the elbow to lift a little at the end of the throw, as your arm extends, but it shouldn't move while you're accelerating.

A simple drill: throw slowly while watching your elbow in a mirror, or film yourself side-on. You'll soon see if it's wandering.

Follow-through

Letting go isn't the end of the throw. After the release, your arm carries on towards the board and finishes extended, hand pointing at the bed you were aiming for, as if you were about to touch it.

Why it matters so much: if you brake your arm at the moment of release, you change the trajectory in a slightly different way every time. A full follow-through makes the release more natural, and so more consistent. Hold the position for a second, until the dart lands.

Rhythm

Every player has their own tempo: some fire their three darts in quick succession, others take their time. Both work, as long as you keep the same rhythm from one visit to the next.

Avoid freezing for ages on the aim. The longer you wait, the more your arm tenses and the more doubt creeps in. Aim, throw, move on.

Breathing

Calm breathing helps keep your arm steady. Plenty of players breathe out gently before throwing, then release towards the end of the breath, when the body is at its most relaxed. Find what works for you, but don't hold your breath for the whole visit.

Consistency before power

The dart doesn't need to go fast. It needs to land in the same place. Throw firmly enough for it to stick in the board properly, and no harder. A dart thrown too hard magnifies every small error in your throw.

To know whether your technique is improving, you need numbers over several games. With Throw, the phone beside the board keeps your score while you play, and with a free account your three-dart average in x01 is saved. No more sums between visits: you stay focused on your throw.

To take it further, work on how you hold the dart with our dart grip guide, then put it all into practice on treble 20.