In a nutshell - my game has gone tits up.

That's my toungue in cheek way of looking at it but it's true enough! Where to start..... every game whether it's league nights on Wednesday's and Sunday's or practice at home I get the shakes (the later is even more embarrasing )

To add to this sometimes when I throw I cannot for the life of me extend my arm fully and end up with this weird snatchy thing where it' looks like i've thought oh god hang on a minute if you see what I mean lol it's strange and hard to describe

What doesn't help is the fact that since I began playing proper i'd always hold my darts straight with the point locked on the 20 area. And now after a simple one off experiment where I tried holding it at an angle (point up flight down) it's stuck with me and I feel like I can't throw any other way! If i hold my darts like I used to it feels alien to me like i've never picked up a dart before

I haven't had a singles match for a good month or so now (but to be fair it's names in the hat rules in our leauges) but feel as if what if my team have lost faith in me? When I joined my first team in October 2011 I went on a steady string of wins and even getting a nice 118 checkout (my best ever lol) but lately i'm throwing off the board, shaking, missing big numbers, doubles all to cock - the list is endless

Doesn't help i suppose that I've gone through a few sets of darts thinking I needed more grip - this didn't matter to me in the early days with my simple old Bristows (had the majority of my 180's with the silver ones and used to do quite good with the gold ones) I try and throw them nowadays and every set is the same - all over the place!! Reckon i should go back to them and perserveer in the hope i can go back to how it used to be or stick to my Elite Grips??

Sorry to harp on guys and waste about 10 mins of your life but i'm reaching out cos i aint got a clue what's happening with my game

IMO you are simply overthinking the aspects of your throw. Aim, draw and follow thru. easier said than done, i know. thinking screwed my game for weeks, thats why i never offer all that advice about stance and pointing straight at the board and drawing back to same exact spot.

All that crap will work itself out over time with practice. Once you start thinking about it while playing you can kiss your game goodbye IMO

Sounds like your trying too hard, and its more of a mental thing to me. Your maybe trying to improve too much too quickly and are stressing your self to the point its affecting your game.

Think you need to relax more and just have fun with it.

Thank you guys, your both spot on I am over thinking but i'm always concerned about my team mates reaction to a bad shot etc, deep down I know they'd never by like that but it's always at the back of my mind - stupid i know

It would help if i could have a drink but because I play for a team outside of my locale i can only have one for the road.

Would just love to go back to the start when it didn't matter who i played i'd give them a game at least!

Should I just concerntrate on being mechanical then ie just throw making sure i fully extend? sometimes i try and maintain this thought when i throw but it happens out of the blue! lol but beating myself up over a game of darts is just pointless isn't it - I aint on telly!! lol

You could try that, although I often think if we try too much to force ourselves to throw a certain way we get lost in thinking about what we are doing right or wrong, I would just forget everything as best you can, look at your target and throw. Its always easier to say that though, I am so guilty of thinking too much myself, but I have also proved to myself that the thinking is the problem. You know when its right because everything flows smooth, but sometimes I will throw a great couple of darts then start to think "how did I do it" then I fall to bits.

lately my focus has just been my target and every practice throw making sure my are is fully extended. When you think it is fully extended towards the target, extend it more lol

Overthinking is bad, but trying too many darts as well doesn't help.

I had to go back to basics myself a month or so ago as my darts were going all over the place and I put it down to too many sets of darts interfering with my natural throw. The crux came with the the Harrows Fire darts - really nice darts but I had to change my normal grip to throw them and this transfered over to my Monster Ogres.

I've currently put away the Cosmo's and gone back to real basics using medium nylon stems with standard shape flights. Within a week or so my throw was virtually back to what it should be, and apart from a couple of days with the Cosmos kites I've been using the nylon/standard setup for about 5 weeks now. This has really helped although I still get the odd throw where the grip is all wrong.

I'm not giving up on Cosmo's as they were flying properly again the couple of days I tried them, but the way the new Target Vision standards are flying I'm going to be using them for a little while yet.

I'm also not going to stop buying sets of darts, but most of my purchases now will be the older variety of darts as opposed to new ones - the Fires were actually the last modern dart I bought. I will still maintain my wishlist of new darts to buy though.

Good luck sorting yourself out - I'm sure you will get there sooner rather than later.

Cheers again guys, one thing I should remember is even my team mates have days like this and everyone is capable of throwing the odd 26 or a 7 for instance, it is allabout the bigger picture isn't it? To me it's having a night out with the lads throwing some arrers - want to be going back to that way of thinking and that begins this Sunday!

I'm gonna start looking at why I picked up this sport and how much I always used to enjoy it with no silly worries or shakes!

For me, this is how it works.
Thinking and tinkering on mechanics is for practice only. Pick one thing at a time, (whatever's bothering you most) like your follow-through and focus on that. While you're working on it, pick a target to focus on, but don't worry about where they land. That isn't important yet. You want to get a smooth throw, with a little finger/wrist snap (really helps with release consistency) and a nice extension. You don't want the follow-through to look forced; you kind of want it to look like the result from the power of your stroke, if that makes sense.
Work on that until you can do it without thinking about it before moving on. Sometimes this can take a few days, but don't over practice when/if you get frustrated. Take a break and clear your mind. Frustration helps nothing.

When I play in a match, I focus on the game and battle. I don't think about mechanics. I build on any confidence that I have. You have to leave worry behind the oche. If you're worried about ANYTHING, it will hurt you. Whether it's worrying about who's watching, losing to someone you shouldn't, or playing someone that's really good, it will negatively affect you. I had to find the right mentality between being care free and really fired up. It's a delicate balance for me, and it changes depending on the situation. I'm more laid back now that I have more experience.
This is just my opinion. If you have any other questions you trust and American to answer feel free to PM me.
Cheers.

Robbie your first paragraph is exactly what i've been working on lately. Well said!

Thankyou Robbie! You guys really know your stuff and you've all made me feel tons better than i was while throwing last night!

And yeah mac i agree Robbies first paragraph in particular speaks volumes!! On tonights agenda that!

The Rage wrote:

And yeah mac i agree Robbies first paragraph in particular speaks volumes!! On tonights agenda that!

I've been at it for about 10 days now and the improvement on my groupings has been great. I still catch myself not doing from time to time but am able to correct it quickly now

I know exactly what you are talking about Rage. I went through/am finally coming around from having the same problem. You can ask USMC, he's on my dart team. I would shake like I was seizuring on the line. I would double pump my arm. Throw darts that hit the board sideways or flat out didn't hit the board.

I started buying more grippy darts, drinking... a lot before matches, anything I could think of to stop thinking about it because that really is the problem. You start to analyze your darts in an attempt to improve your game and instead you destroy whatever game you had. What makes it worse is there doesn't seem to be any going back. The only advice that I can give, because it worked for me, is pick up a book about darts that motivates you to throw. John Lowe's book worked for me.

Then step to the board and start with the basics. Don't focus on hitting any number. Instead, just clear your mind and blindly throw the darts at the board. Do that until your throw feels comfortable again. Then, aim at a section of the board, like a full quadrant. Slowly hone back in on what you are throwing at. You should know that it has taken me close to a year to get to where I am at and it's still not gone. Last, if you are not already enrolled in flight school you should be. I did flight school for two weeks went to my dart match and shot 4-0.

It's all about confidence and knowing that what you are doing IS right instead of trying to train yourself to throw right.

Another piece of advice that I love is:
"When you practice, don't expect to be better tomorrow, instead, know you'll be better in a month."
People have a big match or tournament coming up and practice for the first time in a while, or much more than normal for the two days before. Instead of increasing their accuracy, it's more likely to increase their anxiety.
Find a somewhat structured routine that takes the amount of time that suits you, and get comfortable with it.

Lefty is right when it comes to confidence. Being comfortable and confident greatly increases your success rate.

Thanks for the kind words as well. I can't always put what I'm thinking into words so it's nice to know I got one right.

Some great advice, I hit a rut a while back and just tried to find my natural throw, worked a treat for me, could work for you.

Here is the thread:
http://www.dartsnutz.com/t3058-how-i-found-my-stance-and-grip

My advice, get drunk at your next game Not blootered........ maybe 4 pints before you play, helps settle the nerves and loosen the arm!

I'd like to address the way you hold the dart. You stated that you always held the dart with the point straight but after an experiment you stuck with the point up.....

In my head ( it's entirely possible that a psychiatrist or a psychologist could get lost in my head ), the way you naturally hold the dart is the is only way you should hold a dart full stop. If you THINK that the way you are holding it is wrong and try to adjust then EVERY throw is adjusting from that point and will falter your game.

So go back to basics. Throw the flipping things the way you feel natural....regardless of what your hitting. Do so until you feel comfortable throwing the dart ( again regardless of what your hitting ) and then start throwing naturally with an aim to hit a pacific number. Then from there work on your game as you normally would in terms of practice.

Also remember why you play the game. It's a passion and not for glory. Go out there wanting to play and not desiring to win. It's about the thrill of the fight ( I'm 80% sure I just quoted a rocky tune ). Darts is a game and games are supposed to be fun, so make sure you are going to a match night wanting to play as supposed to wanting to put on a performance.

I'm half cut and getting bored of typing now because I keep making spelling mistakes and having to correct them because of partial OCD so mmmmm Good Luck and goodbye

I would recommend getting a few mates over to your house and have a night of darts and drinking.

You may find that you start throwing your original way if you are in a totally relaxed environment.

I know I love it when I have the boys over for a bbq and beers and darts.

I'd like to thank all of you guys, Honestly tonight I've had a very productively and most importando an enjoyable practice!! Not one for hitting anything below a 30 dart out lol but fun all the same lol, drink does help lol not sure if coming across that I've been on the sauce or not like but I sure as hell know I ain't got work in the morning!

Thank you Lefty for summing up how I felt and to all you Nutz for truly making me feel proud ever to have picked up a set of darts!! The Nutz rock!!!!!

Thats great Rage!

Just gotta take the same attitude to Sunday league now!

Everyone has blips in their game mate, just have to ride them out, but you will. Just remember to enjoy it and have fun.

Thanks Darren, fun is a key word to remember playing darts - I've forgotten the social side of things with not just team members they are mates too! Practicing last night I think I only snatched about two or 3 times so I'm thinking progress!

good to hear Rage. Already on track to something better

Way to go mate !!!!!

Thanks guys! Although last night in my league match I lost 2 nil but i'm not dettered - a little disappointed because warming up i was doing fine. played a few warm up matches with the boys and had a 3 game winning streak but when game on was called in my singles game I couldn't get it together he even hit a 180 to kick off leg two the git lol, onwards and upwards though!

So how ya doing Rage?

SilverSaber wrote:

So how ya doing Rage?

Yea, got rid of that dartitis yet!!!!!!

SilverSaber wrote:

So how ya doing Rage?

Hi mate, feeling like I kind of got my old action back again. I still hit 26's and 7's and crap like like that but then sometimes I'll follow up a ton with a 60 - all mostly in practice at home while I got a podcast or music on, guess that relaxes me oh and not forgetting the odd beverage lol, haven't had a league game for two weeks now because we had to hand the a other side a straight 7 nil win last sunday because we couldn't field a squad of 4 mainly down to our newest team mate who has missed 3 out of 5 games with us, one of which was a cup game - out first round. He always comes up with an excuse like he's "skint", I don't think he cares tbh.

Tonight is another league game though mate and I hope I'm picked for a singles spot - feeling good!

DIRTY G wrote:

SilverSaber wrote:

So how ya doing Rage?

Yea, got rid of that dartitis yet!!!!!!

I see Bo Jangles goes by another name now! lol!: