I've been tinkering with a drill we use to teach the kids the proper shooting form and trying to adapt it to darts. It's call Form Shooting. We start the kid out about a foot from the basket and he shoots with one hand until he makes 5 perfect baskets (net only, no iron). Then, he moves back one step. This continues until he reaches the arc. We watch his mechanics and correct any errors. I figured I'd try it with darts. I started out about 12 inches from the tip of my shooting hand extended to the bull. I've only been doing it for a couple of days so far with limited time so I can't say I'm ready to turn pro yet, but I have been concentrating more on my form, grip and release trying to get it consistent every time . I pick a bed and try to get the tightest grouping I can. I realize the aerodynamics of a dart and a basketball are different, but with my game, how much damage can it do?? I've had worse ideas.

Sounds an interesting idea Sal, but need to clarify are you saying you throw from 12 inches closer to the board?

might be onto something there coach. i've tried something similar to this before. i found that for me, the closer i was to the board the more clausterphobic my throw felt. just not enough room for me. but what does feel right is when i start about a foot infront of the oche and ill do maybe 20 darts. then i move back another foot for another set. ill work all the way back to about 14 feet from the board. i can do it at 16 feet but sometimes the dart will graze the ceiling and deflect into the wall somewhere well below the board. helps me find the groove and zeros my eye hand coordination i feel. to hit the board with any type of accuracy at 14 feet without rocking and keeping the stance planted really promotes fluid mechanics. when i get hot ill move back to regulation oche and groups are noticably tighter.

hmmm...

No, 12" from the tip of my extended arm. Point blank. It's all about the mechanics of the throw.

rumandcork wrote:

really promotes fluid mechanics.

Yes, that's the idea. Get rid of all the jerky movements. Smooth is the word.

Might be worth a try, if it works in one sport I dont see why it cant be adapted for another?

for me anything less than a 4ft oche- i felt like the dart was gonna bounce back into me mugg-which wold be no good since im so GD pretty! LMAO..im 6ft5n and if my ceilings were taller i think i could hit a nice 5 inch group at 20ft using my standard stance and throw. also at that distance i slide the rebound point from just under my right eye to just under my right ear---fast enough you can hear the wind from it. another thing is you can see the flight of the dart better because of extended air time. helps me find better setups for particular darts to make them fly straighter without wobble.

fi you've ever gotten up to the oche and the darts are falling low and yo0ur throw feels limpy...slide back a few feet and letem FLY---im a peacock baby..lol

watch dem bounce outs