Have hit a slump recently. Those of you who know me know I'm not a slouch on the dartboard but I just can't get going ATM. I haven't hit a max in about 3 weeks, iv only hit 2-3 140's and just now I threw 30 darts and the highest score I could muster was 60. Not a single treble.
Part of me feels I shouldn't have changed up from 22 to 24g and another part of me feels it's nothing to do with the darts but more the fact that seasons closed and im not playing competitively enough. Whatever it is I need help!

The fact that your getting bothered by it will only make it worse, I would just forget about it have a few days off and don't try so hard when you return.

Doubt it is the darts. A player at your level can take any weight and hit pretty consistently. I know this because your a much better shooter than I and i can throw pretty much any dart. I've always felt that before I could reach that next level I would go thru a slump. Sometimes it lasted 4 days sometimes it lasted a month. Give it time, keep at it and stick with one set of darts. The tons will be flowing in no time.

Or you could take DB's advice....

I know very little about you mate apart from the fact your a handy player , Its not the darts mate its your head ! Is there anybody nearby who is on a par with your abilitys when playing well you could practice with ? Prolonged solitary practice as you well know can destroy your game , You may just need a reason to play well , How many times have you heard of players only playing as well as they need to ? If your not playing anybody but yourself then this could be detrimental to your game , Now ive typed this and the best bit is you know all this already ! Hard to see it tho when the damn things dont fly straight

I'm away from home ATM mav but I play super league with Adam smith neale and play against josh jones in my Monday league. Both Pdc tour card holders I can keep up with on my day. I think you've got the answer there though, I need to practise with someone else

Dont practice with me or I will ruin you!

I think all players go through this sort of slump, it just seems worse when your at a higher standard because you expect more from yourself.

I have to agree with Grip's original suggestion. Take a few days off. Don't think about darts and when you go back to it don't expect much. That should help you loosen up. Then, your darts should come back to you over time. I agree with Mac as well in regards to the darts most likely not being the problem. I think it's more psychological at this point for you.

Well just threw a leg against the father in law with my new whitlocks, threw horribly. But picked up my chizzys after and threw another leg and threw a lot better. Not my usual standard but felt a lot more comfortable with them. Not really sure what that means but it seemed to do the trick.

You could maybe be concentrating on the actual darts to much or have got it into your head that you can't throw a set. and to be fair, most people on here know you could probably lift anything and throw it well when your on form.

My league match against you was just at the wrong time. i played to near my best and was still thumped.... maybe i have infected you

If anyone infected me it was grip the week after hamo!

Foxy, foxy, foxy, you of all people with your skill set should know that everybody goes through slumps some of them are longer than others and some just a week or so. You also have to remember it is summer time even if you are still playing some your not playing against the same kind of competition that you do when the dart season is in full swing.. Dont sweat it you are way too good of a player to let this get you down. It's not the darts my friend, keep it in your head that this is just a bad phase and the next time you step up to the oche you can be brilliant and so you will... Good luck mate I'm sure you will be fine!!

cheers,
Hat

Hmmm, I changed darts a couple of weeks ago and had a week of really horrible throwing. I switched back to my Penetrators and now throwing as good as if not better than I ever have. I know a lot of people say that a good darts player should be able to throw with any dart well and generally I can do, but when I go back to my old faithfuls I must admit that everything about them just feels right.

I don't even know why I bother trying to switch darts because I always go back after a few days, can't help it. ;)

Me personally thinks that people get into swapping and changing darts too much and it's bound to make your game suffer a bit if it's done regularly as you don't get settled in. Different darts and different weights means adjusting your throw as well and that's something that at the moment I don't want to do as I am throwing well.

What I also did a couple of weeks ago was cut back on the amount of darts I was throwing as my shoulder was starting to ache from playing too much, was on 5 days competitive play and practicing every day as well.

Listen to these guys for sure. I wanted to play with me phase 6's the other night and for the first hour got me ass handed to me by "B" league players. Shameful throwing couldn't avg 40 even. Then after an hour I relaxed and wham the tons gave fast and furious and was untouchable the rest of the night. I at first focused really hard and was gripping the dart like grip gripping a carrot. Finally , finally I relaxed and it was all over for them. They stopped their snide remarks and laughing after I won about 10 straight. I normally throw me Sabers but have wanted to give the 6's their shot while off season. I never change or try not too during league season.

way to shut them up Saber. That's always a satisfying feeling

you can learn more about yourself from a slump than you can when things are going well. When things go well you don't think about things....when things are going bad you start to tinker and change things like darts/stems/flights etc. if you have started doing that, you have started to alter the balance of your darts.

some simple questions.
1. have you hit 180s big checks etc, with your old set up? Answer is of course yes.....
2. What has changed? You mention you are away from home, changes in practice/diet tiredness time of day etc.
3. the tension and pressure to play to your usual standard starts to be the thing you think about if this is the case and you answer "yes"...

...then you know that it is pressure that is causing you to choke up a bit.

How do you stop thinking about it? I find that taking on a brand new practice routine....so stop aiming for 180s do a doubles practice where YOU HAVE NOTHING to compare yourself against.....once you start improving upon the new routine, play a few games of 501.....but go back to you original set up.

Taylor did this in matchplay....ditched the new darts for his old ones. once folk start messing about with darts it is a sure fire way of guessing that they are lacking in confidence

Only thing iv changed bov is 22gs to 24gs chizzys

I think for someone of you standard fox that the 2g change could make a big difference. After all you were very solid and accurate with the 22g so you might find them dropping low and you may have changed your throwing style very slightly to accomodate this. Just guessing though, I'm sure theres more qualified people on here that could help more.

I also agree with Bov, maybe mix up your practice a bit.....its a tough one

Note the postition of your backfoot, now turn it 21.5 degrees to the right. Now pay attention to your doghand as you are grabbing your next dart. Does it have 5 fingers? Next you want to throw the dart while standing against the nearest wall.....

Sorry couldn't resist fox.

I think I just peed myself laughing mac

damn Mac great advice but ya forgot the whistling part.

Just tried macs advice... Hit a maximum! Damn mac you and bojangles need to team up with your symposiums!

Thefox180 wrote:

Just tried macs advice... Hit a maximum! Damn mac you and bojangles need to team up with your symposiums!

I can't take all the credit DB also helped me out

Haha in all seriousness I did hit an 18 dart leg a minute ago which is considerably the best iv done recently

Thefox180 wrote:

Haha in all seriousness I did hit an 18 dart leg a minute ago which is considerably the best iv done recently

Yup, glad I could help. Anything else just ask

Followed it up with a 33 dart leg, too focused on my dog hand...

Thefox180 wrote:

Followed it up with a 33 dart leg, too focused on my dog hand...

hmmm ok. Try waving it at the board while throwing. but it has to be at a steady pace to work

With my throwing hand or dog hand?

Thefox180 wrote:

With my throwing hand or dog hand?

dog hand! pay attention here.

Gotcha! Might try standing on one leg aswell

Thefox180 wrote:

Gotcha! Might try standing on one leg aswell

No, that will totally throw off the 21.5 degree adjustment you made with your rear foot. Unless you stand only on your rear foot