Aloha all!

Sorry for the weird title, but I think it fits.

I'm curious about a couple of things and thought I'd see if anybody had opinions.

I've been trying to figure out how Barney powers his dart. It's so smoothe and seemingly effortless. I've tried to "mimic" his timing, and what I get is a lot of darts that if they hit the board at all, they're very low.

Leading me to ask: where does he get the extra power to get the dart to the board?

The answer, I think, is that he "adds" power to the throw by using his wrist/hand and possibly fingers, to add velocity to his darts. This makes the normal elbow lift and the "jerk" at the should that we see from most players not happen.

But it got me to thinking, if you're using more muscles, and smaller ones at that, to power the throw... is there more that can go wrong in the timing?

Is that why Barney has melted down lately? That under the pressure, you can't maintain control of that many small muscles?

Is that's what's wrong with Wadey? Too complicated a throw?

Then you look at Taylor and his throw is very simple. Aim, draw back, push forward. There's almost nothing to time, and so he managed to stay consistent for decades, even under the pressure (mostly).

So, anyway, just thought I'd get some feedback: can the moving parts in a throw be too complex and therefore break down under pressure?

/tinfoil hat off

could be, he has a very smooth action but you cant really tell by watching how much force he is exerting really. I think he may have power coming from his wrist and fingers though.

I think Barney definately uses his wrist, like you say, the power he gets from a seemingly effortless action must have wrist action to propel the dart.

I have tried to copy many players but with very, very little success

Rebel wrote:

I think Barney definately uses his wrist, like you say, the power he gets from a seemingly effortless action must have wrist action to propel the dart.

I have tried to copy many players but with very, very little success

Indeed. I'm not really trying to copy, just understand the physics of it all. And just had the thought that maybe players with "complex" throws might have more trouble under pressure. Much like golf I suppose. A simple swing (body powered as opposed to hand/timing powered) holds up better under pressure. Or that's what the experts all say.

Just got me thinkin' is all.

You know, I've always wondered this exact thing about Wadey. If you watch him throw, he obviously uses a lot of finger drive to add velocity to his darts. A very complex action on his throw.

I've tried doing that myself - adding some finger drive to increase velocity and help "steer" my dart, and found that I could increase my accuracy for short periods of time, but as soon as I was in a match situation I just couldn't control that finger drive anymore and my darts just sprayed all over the board. Have always reverted back to a simpler throw.

I've been thinking that was one of the reasons that Wade could be so impressively good, yet crumble in so many major finals!

And that's also an interesting observation you made about Barney, and one I've never thought of before. I'm going to have to pay more attention next time I see him throw!

I've always thought that since Barney's throw was so relaxed that he must have a lower velocity and therefore more arc on this darts. And it seems a slower, more "loopy" throw would be harder to maintain consistency with when the pressure is on?

It's hard to really see his throw when watching a televised tournament, since all you really see is the first half of the stroke then the dart hitting the board. Has anyone here seen the entirety of his throw, from stroke to impact, that can comment on the velocity of his darts? Is his throw indeed slow and "loopy", or does it have the same aggressive velocity as most of the other pros?

Chalk Is Cheap wrote:

Is that's what's wrong with Wadey? Too complicated a throw?

Then you look at Taylor and his throw is very simple. Aim, draw back, push forward. There's almost nothing to time, and so he managed to stay consistent for decades, even under the pressure (mostly).

So, anyway, just thought I'd get some feedback: can the moving parts in a throw be too complex and therefore break down under pressure?

/tinfoil hat off

I think barney and wadey have more of a natural throw than Taylor. His seems more manufactured, another example of that is Andy Hamilton. Very methodical throws.

As for wadeys problems,when he has his head straight,apart from snatching at the odd dart he misses very little. The bi-polar,clinical depression and ADHD have more of an impact on his game than his actual throw or generating power...in my opinion. Same with barney,once the head goes so does the throw....for these to I think its the cogs in their head rather than their throwing mechanism that causes any issues.

I do think someone who.has a more natural throw can hit peaks and troughs in a match whereas someone like Andy Hamilton won't blow the world away but will be more consistant. Look at van gervin and king in the grand prix tourney. Kings avg never varied much through the whole tourney wereas van gerwin was up and down.

I myself try not.to think to.much about my throw.I think it should just come natural,because when I think or overthink I end up all over the place