Why Is Self-control so Important in Darts?

In darts, just like in life, self-control is very important. This is the key factor that often makes the difference between losing or winning at darts. After you’ve reached a certain skill level and you’re physically capable of making any throw, self-control is what you should be focusing on to make sure you win almost every match. Read on and see why self-control is so important in darts and how you could improve it.

What is self-control in darts?

Self-control is the opposite of impulsivity and, when playing sports, we often act based on impulse and emotions, in the rush of the moment. Just think about those famous soccer players that end up fighting in the middle of the game …. Now you know what I’m saying 😊. Although darts players are generally fun-loving people who love to socialize over a glass of beer as much as they love throwing those small projectiles, they too can get angry, especially when they lose.

Maybe you fall into this category as well, so learning how to define and identify your self-control is the first step towards managing it. People with poor self-control are usually impatient and they tend to act based on their emotions and feelings, not on reason. This is why they may sometimes fail to achieve their goals or complete certain tasks. They become overwhelmed by anger, stress or other feelings that prevent them from focusing. This often happens to professional sportspeople too, especially during important matches when the pressure is great and takes its toll.

In darts, self-control is extremely important because it is directly linked to a player’s capacity to focus. If you’re angry, feel stressed, or disappointed, you’re emotions can plot against you. By focusing on them instead of your target, throw and posture, you’ve got high chances of failing. As you already know, in this game, the slightest movement can make a great difference. Simply gripping your dart a bit differently or releasing it to early can make you lose points.

Self-control is essential in darts because this game is based rather on concentration than on physical strength. Many say that it is 90% concentration and 10% physical effort. Therefore, to be able to truly focus on your game, you need to let go of negative emotions while you’re at it. At the same time, you also need to focus on your body posture and feel balanced and comfortable while throwing.

Improving your self-control

There are numerous reasons why you might get angry during a game of darts and the outcome is more than often going to be negative. Bad emotions lead to hasty decisions that often trigger failure. To avoid getting at the end of the game and seeing your opponent win, you need to find the right mental and physical balance and reproduce it over and over again, with each throw. Pro players refer to this state of balance as the ‘optimal release time and posture’.

The first step to get there is to recognize your negative emotions, what caused them, and then take active steps in managing them. Many players lose their self-control right in the middle of the match because they see their opponent performing better than they do or they feel like this person is trying to sabotage them. The best thing, in this case, is to focus on the ultimate goal: winning.

If you let your anger or jealousy dominate you, you are actually helping your opponent win. Think rationally, you’re there to play. Whether you win or lose, the most important thing to focus on is delivering your best performance. Do whatever you can to secure your victory by focusing strictly on the game, not what’s happening outside of it.

Here are some common techniques professional darters, and generally, professional sportspeople often rely on to improve their self-control and focus:

·Meditation

·Breathing exercises that alleviate anxiety

·Listening to music

·Enjoying a good night’s sleep before the competition day

·Practicing mindfulness by focusing on the present moment 

This is all for now, but I’ll definitely come back to the topic of self-control in darts later. Stay tuned to the IgnatGames blog for other similar topics and don’t forget that we’re always here to support you with quality and affordable steel tip darts too!