@@trezstripz7029 I've been struggling with this awful condition for 40 years. Finally, after trying everything, I put a picture of the mother-in-law on the treble 20. Dartitis gone instantly, and I'm hitting the target like Luke Littler.
ok, I'm going to volunteer a suggestion being a musician and not a darts player. Musicians are generally well aware of the need to practice their instruments slowly and if they always practice full speed you can lose the ability to play the piece, the remedy being to practice dead slow. So my suggestion is, forget the target, practice throwing *without the dart* slowly, then increase the speed, then add the dart (but don't worry about the target, only a smooth throw). Take as long as necessary. Then, you have a nice smooth throw, and can start being concerned again with accuracy.
@@lukes8719 thanks, one could also practice a gentler throwing game, such as 'beer pong', throwing a table tennis ball into a cup over gradually increasing distances
I strongly agree with this. I had dartitis few months back, the stress it puts on my shoulder and arm is terrible. The technique is really don't worry about the target, throw smoothly anywhere. Then when the form of throwing is stable again, go back to aiming at numbers and trebles then you are back to your form.
right... I've had it.. it's a mental thing for me. I think I'm just trying too hard to be perfect and hit every shot.... gotta just calm the hell down and relax
As a guitarist I TOTALLY get this. I find with darts you want a relaxed grip (not so relaxed the darts fall out your hand of course lol) a relaxed wrist but a solid elbow and shoulder to guide the dart the right way (make sure the dart crosses your sighting eye to keep your aim as accurate as possible). If it's a severe case simply practice throwing at the board, don't aim at any target, or if you do just aim at wherever your first dart went to practice grouping.
Thank you so much for this! I have been suffering from dartitis for a few months but had no idea what was going on until recently. Your video was spot on and I relate to everything you spoke of right down to have to drink to throw. I truly appreciate your views and am so happy that you are out there trying to help people like us! Thanks again!
ive suffered with Dartitis on and off since i was a kid..i tried everything, changing stance, changing darts, changing throws, i cant play left handed at all so that wasnt an option. The only thing i found that worked was to stop playing totally..sometimes a year did the trick.....this last time its taken 5 years. Its a psychological thing....the more pressure you put on yourself to throw the worse it gets....and in my case caused physical issues in my shoulder and back. Im just about to get a new set of darts and a board and start throwing again, i wont even think about league darts....i just miss playing.....i played at a friends the other night and found i could throw again so it will be nice just to be able to pick up my darts and have a game...no stress, no self induced pressure....just the love of the game.
see a surgeon, get a cat scan, maybe there is something neurological going on. i had it after tearing my neck shoulder and arm muscles and ligaments. then i couldnt lift my arm above my belly, so i quit darts for about 3-4 years, when i tried to play again dartitis kicked in, so i quit altogether. went to the doctor got some steroid injections in my arm and shoulder on his recommendations, and boom back to normal. well, sort of, still not as good as i used to be. steroids allowed me to lift my arm up to about 90% of where it used to be, this was about 5 years ago i was cured. steroids are awesome, see last week when price won the worlds.
Great video and very informative, I had exactly what you showed right at the start of the video, it fet like I was throwing my whole body at the board. I gave up darts for 3 years just because not being able to release the darts like I knew I could was so depressing. I started back up a couple of week ago and luckily I'm not showing any symptoms yet. I changed my stance so I'm now standing slightly on then when I throw the darts I stretch my throwing arm out as far as I can and keep it in front of my face, so that it doesn't go past my ear anymore. Then use a short pull back and release. This has massively improved my accuracy, but also you will find that the prospect of dartitis is reduced because you're not bringing the darts back past your ear anymore.
This is the best video on Dartitis that I have seen so far. I think this is because you actually had it yourself and like you said those, who didn't will never really understand. I have it too since about 8 months now. I also think it has to do with being nervous and pressure on myself to play a decent game. Sometimes it is better and sometimes worse. I also tried playing with my left hand, but the accuracy was terrible. I am actually able to play with my right hand but there is often so much body movement involved that it gets really inaccurate and frustrating to release the dart. When I try to throw it in a loose way like Michael Smith does it sometimes helps. But sometimes I am not able to do that, cause muscles are tensed too much. I hope to find a solution and get back to a satisfyingly accurate throw.
Thanks for this video. I’m going through it now. I’ve hit upon a mental exercise that is getting me out of the hole, thankfully. Basically I imagine a glowing crosshair on my target and then an arcing red line like in a half of video game from my target to the release point. Like, actually visualize that in my view. This allows me to do far better than I have been the past few weeks. And it feels good. This game is basically 99% mental. Getting your own version of dartitis feels horrifying. But don’t give up and try for whatever mental trick that will get you out of it. It’s different for everyone. Good luck.
Interesting video. I am 73 now and have had the problem for the last 3 years. I first had it when I was about 28, it lasted say 3 weeks and I had to throw fast to gat the darts out of my hand quickly, not accurately but quickly. In those days the league darts were 8 a side so you had one throw every 16. No singles or pairs. When playing friendly singles it was the same, throw fast. And it seemed to work and cleared up. The same thing happened a couple of years later and lasted two days, I stopped playing because I was getting bored , when I was about 37 and started again at 65. I started playing some good darts but after 4 years or so it started again. My throws were similar to the dart refs .standing upright not leaning forward. My arm freezes moving forward and just locks. Frustrating to say the least.I have tried lefthanded but whetever darts I throw they skew all over the place. No problems letting them go left handed just the grip. A guy i played with stretches his arm and moves his hand back and forth very fast before stopping and starting again and letting go. I have tried many different styles of throw and hit a 180 a week ago followed by a 140. But i cant duplicate the throw. Playing on my own makes no difference.
On another note it's nice to hear your still playing aged 73. My grandad would have been around your age and he was a great darts from what I've been told and we still own his 70s 12 gram darts with his original board from the same time period
There is also something called Trigger Finger. It's when your finger locks up and stays in the fist position and your other fingers go out. This all started with tendinitis in my elbow. I went to a chiropractic center and had them try dry needling, which is electric shock therapy. Quite interesting. It did help until it moved to my middle finger. I've been playing darts for over 25 years and have been able to keep my game up until the last five years. I just deal with it because i don't want to have surgery. wanted to put this out there to see if this has happened to anyone else.
I've never related so much to a RU-vid video before. I tried everything - no results. The one thing that worked and is still working for me is using a metronome and throwing in a rhythm. My throw is decided into 3 segments and each segment is a click on the metronome. Right now using 100 beats per minute. It's magical.
Great video. I'm seeing this quite a while after you posted it. It's a shame the topic of dartitis isn't talked about more. It is one of the most frustrating things I've ever dealt with playing darts. "Just let go of the dart". At that moment there is nothing that person wants to do more than just let go of the dart. I've been dealing with dartitis for about 2 years. It has gotten better but not gone completely. It's a long process. My recommendation would be time and patience.
Great video Jack and a mate of mine who plays in darts league had been battling dartitis for a few months and had him round for a few practice sessions and it was brutal to watch, but I would actually say to him to try and relax and give him encouragement to not worry about the scores, etc, but to try and clear the mind and just throw the darts for the sake of throwing them. After a few practice sessions of doing this, he started to get rid of it and I'm glad to say he's back to throwing as he was before. As someone with Asperger's, I can totally understand and appreciate how much the mind can have a positive or negative effect on one's own ability to perform to the level they are capable of, as this is something that I still battle with due to the Depression and Anxiety, etc from having Asperger's. I had wondered though if anyone who is struggling with Dartitis had maybe considered trying to switch to a lighter weight set of darts to see if it might also help, since the lighter weight might help relax the mind when throwing since less focus on the physical effort on throwing a lighter weight dart and may be an option to help get rid of the dartitis? Great video again Jack and I recall watching the video of Billy and it was hard to watch, but also a perfect example of how brutal Dartitis can be. Cheers 😎👍🍻
5:50 to 5:55 - that's exactly where my own dartitis is right now. I have that "stutter" where I don't even notice it a lot of the time but it shows up on camera. I move forward slightly, stop, then go. All it does it drag my darts lower and takes the power out of the throw a lot of the time not to mention the loss of direction that then follows that. What I've found does help a little: I've really started studying my own technique and what I can improve etc. and took up the advice of "don't aim - just throw it and get that rhythm back". I slowed all mechanics of my throw right down to try and improve flow and smoothness. It has definitely helped. Still have that damn stutter though. Can't shake it.
I had it too, I was playing with friends and struggling, even at home practicing, I struggled releasing the dart but I just had to keep throwing and it disappeared, I think it was possibly fear of missing but It was frustrating because I'm only playing against friends and I can't even release took me a few attempts, thankfully I'm over that now and I'm back to normal, I don't know how it came about or disappeared, if you'll ever have it definitely you'll know about it straightaway, just keep going and it will go away.
I have a mate who got to the stage where he could not release the dart for love nor money... the absurd thing (his words), was that he could hang a sheet of newspaper over the board and release the dart absolutely normally... take the paper away and he couldn’t throw... he went to a sports psychologist who surmised that the expectation level was so high, that it was affecting his mental approach to the game.. prior to getting dartitis, he was a regular 17-24 leg player, with the occasional 12 darter thrown in (pardon the pun)... the psychologist explained there was a mental block in him bettering his game... long story short, he left darts because if the affliction... has never come back... doesn’t even have his board set up at home these days... can barely even talk about darts as well... I feel so sad for him...
i was a bit the same, i was a upcoming talent if i say it myself, was only throwing for a year and already played with the 'big' guys at my club and winning sometimes. Then all of the sudden i couldnt release the dart... so freaking frustrating.. also left darts and don't play anymore. miss it so much
That's EXACTLY what it's like for me! I can look down at the floor and throw at Triple 20 and damn near hit it more often than when I was having a good day and actually looking at it. I noticed when I don't look at the board the dart fly's out like a rocket effortlessly! But when I'm looking at the board for whatever reason i can't throw it as fluidly! :(
Finally a good video on this topic. Well done. Have struggled on and off myself since january 2014. Mostly on. Got to the final of a tournament called Elite Cup in Norway where the best players of the country was invited. My darts where quite new and I used some new glasses. This was the first time i got in touch with dartitis. But of course did I not know what it was at the time. I aimed but occasionally my hand stopped at my face. I got on with It okay that weekend and actually played some of my best darts I've ever played in my life.. But there was clearly an anxiety of missing into the picture. The next tournament was a mess. Lost to players I would never loose to before and couldn't release my dart. Then I won the next tournament i played in. It just shows the inconsistency. The last years I have tried different darts and ways to throw, but are not travelling tournaments that often. Dartitis is quite frustrating .
Great video. Thank you. I’m 45 and have been playing darts since I was 9. I’ve had dartitis now for a year. It started slowly just as you said. Now I cannot release the dart at all. It’s very frustrating. I’ve tried many things to no avail. My left hand throws perfectly though. It’s depressing because it feels like it is never going to go away. I’m glad to see you throw almost normal. It gives me hope. I will try throwing in the dark. Thank you for the advice.
Hi Jack, ive come to this video through your 30 days left hand vid. I too would like to thank you for posting this as I can relate so much to it! I used to throw in the pub leagues from when I was 28 till about 33 and was of average standard but it was something that I loved doing. Then almost out of nowhere I could not throw at all, the way the dartitus manifested itself with me is that I can no longer bring my right arm back in a straight line, its like the muscles won't do what I want them to. I move my arm in a correct motion when throwing an "air" dart but as soon as I face a dart board I simply cannot move my arm properly. Its like some mystical force stopping me from throwing properly and I tense up almost like I am wrestling with a heavy weight in my hand when its only a dart! I have had physio and mri's on my arm and wrist and could not find anything physically wrong with me, I have never managed to get over it and it stopped me playing to any level. So I have taken to throwing left handed aswell as I can actually enjoy the game with friends in the pub again! I can be very erratic at times but my arm is free of movement (also like you I think my left hand throw looks and feels far silkier). I wont ever be able to compete but at least I can enjoy the game again and like you said its gratifying to see some progression again. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, love the content!
Great video and thanks for your insight towards dartitis, I am going through this at the moment and it is killing me inside but the problem with me is it is only my first dart that I can't release. The second and last dart no problem but I may try the throwing in the dark and see if that helps. I would not wish this on anyone who plays darts.
That's just like me , I've tried doing a phantom dart , it's working well , I used to throw my arm in a pendulum motion that's my natural throw but I tinkered with it to get better an watched most pros and they seemed to keep there arm in the air then release , but now it's like I freeze and literally can't move my arm back towards my face to then throw forward it's like a battle with my brain and arm , I've reverted back to my one motion ( natural throw ) arm up constant movement then straight into my release , I struggle with my first dart but like you 2nd and 3rd seem ok , my friend said kid on to throw the first dart basically like your throwing 4 darts but the firsts a dummy , the results have been pretty good , I have the odd wobble but instead of getting angry an agited ( made it 10 times worse mentally ) I just tap my foot or make a click noise with my tongue it may sound weird but it's like a distraction to my throw then I reset an start it again , I'm hoping this process of going back to basics will stop it completely in time , I definitely 100% Believe it's cause I've tried to tinker so much an over complicate something instead of basic stuff like aim and throw , hope this helps
I noticed I was constantly snatching the dart and there was a fault in my throw about two month ago luckily I changed my throw before it got to bad and have started playing a lot better great video 👍
Hey Jack, just found this video through your 30-day left handed video and I would like to thank you. I am 33 years old and started playing in January 2021. I quickly realized there was some potential and I played for hours every day at home. Within a year, I hit over 40 180s, threw a 13 dart leg, hit 3 bullseyes in one throw and hit a 164 finish. This was all against a computer opponent, but I felt I was making quick progress and wanted to join a team soon. Then, about half a year ago, out of nothing, I couldn't release my darts anymore. I started to feel extreme tension in my elbow as I tried to force myself to throw it. It only kept getting worse with the months, until I lost all the fun and kinda wanted to give up on darts. I too can still throw fine with my left hand, but the darts fly all over the place. Your latest journey and this video gave me new motivation to pick up the game again with my left hand and hopefully I can improve my game. I doubt it will go as fast as with my right hand but that's okay. I was never going to aim for a serious carreer even though I progressed fast. I just want to have fun playing the game and play others aswell. I hope one day the fun returns and maybe we can play an online match when it does. I love your content, keep it up man!
I had some bad signs for three or four games (one game a week) about 6 months ago. Pausing on darts, having to step back, falling over the oche trying to throw the third dart. These signs went away and I'm not sure how. Best of luck to anyone and I hope you can find a way to overcome dartitis. The only things that helped me were keeping really calm and "switching off" during matches. I know what I had was far from as severe as some people's case but just try breathing and just try to switch your mind off during the game.
I just found your video and I am so happy there is more content and support available around the subject of dartitis. I got it around 7 years ago and it completely ruined my game and favorite hobby. I also switched to playing left handed albeit never the same as right hand, just like you. I recently started practicing with my right hand and can throw mostly just fine, but the moment I play a match with a friend, the dartitis will return. It's just a mental block that's near impossible to get over. Still thank you for creating this video and information with everyone.
I know what ur talking about, I have MS so my repeatability is not present at all times. I lack consistency because of it, doesn’t affect my love of darts, since 1982. Love the info u present. Matt from the states.
I have got dartitis I used to be a good darts player with the right hand now all the sudden can't let go the dart consistently with my wrist twist to go throw. Now I am is throwing the darts with the left hand for a canny while now as well. I proper loves the darts as well
One thing I did was I switched my darts to disposable razors which were a lot lighter than darts but a little bit similar. Then I threw them against some target objects (not a dartboard) but a pillow for example over and over again just to get my throw going. After a while I was able to throw the l razors against my dartboard as well and after I got comfortable with that I was able to switch back to darts. Didn’t help for long though and dartitis came back but that was a good practice just to prove myself that my throw is still there and I can get it back.
Thank you for the video , if got dartitis couple months now and you. are spot on how terrible it is for a person that loves the game and it get taken away like that . But i keep going and hope at some point it will go away . Video is already 3 years old so hope you dont mind the very late respons .
Great video pal, a friend of mine developed dartitis in one night after playing Bob Anderson in my local pub, the year was 1986 and he beat Bob but in the last leg he started to hesitate and struggled to release the dart and he’s still got dartitis today, it’s a sad story because ya just never know how good he could of been, I still see glimpses of his extraordinary talent but only when he’s relaxed and there’s nothing on the game but as soon as someone shouts GAME ON it’s really bad, he ends up switching from left to right, I’ve never experienced dartitis but it must be extremely frustrating for him.
Had it as you described, arm used to lock and couldn't release or it would end up on the floor. It is a mental block of some sort, trying for perfection maybe. Gave it up for years, tried again and back to normal.
Thanks for the good video mate! :) Got a problem with Dartitis as well and that big time at the moment. Started last year November, were it really became a trouble. From November 2019 till now i bought my 5th set of darts and switched my stand and throw a million times now... mainly because i didnt want to admit it. The first Matchday this year was the "highlight" of it... Had a good warmup and everything was fine, but the moment the match started something switched on what should have been turned off (if someone can understand that). I had trouble even hitting the board at some point because my arm was kinda stuck in the release. Since then im working hard do beat that Dartitis ass. So i will try the things you said... maybe its gonna work :) P.s. im 22 years old and playing since im 13 years old and never had the problem before
Thanks for this. I've suffered on and off for about 25 years, from winning the area singles championship to its onset before the area doubles championship 1 week later. It's horrible and at times quite upsetting. It lead to me giving it up completely, and putting the board in the loft. I now have the board back on the wall and can go 5-10 mins before it creeps back in, then that is end of session. I would love to get rid of this altogether because I love playing darts.
I was a semi decent player as a kid, then didn’t play for years. I picked up some darts about 25 years old with mates at work and my darts ended up in the wall, a little jerk downwards, a tiny muscle spasm almost. Was weird. Put a board up at my house and it got worse. Picked up darts tonight, 10 years on and the dartitis kicked in, on and off. Left hand is fine, although I can’t play left handed, at least I can throw without the spasm. So weird! Good video mate
I had dartitis when I was younger. Just randomly got it one day when I was practicing in my living room. Thought I was having a stroke or something just thinking why can't I let go of the chuffing dart?! (Unlike Ted Hankey who was actually having a stroke)
This happened to me once, couldn't hit the board for like ten minutes (I was a lot younger but still easily capable of scoring 100+) then it went away as quickly as it came on. All I remember is Ronnie Baxter was playing on TV at the time, I think watching his throw messed my mind up lol
i got dartitis when i was 16 still have it now, im 18, drinking doesnt help at all, used to be an amazing player and cant throw the dart at all, been playing with my left for 9 months because i cant see myself giving up darts, if anyone knows anyway to help me get rid of it please help!
You've had the exact same experience as me, I was so frustrated that I could throw lovely with my left arm but not my right. I ended up throwing my darts on the floor and worked my way up the wall to the dartboard. But now I've changed my throw and it seems to be working so far
Interesting that yourself, Holmes and one of the highest profile sufferers Eric Bristow all suffered from from Dartitis and you all use the Union flag pattern on your flights, extremely small sample size I know but I thought it was a bit spooky. I wondered if changing the design on your flights is maybe some sort of nervous trigger hence you playing in the dark means your eye and brain not reacting to the flight. Has that ever been studied by suffers?. I'm just throwing a suggestion out there, I've never had it and can barely throw a dart so my suggestion probably as welcome as a fart in a space suit lol. Interesting video though thanks for sharing. All the best with your channel.
great video mate.i wanted to see a video on this for some time to get a real description.being a bit of an ex- golfer as well.once you mentioned the "yips" it all made sense.:) now i don't have dartitis thankfully but very interesting as i know many do suffer from it.:)great work
I thought I had dartitis because I used to jerk while throwing everytime it would annoy me so much and as you said with your left , I threw with my left and it was a much better smoother throw than my right but I just couldn’t get used to left hand it didn’t feel right as I’m a right handed person naturally. What I did now though was take a step back just breathe and have a solid stance and my throw is pretty ok now 👌
It's purely mental. There's a reason why some players (Barney) wore earplugs. Block everything out and focus the board. Even when Holmes is experiencing this he still hits well, which shows great talent possessed
When I had a spell of dartitis I tried playing through it with no success...in the end I stopped playing for the team & never threw a dart outside my home...the one thing that helped me was not wearing my contact lenses or glasses when throwing at home, being short sited didn't help because I knew the dart was in the area i wanted though not exactly, I carried on for a while throwing with no eye correction & eventually returned to wearing lenses & glasses...the dartitis had stopped & that was roughly 10yrs ago
Hi mate, great video, I've only been playing darts for 4 years (wish I found it sooner in my life) always been a sporty guy and never struggled with nerves in football, rugby etc. I had an accident and had to have my leg amputated so now I have a prosthetic leg and that's when I got into darts but wow! For the first 2 years I was fine and played reasonably well but now I really struggle with my grip, the problem your explaining with your arm i have the same thing in my fingers, hard to explain but my fingers just do what they want and sometimes I cant even hold the dart lol sometimes I play great other times I play appalling and really struggle with nerves sometimes, your videos are great and really help, thanks mate and keep the videos coming 🙌
I have the same! Sometimes I have so wierd flicks with my fingers, which I can't explain... Sometimes there even so, that I hit a dart with my fingers and it just hits below the board or even on the ground... I didn't play some time now and I don't have that bad that dart hitting a ground, but still some wierd flicks still appear time to time.
I had it, and found myself moving the arm back and forth before I eventually released the dart. I still do it now. I have tried to go back to the old style but just can't do it
I've had it for about a year now, its awful because I pretty much just have to change the way I throw to not get it, which means my aim and darts in general is just awful.
I can't speak for myself but I know Mark Walsh developed dartitis so badly at one point he couldn't hit the board, in 2007 he went out in the Worlds pretty much knowing he wasn't gonna win his first round match, which he lost 0-3, averaging 71. He got over it and had some of his better years by speeding up his throw. I've never had dartitis but I'm worrying about early warning signs, for instance hitting two treble twenties then suddenly I tense up and the dart gets caught on my index finger and I hit the single two or something >.< Recently took two years off after 13 years of playing as I was starting to notice bad habits coming in and let the frustration get the better of me. I think anyone can get through it by changing their throw, but after years of being used to the same throw it's very difficult to re-train your mind to remember to throw a different way every time, this is why each time we see a player come back from dartitis it tends to be a slower recovery, they are essentially learning to throw again. One of the things I find interesting about darts is each players throw is unique, and Mervyn King in particular has an odd one which is apparently because he suffered from dartitis at a young age!
Wow, honestly bro yeah, that left hand throw is nice. I can snooker left handed and right handed. But darts I can't. I got one of my friends into darts and he was just 15. He got dartitis after a month or 2 of playing. He lacked so much confidence. I used to play alot of super league and money leagues. Everything was fine and then just before a game one day some bloke said to me 'don't be nervous' and even though I'd never been nervous before it suddenly hit me what I was about to do. And then it hit me. I've never been able to get that throw back and I've changed my grip to get rid of the dartitis. It's so bizarre. I've been fascinated with the mentally of it all and how we cope with it as dart players. The best solution I've found is to say it out loud. You're just throwing a dart. If you out pressure on yourself that's when it develops. The pressure everyone else tries to put on you is regardless of how you feel. Darts is personal. Not one person in the world throws a dart the same. You compare yourself to Smith and mentally you probably imagine yourself looking like him when playing. I used to compare myself to Wade and after the sticks I now compare myself to Peter Wright. I slowed down. Good video man.
Very interesting video, thanks for the well explained explanation. I didn't realise it was you who was the ref for that match I'll be honest. Is there many players who can play with both left and right hands? I know I can't. I guess Ronnie O'Sullivan could if he wanted too lol
Raymond Barneveld is actually left handed but his left hand was injured when he learned to play darts so he has always mainly played with his right (I think John Gwynne said he once played a tournament left handed cause his right hand was injured)
Just come across this researching it... I'm also really struggling releasing the dart it's awful only played 3 years. Hoping to get over it but feeling embarrassed turning up to matches 😕
In other sports it's called a form slump. It is not an obvious injury. Is it RSI or something else? The fact of the matter is no one can be at their top of their game for that long. Eventually the body gives in and people need a break to recharge and keep going. Also people need to realise the after a while playing any sport, he body ages and what you used to be able to do, you can no longer do. It is called age. The body and the brain ages. Expecting to play any sport (darts included) as good now as you did 20 years ago is just the person having themselves on. Expecting the impossible. When age or RSI or whatever strikes, the athlete needs to work out a different way to keep playing at their best. Is this issue a serious issue that should be addressed so the athlete does not injure themselves? Of cause, this is 100% serious. What we need to do is call it what it is, not make up some magical word (dartitis) to ignore the elephants in the room. 1. Age of the mind and body is a thing. 2. RSI is a thing after playing any sport for a long time. 3. External factors like stress or other injuries can affect your performance. This affects everyone equally, be it pro athlete in the PDC or casual thrower in the pub . . . or in any other sport in the world too (ie not darts). The content in the video here is solid but lets call this what it really is, not some made up term in an asinine pathetic attempt to differentiate this from every other athlete (pro, amateur or weekend casual) in the world and what they all have to eventually deal with.
First sign is when you start pulling lots of darts into the fives and ones for no reason if that happens just stop playing for a week it will save you so much hassle
A few years back I couldn't let the dart go I thought it was my latt froming doing heavy deadlifts then after that form went to shit and I started getting this whip action in my wrist lmao I'm just now getting my form and throw back after taking a year or so off and getting refocused
I used to play in the local league and I found nerves would affect the way I throw. It's strange how I could play people who are perhaps not as good and I'd struggle with the nerves and that meant I couldn't throw my natural rhythm. If I play my mates recreationally I'm fine so I ended up having to give up playing as it wasnt much fun. Managed to play Martin Adam's a few times but had to drink a few to get rid of the nerves. He hit two 11 darters against me and I never got below 300 😂🤣 so it didnt work 🤣😂. Might not be dartitis but I know how frustrating it must be!
i have it from the on set of a panic attack. from now on i have to have 3 pints of cider before the game starts when people are watching me i just clog up.
I think it effects people differently. For me I can't actually pull the dart back no matter how hard I try. It's absolutely killed my throw but I'm working through it.
I was throwing great then all of a sudden I couldn't hit the board I was ruining my darts.. Felt like a muscle down my arm was cramping up.. I gave up.. Years later I had a bit of a naughty drug at a friend's house and I was hitting the board from miles away sat on the sofa. Made me laugh
Great video pal. I’m exactly like you In terms of nerves. I have social anxiety so get very nervous when people are watching and completely crumble, unfortunately alcohol is the only thing that calms my nerves so I just play with mates. Does your arm tend to shake as well if you’re in front of people?
I could throw with my left too but got to the point I couldn't even release with my right. I ended up not throwing a dart for 5 years because I couldn't shake it. When I eventually had a chuck it just seemed to have gone. It's shit and such a bizarre feeling.
My buddy doesn't like archery or darts like I do. He has poor visual perception where one lazy eye wondered away from focus. He had eye corrective surgery years ago, not for vision, but for lazy eye.
I've never played to any standard or even in any comps only in pubs with mates and in garage etc but it happened for a short spell when I was about 21/22 then completely disappeared, I've got to 40 started 'lunging' a bit at the board and now can't release my dart at all, gone back after six months no better, I've resigned myself to starting again left handed after nearly 30yrs.. I'll do it though
When I throw my arm sometimes spasms to the left or right, could that be a type of dartitis, or is it just from pressure or playing too much or just a general snatch?
I think I may have it as my hand goes stiff and my fingers buckle up and I have to hold the dart differently it takes time to grab the dart properly. rather than get the dart then throw I have to humble about then throw its a ******
I've had dartitis for over 10 years, can't combat it. With me when I'm feathering the shot my hand twists so much the point of the dart is facing behind me. I started playing left handed and I'm not too bad, better than right handed with dartitis but not as good as I was without it. I've had 180s and good finishes. I realised I sight left eyed, might be a factor in developing dartitis when throwing right handed. If you suffer then maybe working out which is your dominant eye might be a start to fixing it.
Mate this is like a carbon copy of my experience with it. I think mine developed from worrying about not throwing my best darts - this combined with possibly a small audience broke me. But yes, not a whiff of it with my left hand, could throw it if I shut my eyes, a poorly lit board also helped like you say, all the jokes from my mates, falling forward, exact same release issue too, but ultimately just sacked it off for a few years. Seems to be ok at the moment. Good video though, thanks for your insight
Mostly have suffered this on & off in practice, but recently in some matches when I've thrown a cover shot at 19s, as I come to release the dart, I feel I'm gripping that fraction of a second too long: result, cover shot falls BELOW the D19 😒 it has been on & off but is worrying. Hopefully some of the pointers in this video could help me get over this 👍🏼🤞🏼 In fact I've even played a game against a old school mate who suffers with this when he's heavily stressed. This occasion was when we were nearing the end of a league he organises & we were playing against each other in a team cup k/o. He managed to win the opening leg as I was struggling with the throw but as the game progressed, he got worse to the point he couldn't release the dart & was throwing himself over the oche. I came from behind to win a match that sealed the title for my team but that was the last thing on my mind as we both struggled in different ways & kept my celebrations very low-key after his dartitis problems (even sportingly bought him a drink afterwards). However I'm pleased to report he somehow got over that this past summer & is playing competitively again 👍🏼😊
I am 26 and never had dartisis but I actually started off throwing with my left hand even though I'm right handed think I just wanted to challenge myself 😂😂
Sure dartitis is what I’m starting to suffer with now mate , felt it for last couple of month , my throw used to be smooth similar to prices but now it’s like I’m scraping the dart across my face and giving so much shoulder it’s unreal 😔 very low and high darts aswel , sometimes I can still perform well but a lot of times I’m awful 😬 really disheartening whilst playing atm I’m hoping to play through it but it’s a struggle
Not sure if it's dartitis but when I raise my arm too throw it feels like my mind is telling me to constantly lower my arm and its really affecting me to the point I just want to give up
@@lachz0564 also to take your mind off of whats happening...between throws make lists in your head....top 5 films....top 5 foods....anything like that...in the olden days when we could smoke in pubs id stand and blow smoke rings when it wasnt my throw...or roll a cig...anything that put my mind elsewhere.
Can someone tell me what might be wrong? I can throw pretty well for the most part. One/Two great darts then I'll through and feel like I had a spasm and it might go miles from the others. I've spent years throwing, I feel confident I know how to throw well. Yet this is something I can't shake. Unless perhaps I've 3/4 pints down.
Nice vid bro, I didn't even know this was such a thing... I hope I don't get it now haha! Anyway do you have any tips on the darts to not fall out? Throw harder or what? then my aim goes off. I plag with 25g MVG's 1st edition
I just played through it . . . As well as using my other hand (lefty) But saying that . . . When i set up to throw annoys me, i keep hitting my chin with the flight 🤬
Thats Painfull to watch i HAD it too but i could not keep the Rhythm. Edit : i could release the first Dart normally but not the second and third very weird
My dartitis came on quite bad recently but it's not my release it's actually just bringing my arm back to throw it's weird Its like I'm stuck I now have been doing a phantom dart , it's working well , I used to throw my arm in a pendulum motion that's my natural throw but I tinkered with it to get better an watched most pros and they seemed to keep there arm in the air then release , I was playing well since the change but doing it that way now it's like I freeze and literally can't move my arm back towards my face to then throw forward it's like a battle with my brain and arm , I've reverted back to my one motion ( natural throw ) arm up constant moving then straight into my release , I struggle with my first dart but 2nd and 3rd seem ok it's so strange and so frustrating , my friend said kid on to throw the first dart basically like your throwing 4 darts but the firsts a dummy , the results have been pretty good , I have to odd wobble but instead of getting angry an agited ( made it 10 times worse mentally ) I just tap my foot 3 times or make 3 click noises with my tongue 🙈 it may sound weird but it's like a distraction to my throw then I reset an start it again , I 100% believe it's due to overcomplicating things / trying to be perfect an putting pressure on myself , I'm sound in the warm but then when I start to concentrate fully it drifts in , strangely I trained my throw from natural throw to the adapted hold the hand up in the air throw rather than my swing / pendulum throw but now sometimes when I do my original throw it's reverting me back to the hand in the air throw 🙈 which is causing me the problems , wish I could start again and just throw the way I was meant to throw instead of just changing , so if any new darters are reading just throw the way you feel most comfortable do not tinker , just practice aim with your natural throw don't practice your throw and your aim , goodluck to everyone in the same boat as me as I do know how you feel , all the best fellow darters 🎯
I had it a year and half ago for about 6 months. I just played faster,trying not to give my time to think about it,because it became very physcological. It seemed to work for me.
Hi mate thanks for the info, I’ve been having something develop for a few years now and it’s got to the point where at the furthest point back when I’m aiming my dart near my face, I have an involuntary squeeze and my grip just tightens up to the point of it being painful sometimes. Needles to say it’s seriously affected my throw as I can’t get any consistency due to having no flow and the squeeze is turning my dart and making it point downwards. Hopefully I can try some things and overcome this! If anyone has any tips or help please drop me a comment.
Instant relief from Dartitis. Right Handers put your left foot forward. Left Handers put your right foot forward Unfortunately it returns on resuming your normal stance, however the answer is there. New mindset which means stop listening to the experts or commentators, the majority have Dartitis. Yes I know what it is and how to remedy it. It's not an illness, neither psychological or physical they are excuses.
Any tips on how to be consistent I don't mind my game when I play well but my problem is consistency and I'm dyslexic so remembering check outs and so is impossible for me most of the time i have to have someone stand there and tell me what to hit lol obviously mainly 3 dart check outs are the most difficult for me so any help on that would great as well I was gonna go back to playing in my local pub league but then all the virus stuff started so I've got alot of time to practice at the minute lol so ya any advice would be welcome 👍
