Warming up before a darts game or tournament? Some players swear by it, while others can only laugh wearily at it. So, is warming up before a competition beneficial or not?
As is often the case in darts, this question cannot be answered in general terms. In this article, I will also explain it from my own subjective perspective, as I have tried dart warm-up exercises myself several times.
But which exercises actually make sense , and how should one approach darts game preparation ? The answers follow in this blog post.
Warming up: Useful or nonsense?
Warming up before a darts game is one of the most discussed practices in darts. But why is that? Two worlds collide here.
On the one hand, there are those darts players who seem to have been standing at the oche for 50 years without having to throw a single practice dart. On the other hand, the sport, including darts, is constantly evolving.
Certain analyses of darts are also relevant. Younger players, in particular, swear by the so-called "warm-up throw" with specific warm-up exercises before a competition. But what is the point of such preparation before a darts match?
Getting the right feeling in game preparation
As we all know, the mind plays a big role in darts—if not the biggest role . Therefore, it's extremely important for a player to have the right feel when throwing . You have to trust yourself and your darts.
This can sometimes prove extremely difficult, as it's not always possible to reach your peak form. This can lead to doubts about your own abilities.
To be on point in the competition, we recommend spending half an hour or even several hours firing darts at the board beforehand. This way, you can get the right feel for the darts .
Especially for amateur players, the feel for the dart depends heavily on the player's form on the day . However, during warm-up, you can adjust your sights to ensure you're ready for the competition.
But be careful: You shouldn't overdo it with your darts warm-up training. If you spend, say, three or four hours at the oche before the match begins, you'll become fatigued , and your concentration will dwindle even before the first serious match. Finding the right balance is the key here.
Routine and movement sequence
So try to repeat the throw again and again when warming up – just like you should always try to do when playing darts.
To play darts successfully, a smooth movement pattern is essential. Especially during warm-up throws and warm-up exercises, you will notice that not everything works as desired.
The correct posture and a repeatedly repeated sequence of movements ensure the right feeling and the necessary looseness .
Infobox : So, when you first try out darts, pay particular attention to where you still have problems, so that you can perfect your movement sequence as quickly as possible before the competition.
Darts warm-up exercises – from Around the Clock to practice matches
So much has been written about warming up and warm-up throwing, but a beginner may not always know how to approach darts game preparation.
To ensure a certain darts warm-up routine, we recommend always using the same darts warm-up exercises .
A quick tip on how I handle warm-up throwing myself. Some advanced players may scoff at this method, but I swear by it. Ultimately, everyone has to figure out the right darts warm-up with the appropriate warm-up exercises for themselves – there's no magic formula for pre-competition preparation, nor is there a right or wrong way to do it.
My warm-up plan before every darts game:
- Start all single fields
- Around the Clock with all double fields
- Throw triple fields from T10 - T20
- 50 darts on the bullseye
My dart training or warm-up plan always begins with me throwing each singles field once . Then I move on to the doubles fields , which I work through in around-the-clock mode .
In the third step, I venture into the narrow triples – but only those from T10 to T20 . If time permits, I throw 50 darts at the bullseye . Only then do I usually feel prepared for the competition.
Warm up alone or together?
Finally, the question remains whether you want to warm up alone or together . Personally, I prefer to warm up alone in the privacy of my own room.
However, you might also find it easier to get into the rhythm if you warm up one-on-one with a teammate , similar to a competition . Find the best solution for you here to perform at the right moment at the oche.
Expert tip: It's important that you feel good right when the real match begins. Only when you're satisfied with your performance at the end of the warm-up can you leave your warm-up program and finish the warm-up routine.
The competition in darts is always a different pressure situation than the game preparation
The main reason many players dislike warming up is the completely different pressure of a competitive situation . Everything that was going well before can suddenly go wrong, thus only producing additional self-doubt .
You could certainly see it that way. And if you see it that way, warming up for darts is almost certainly the wrong approach before a real game of darts.
However, those who approach the matter differently can also argue as follows: By warming up, they can gain the necessary confidence to be able to compete effectively.
A subjective assessment of the darts warm-up
Finally, I'd like to share my subjective opinion on this topic. I personally consider warming up to be an extremely important factor before a competition .
I don't want to deny that the mind plays a big role here, too. In any case, even after half an hour of dart practice to warm up, I feel significantly better in 90% of cases than if I jump right into the competition without having thrown a single dart.
Why is this so? I've observed time and again that the first arrows , which are sometimes thrown with a lot of concentration , have a large dispersion.
Little by little, I'm getting into my "zone," a state where I begin to block out everything around me . While there's no guarantee I'll reach this state, warming up helps me achieve it with a significantly higher probability.
Conclusion on darts warm-up
By constantly warming up, I notice that I'm becoming more confident, my arm is loosening , and the arrows are missing their target less and less often . I usually do this alone, as it allows me to concentrate fully on my own throw.
My conclusion is: Pro Darts Warm-up!
Do you also warm up before a darts game or a darts tournament? What are your best darts training methods for warming up or your best warm-up exercises before a darts game?
Feel free to write us your warm-up routine in the comments and give the community tips on how they can best prepare for a game of darts.
You can find a specific warm-up program in our dedicated e-book . It also includes some training tips, games, motivation, and much more.
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