At one stage in his career Phil Taylor was practising for up to eleven hours a day. Darts players do not get the credit they deserve for all their skill and dedication. They may not be athletes in the popular sense of the word but it takes great levels of skill, endurance and concentration to perform on stage under lights at a high level for a couple of hours. In most other sports other than darts Phil Taylor would have already been recognised universally as one of Britain's all time top sportsman.

Throwing darts accurately and consistently is a skill which requires a great deal of concentration and excellent hand and eye coordination. Any the factors listed below can have a dramatic effect on a person's performance.

Which eye to use for your aim?

The stance at the oche.

The grip, holding the dart.

The throw.

The aim.

The positioning of the elbow.

Many people can hit big scores but the key to successful darts is accuracy and consistency. You need to develop a consistent throw with every movement the same. To help you achieve this use the vertical line as a training tool. Draw a chalk line through the centre of your board from double top to double three. For a couple of sessions purely concentrate on hitting that line. If you find you are consistently hitting left or right of the mark, readjust your throw until you are consistently hitting the line. Once you have developed a consistent straight throw, you are well on the way to becoming a competent darter. In darts nothing destroys your confidence quicker than regularly hitting fives and ones when going for the treble twenty. Once your line is right and you consistently find the twenty you can then concentrate on hitting the treble on a regular basis. There are obviously many more aspects to successful darts but a straight throw is critical.

Throwing Darts

Playing the game of darts can be a good recreational activity, as well as a good sport provided an individual knows the technique of throwing darts.

To learn the technique of throwing darts, one should understand that the dart travels through a curve, and the speed with which the dart is thrown should continue the movement until it reaches and strikes the dartboard.

The throwing of darts is completed through five stages -- aiming, backward move, and acceleration, release and a follow through. While taking e aim, the dart, the eye and the target have to be in a same line. Backward movement of the dart has to done slowly and by controlling the aim, which normally comes with practice. Acceleration, although not essential, has to be done very smoothly, allowing it to go along with the follow through. If the throwing technique is right, the proper release comes naturally. Follow through is keeping the same position for a while, even after release, that is to aim at the target.

While throwing a dart one should not move the whole body, but the movement should be restricted to the arm alone. The elbow should be in a fixed position while moving backward and should be alleviated during acceleration. Using the wrist to throw a dart does not really help, but many people believe that by using their wrist, they can gain the required speed. To get best results while throwing darts and to avoid the dart from wobbling, one should use standard form flights and middle length shafts. Moreover to get the best throw, the darts should not point too much upward or downward.