In this article we want to get to the bottom of the question: is darts sport? And if so, to what extent do darts as a sport affect the mind, head, and body? Learn everything about popular darts in this comprehensive article.
Is Dart Sport?
Darts is a mental sport through and through. Darts players must be highly concentrated and internally consolidated in order to achieve the highest possible level of perfection. The player’s focus is constantly on the Dart Board. In darts, short phases of relaxation alternate with equally short phases of maximum tension. You can hardly breathe deeply! Every single throw decides on the victory of the match. If you reject minimally, you may already have lost the victory. For all of these reasons, it is extremely important to be as focused, determined and self-confident as possible. Darts is, therefore, a highly demanding mental sport.
Professionals who make darts a sport
The conditions for darts are far from ideal. In large tournaments, in particular, many players fail simply because they lose their nerve and focus. The roaring noise, the many cheers, and the loud screams let you quickly lose the thread. Once you lost, it is difficult to find it again. Many times, players have gambled away the win even though they were actually the better player.
The audience is also merciless because they comment non-stop – even with boos. These are the ones that sometimes pull players down. Cheering, on the other hand, can inspire players and still throw situations around. To make matters worse, the professionals make their living with the sport of darts. A longer series of defeats can threaten your own existence. It is difficult to find peace of mind if the monthly home loan has not yet been paid off.
Darts amateurs
Amateurs also know the constant pressure with darts. Just like the pros, you have to learn to deal with defeats in darts and to go into the new game as unencumbered as possible. Many fail to turn threatened defeats in the match into a victory. Amateurs in particular often underestimate the influence of the head on the game. They often mistakenly believe that only technology and ability can decide whether they win or lose. A mistake!
Darts is a matter of the head
An estimated 80% of the winning of a game in darts is decided in the head. This becomes understandable insofar as, for example, the same players have been among the top 10 among the professionals for years. This fact is actually astonishing, because usually in many sports the professionals alternate every few years. With Dart, however, it seems that the years-long professionals of the scene seem to be toughened against all the adversities of darts. With pure willpower and an unshakable inner calm, you can defy the increasing precision of darts through better techniques and a better construction of the darts arrow.
Amateurs and hobby players should always be aware of this problem with darts. An active discussion of yourself and your body can help you to achieve inner calm and thus to dominate a duel. Many players are sometimes unaffected by such problems for years and then suddenly find themselves in a whirlpool of negative thoughts.
The reaction of the body when darts
The body reacts to a darts match with a strict pattern. Basically, these represent a dangerous situation and therefore a threat. Most people feel a sense of fighting or fleeing in a duel, ie some people try to defend themselves, while others try to escape the threat by fleeing. Which path your body takes depends on your previous life experiences and your personal assessment of the situation.
However, both reactions only result in a disadvantage for you to a limited extent. You are capable of top performance, especially when there is a threat. Released stress hormones, raising blood pressure and a high focus on the dangerous situation let you accomplish unexpected achievements! A well-known example is mothers who can suddenly handle enormous loads when their children are threatened. But the situation can also tip over at any time and the flight or fight reaction can lead to a restless hand and cramped posture. It is important to find a balance. Positive stress is good for the duel, more negative tilts the situation.
Visualizations and simulations
Visualizations and simulations are an easy way to maintain inner peace. Before starting the game, you simply have to consider the goal, ie the victory. You simply play through a potential victory. You can also use this visualization for the specific next throw by simulating that the next arrow will of course land unerringly in the Triple-60.
Thanks to a habituation and wear effect, you achieve a high level of inner calm and serenity through the simulation. The actual situation, the match or the next throw, loses pressure and frightening character. So you will play more concentrated and calm when playing darts. But be careful: Visualizations can also drift into the negative, for example, if you simulate a defeat in darts! In the game, this inevitably leads to a higher pressure and a negative feeling.