BASICS: Moving

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

Moving and change are the hallmarks and cornerstones of support of life itself. Change is movement and movement is health and movement is the way of life for humans move constantly. In darts both movement and stasis are compatible and mutually beneficial. We assume a static dart kamae, our bodies assume a certain position and then become static, set in a stasis of non-movement so that our shoulder, arms and hands can move properly to hit the target.

One such movement necessary for success in darts is the movement of the body to move the stance to a position on the ockey line to properly position the body and arm to toss a good dart. 

First, throwing all three darts from a set position, dart kamae, ensures conformity of the throws and that is true and yet that is also not true. In short you have to position yourself on that ockey line so that the static dart kamae is lined up by sight to the intended target on the board. This means you may need to move your entire body left or right accordingly on that ockey, throw, line. 

When you do move, go back through the process you use to settle into position, gain the immovable mushin mind and then proceed through the procedures you use to toss a consistent and accurate dart. Always settle down your mind and body into that toss comfort for that new position on the ockey line.

IMPORTANT: Only move along the ockey line if it is absolutely necessary for every move during a set of three tosses means a change to that toss position and process, it changes things and therefore has the potential to change how that dart will fly.

Now, as an aside, there is a way to gain proficiency and accuracy in your throws. Someone has created a device that will help a player get that position and properly aim and hit an intended target with consistency, rhythm and cadence so that every toss can be as identical as the last as humanly possible, it is called a “SightRight” device. You can view the material on this device here: http://www.winmau.com/det/909/SightRight_2/

You can also do a google search to see how others feel about this device before buying and also how the latest version also marks a line to each side that will help in moving back and forth on the throw line to sight-right for doubling out, etc.

Bibliography:

Chaplin, Patrick, PhD. “The Official Bar Guide to Darts.” Sterling Publishing. New York. 2010.