Dart Diet

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As with any discipline what you input as fuel must be such that it feeds the body-mind toward optimal performance for the d'artist.

What is an optimal performance diet?

1. Eliminate sugar.
2. Remove cereals, pasta's and other processed foods.
3. Remove starches, cheeses, and many milk products.
4. No processed vegetable oils.
5. Restrict carbs.
6. Eat only good fats.
7. Eat fresh local grown fruits and veggies.
8. Eat proper adequate amounts of proteins.
9. Eat organic local grown meat and eggs.
10. Supplement vitamins, etc.

This is far from a comprehensive list and in fact one should consult a dietary professional who specializes in sports nutrition. The goal here is to convey the importance of diet for fuel especially since the higher levels of competition can be grueling marathon’s of tossing arrows. The above list should be only about information and direction leaving the research up to the d’artist. 

Fist Bump in Dart Arts

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Well, a good question I asked myself is, “Why do d’artists bump fists?” My search found a lot of different views on the topic with many expressing a lot of angst about doing it but in the end it falls into the etiquette category. 

Historically: I could not find anything definitive on the dart arts fist bump. I did find some information that indicated the fist bump is a gesture similar in etiquette to a handshake or even the high five used in sports. It is also believed as a gesture of both respect and approval of the person you bump fists with. It can be followed by other hand and body gestures in greeting others. 

One source wrote, “It is commonly used in baseball and hockey as a form of celebration with teammates, and with opposition players at the end of a game. In cricket it is a common celebratory gesture between batting partners.” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fist_bump

The wiki page talks about its beginnings as far back as the late 1800’s as a boxer handshake simply because the normal handshake is not possible while wearing boxing gloves. I kind of like and accept this at least in the boxing world. There is also reference to the early seventies when military persons of color used it as a form of salute to symbolize, “Black Power.” 

There are other sports references such as in basketball, a player in the 70’s did it with another player, etc. What some may not know is that in the animal kingdom anthropologists observed chimpanzees bumping fists and they still don’t know why the chimpanzees do that gesture. Even one of our recent Presidents of the United States used the fist bump at the end of one of many meetings while running for the office. 

There is one belief that hygienically speaking the fist bump reduces skin contact reducing the transfer of bacteria thus being a recommendation as a more hygienic alternative to a handshake or high five. 

So, in the end, it really doesn’t matter why or where it began in the dart arts and it is a good alternative to the handshake, if the parties are in agreement to its use, but it should be limited for etiquette purposes, i.e., before a contest begins and after it ends ONLY. As an aside I would add in the same requirement for expressing when a d’artists tosses most excellent arrows, i.e., often said, “Good Darts!” Leave that for after the game or leg ends while changing out players for the next leg of a game or match. 

Now, personally, I don’t mind the fist bump at all. I assumed when I returned to the discipline that fist bumps were a part of the game etiquette. It took me a little time to stop reaching for the handshake and just bump, lightly, fists but I can see how it promotes good social connections and camaraderie in team efforts. I still feel it is only appropriate before and after a contest and I feel strong it should not be overdone or done during siad contest because all the d’artists want to focus, focus and focus. 

Clear Flights - Why?

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I like clear flights. I realized although they are out there not many use them and prefer a more personalized flight design, i.e., design as in the design of the decoration rather than the flight shape or configuration. I like clear flights because they don’t distract from my aiming and from targeting when they cover that target. 

When a flight covers your intended target often it means you toss an arrow by strict instinct or you move to see the target better. Moving changes the dynamics of your throw and that means it changes the dart throw. Normally, not a big thing but for me it allows me to continue seeing the target so I can stay in my position and toss another right after the first. 

Clear flights also allow me to see just the straight shaft of the dart so as to align its aiming point in line with the shaft as well as keep it steady and in line with the target through out the entire throw. As long as all the other factors are in alignment this should, and does, result in a good solid dart to the target. 

I liken it to using the shaft without the distraction and obstruction of a decorated flight much like sighting along rear sights and the front sight blade on a rifle. As long as the rear of the shaft is lined up directly behind the shaft and the point you have good alignment to the target.

Sight alignment, sight picture and then dart throw control to hit that target, first time and every time. It also helps to keep the hand, fingers, wrist and so on aligned during the movement of the toss. It’s a tool to achieve a more consistent throw while keeping the body movement at a minimal, outside normal for human movement since you cannot achieve total immobility as a human being. 

Tracking 🎯

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When one loses the target, to track back on target. To zero back in. To also track back into tight groups. The compliment to consistency is tracking back on target. Remaining on target is also critical because many times when three are tossed most excellently the next three tend to falter and when they do the first thought comes to mind, to track back on target. 

It reminds me of marksmanship, i.e., sight alignment, sight picture, and trigger control along with many other aspects that make one an expert marksman to which Marines tend to excel. As an expert rifleman I use those skills along with other skills of other disciplines to train, learn and improve my dart arts. I don’t have a method, I have a system of various skills and expertise that contribute collectively to learning and applying dart arts skills. When two very good, old and experienced players of high caliber tell you that you have made some amazing improvements in the short time back in the discipline you can accept the fact that your system is working. The goal is to keep it working for the long haul.

When tracking we have to adjust of things like, rifle marksman symbolism here, windage (in short the way you hold your hand upon release where a turn one way or the other takes things to the left or right of target), elevation (in short, when you release too soon or too late causing the dart to rise higher or lower than the target) and muscle and breath control (where your breathing and its body movement that disturbs the trajectory of the darts).

Yes, there is more to this including body structure, balance and kamae or stance at the oche line so in the end the collective application of the dart arts is considered a very complex process often seen by the uninitiated as simply throwing darts. Keep part of your mind on tracking to hit center mass of your target be it the pie, the double of the all high scoring triple. 

Good Darts 🎯

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You hear the often when tasting arrows especially after tossing "Good Darts," but do we really know what good darts are?

Here is what I use to define good darts.

1. When all three are in a tight grouping at least half the time or more.
2. When all three darts are in the pie, target, the D'artist is aiming for in competition.
3. When at least one hits the triple targeted even if the other two miss even the pie.
4. When one hits the double and one hits the single pie.
5. When one scores a minimum of sixty points each round of three, or more - that is good darts. 
6. When the dart or darts - matter!

All too often most d’artists will tell a partner they tossed good darts but in reality, a good amount of time, that is just not true. I understand it may be attempts to boost morale and confidence but if given indiscriminately it tends to be more an insult. It is best to comment good darts when they are good darts. 

We do ourselves and others a disservice when accolades are given in such a way but we foster improvement and confidence when we provide honest, true and accurate accolades for it triggers a mind-state that fosters continued improvement and progress and that is the name of this game. 

DART ARTS: The Pub Venue

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It is strange that in years past it never occurred to me that darts is played exclusively in pubs, bars and bowling 🎳 alleys and, this is the part of which I speak, the game for the venue is about selling alcoholic drinks 🍹- duh, Homer Simpson head slap 👋🏼.

If you are a non-drinker, like me, are you welcome and how do the proprietors feel about your playing and not drinking? That and it puts a whole new light on playing darts 🎯 when it is just another income generator where if non-drinkers start to become the majority then why allow darts in the pub?

In days past I was definitely in a minority so small the pub owners did't care because it was known that the drinkers would have non-drinking friends.

Putting the pub owner hat 🎩 on would I want my place of 'business' to allow people who didn't spend money 💰 to just use my place to play a discipline that didn't also generate income? Nope 👎, I would not. I understand the situation and feel bad 😔 that this never occurred to me in the first place. This is especially important if the pub does not serve food, etc., other than drinks. After all, pubs is indicative of drinking and both pool and darts were venues to pull in clientele who - you guessed it - "Drink."

Darts is both a competitive and social discipline thus ideal for pubs to pull in 'paying' customers.

All this and more begs the question, "If a non-drinker should I be playing the game especially since it is done exclusively in pubs, bars and bowling alleys?

This question takes on greater importance when those who participate as non-drinkers start to become a majority as that as an adverse effect on the business.

Personally, I feel bad 😔 because I am a non-drinker and since most d'artists I play with in the league don't drink should I still participate and should the proprietors allow us to participate? I would understand and support them asking us non-drinkers to not use their pubs.

I wonder if a moderate cover charge were imposed at the door 🚪 would alleviate things so we non'ers could still toss darts? I wonder, is there some other way the d'arts could continue outside the pub venue?

I have been racking my mind for alternatives that would keep darts alive but to date have had no success. I am asking myself if I should give it up simply to abide by pub needs toward making the business viable?

Should I ask the pubs where the darts are played if they have a drink minimum requirement and if not don't play there?

DART ARTS: Vacillation, the Harbinger of Consistency

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In world of the dart arts most players will vacillate between a consistent toss and the inconsistency that makes the darts fly off into side pies with low scores. It is the most frustrating aspect of the art of darts and the most critical obstacle one must traverse in order to gain a high degree of consistency in toss arrows. 

A good example is a description of the last two league contests I participated in where the first contest was my absolute best as to hitting the targets consistently except for one minor detail, all the high scores and closes in cricket there was always just one aspect that fell through the cracks. In the ’01’ games I could not hit my out and in the cricket game I faltered on scoring points so although the team threw the best darts ever we still lost. Second contest, we tossed the absolute worse darts ever but when it came down to the end short game we hit all our outs and scored and closed ahead of our brothers in dart arts to win the games, all of them that night.

Now, ain’t that a hoot, we toss bad darts and win then we toss some really good darts and end up losing. It comes down to consistency in tossing arrows with max proficient targeting that includes hitting outs, closing numbers and scoring high. 

Last night we got hit hard with both bad darts and huge losses, i.e., won two out of nine to lose the nights contest overall. Not that our opponents toss their arrows any better but the hit better than we did, bummer. 

I now appreciate it so much more to understand the true challenge in the dart arts, to achieve a solid target rich tossing of perfect darts - consistently, diligently and without all the baggage that comes with the conflict of self and others in a competitive environment. 

I would assess the discipline being 25% physical and 75%  mental, i.e., an adrenal stress-conditioned chemical mess that obfuscates our objectives in such contest. Our minds shift in an instant and our objective to expertise is to overcome the mental obstacles that rise up like a tsunami after an earthquake off shore. 

Some mental obstacles:

• Positive Attitude:
• Self-Motivation:
• Creation of a System rather than setting goals:
• Using positive self-talk:
• Using Visual-Imagery:
• Facing and conquering stressors and anxieties:
• Emotional Maturity: Understanding frustrations that come with the discipline; acceptance of human fallibility; handling stress thus reducing adrenal effects; Positive relaxation; and FOCUS eliminating distractions and outside influences to remain in the game. 
• Attitude, Motivation, Commitment, Objectives, Self-Talk, Visual Imagery, Effective tactics for stressors, emotional maturity, and concentration are all mental disciplines that make consistency and proficiency hallmarks and cornerstones of the dart arts.

So, what is the dart’ist to do? There are things you can derive from the above yourself but I would add in the following:

• Have confidence in your skills: Confidence is the number one objective of your mental preparation. Confidence can be built in many ways, including from practice, preparation, game plans and the mindsets you maintain. To build confidence prior to competition visualize yourself performing successfully, and review all the reasons you have to be a confident athlete.
• Prepare to cope with adversity: With experience, athletes learn how to cope with any adversity – with situations that could cause them to lose focus, confidence or composure. If you haven‘t experienced many adverse situations, you‘ll have to anticipate the challenges that might affect your mindset, and develop strategies to cope with each.
• Fully enter the role of the dart’ist: On game day athletes need to set aside any life challenges or hassles, and fully focus on competition.  Use pregame routines to help you transition into the role of a performer such as, listening to music or getting a good stretch in.
• Focus on execution: What you focus on prior to competition is critical to your mental game success. We teach our athletes where to direct their focus and how to improve their refocusing skills when competing. This helps them maintain focus on executing the present task successfully, rather than dwelling on mistakes or worrying about the outcome.
• Finalize and commit to your game plan or strategy: In most team sports, athletes are given the game plan. However, athletes who participate in individual sports, such as running, golf, tennis and racing, must develop their own plans and strategies. It is important that you have a game plan and fully commit to prior to competition. Questioning or changing one’s game plan often causes athletes to play tentatively and indecisive.

In short, 

• Always keep your attitude positive by visually imagining positive images of you playing well, at your very bets.
• Use power words, positive words have a positive effect and will change the path of your darts.
• Make your focus tight, narrow and in the present moment so distractions don’t shift your mind and body out of synch with your discipline.
• Train, train and train some more, make your dart training and practice one that takes advantage of your every skill set.
• Create objectives that float in nature so that you can learn to change and adjust while going with the flow. 
• Scan you mind, scan your body and take stock of your attitude as to competitive spirit before, during and after a contest.
• Detach yourself from the outcome, remain focused on playing the board. You, your darts and the board are the only challenge.
• Breathe away distractions and use the breathing to relax and focus in on your target, toss and target rich board.
• Enjoy yourself, have fun, relax and let your body, mind and spirit soar, to do what you have trained and practiced to do. 

DART ARTS: It's About the Thrill

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We have all heard people say it's about "the thrill of the chase or the thrill of the game" but for the first time I experienced the thrill of the toss.

The toss of the darts in some most awesome darts; mine, my partners and the team we were competing with in last nights league of the dart arts.

You really have to experience it to truly get that feeling and I understand now how addictive that can be.

I could feel that positive rush and the connection it makes with other dart'ists. I hesitate to say the worn out meme, "It was tantamount to good sex!" 

It was, dare I say, a seminal point as it marked my exceeding the skill level I had those many years past when I first took up the tungsten. In those days I was adequate and yet put away what I thought then as childish things. It was just a game.

Today, as a more mature dart'ist whose research has uncovered that the dart arts, are an art form equal to other sport oriented art forms like gymnastics, golf and martial arts.

It has its philosophy, it has its heritage and it has its physiokinetic principles that make it a real mental, physical and spiritual (not religious in nature but the spirit of competition, etc.) experience.

When I am in the zone, it has a meditative effect that allows me to toss the proverbial perfect dart(s). As I experienced tonight's dart art challenges I achieved a state of mind and body that was contentment; a placid state of contentment. It inspired me to seek enlightenment through the art of darts, to play to the perfection of the dart arts and the mastery of a dart'ist.

Feeling the excitement of the mutual connection brought about by good, solid, darts it opened the door to the next phase instilling that sense of achievement and accomplishment I sought when I decided to take up the arrows after over twenty-five years.

DART ARTS: Cricket

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“Cricket is one of the most well known dart games in the USA. It's the 8-ball of the dart-world -- everybody knows the object of the game.” - Josef Burger, http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~bolo/darts/cricket.html

To my mind, the art of the cricket darts is a challenge and frustrating gambit of strategic tactics that make the game a discipline. A discipline of points and numbers, i.e., in Cricket the dart’ist must close out a set of numbers before his or her opponent. Sounds bit easy doesn’t it yet when you find out the “Rest of the Story” you find that once you close a number every dart thereafter in that number is a score, until your opponent closes out that same number. 

The Mark: when you hit three darts in the number’s singles pie; when you hit two darts in the double ring; or when you hit just one dart in the triple ring you have closed that mark. Depending on how the three darts land, i.e., single pie, double ring or triple in any number of combination you can close a mark and accumulate points. 

The idea is to close out all the marks, i.e., 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15 and bulls. In this game once points comes into play you have to close out your marks while equaling or exceeding the points accumulated by your opponent. 

If you are real good and a bit lucky you can play a solid game of Cricket 8, i.e., close out the board faster than your opponent in just 8 darts tossed, i.e., T20, T19, T18, T17, T16, T15, D25 and 25. Yep, easy isn’t it yet it ain’t that easy. Hitting anywhere else on the board results in a missed opportunity to win in a perfect 8 dart game or at least as close to a perfect game as can be achieved. 

STRATEGIES: You should build your own game, your own strategies and stick to that in order to play well and win Cricket. A good strategy could be to close the 20’s and score points. Many of the more aggressive Cricket players do that because it puts you into the “Following mode” where you have to switch to the next number to close and start scoring your own points. Once you begin scoring you can always leave the third dart to use in closing the number your opponent is using to score on you, it all depends. 

Once you equal them in points or exceed their point level you can go back to using one, two or three darts to close other numbers. I like to, when possible dependent on the skills of my opponent, is to score with at least one dart while continuing to close with the other two. Again, it depends and here is where you begin to realize that strategies and tactics are much more involved in Cricket than in the ’01’ games. 

Here is a link that provides other examples of how to play Cricket and remember that it is critical to the dart arts discipline of the Cricket Match to find your own game and stick to it. A couple of personal points:

• Don’t follow your opponent, always play your own game - stick with it.
• Don’t get caught up in the bull chase.
• Point the heck out of your opponent especially if you are spot on in targeting your numbers.
• When you can, disrupt the chain of thought of your opponent, try shifting to bulls somewhere along in the game. Cricket aficionados like to follow a pattern of 20’s, 19’s, 18’s, 17’s, 16’s, 15’s and Bulls except in situations where a need to shift to another number say to score big so when you shift to the bulls and hit them solid it sometimes can distract the adversaries mental game.
• I once was far behind in a match so I shifted to the bulls then  hit them consistently scoring big causing a far superior dart’ist to chase me. Granted, I finally made a rookie mistake and he pounced to finally kick my keister to win the match but you get the point. If I had been a bit better dart’ist I could have outscored my opponent allowing me to go back and start to close those numbers closing the door to scoring for my opponent.
• Remember, scoring high off the oche line means your opponent has to shift to a scoring mark and often is force to split tosses between points and closing. Switching targets for what ever reason can be boon or bust you out of your game on. 
• Remember, being behind in Cricket, or any other ’01’ game for that matter, does not spell the end, you can still win the match and game if you play your darts right. Keep the pressure going to keep your opponent off his or her game!
• Remember about “Chasing;” it is reactive and in any conflict or competition your actions are superior to a reactive state of mind and darts. Your are reacting to what the other person is doing and it is better strategy and tactics to force your opponent to react to your darts. Chasing often requires split darts, don’t split your darts. Get in control, play your own game regardless. Create breathing room so you can play your own game consistently. 
• Remember, if you have greater accuracy on certain numbers you may want to jump on them and close them out quickly so you can point up. If your opponent is a better dart’ist, try this and throw them off their game. Many dart’ists have certain expectations of the game and how most play it, so throw a monkey wrench into the game and play on!
• If your opponent is a really solid consistent dart’ist make sure you play to your level. In some cases in lieu of aiming for the treble ring, aim for the larger pie so three in the bed close out that number. If you miss by small margins you have a 50-50 chance of hitting a treble or a double and remember, you can hit to either side lower numbers as well - be careful but be adventuresome too!

The referenced site, see link above, has a lot of very good information on the game and that will assist you in laying a foundation of strategies and tactics that will win those Cricket matches, so go for it and “Game ON!”

Dart Arts Chalker

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The Chalker is the title used to designate the dart arts score keeper. The Chalker holds a position of importance whose expertise and professionalism can effect the dart'ists ability to throw good darts.

Standing up at the chalk board with their back to the dart'ist holding as still as water on the calmest day waiting for the arrows to land with a solid, "Thunk," using there peripheral vision to see the score ready to quickly calculate the total as the next, "think," resounds in his or her ears.

The Chalker must achieve the speed of a math savant so they can quickly, "Chalk," the score on the board while standing just to the side so the dart'ist can quickly see his or her score in preparation for the next go-round.

Chalker:

• Chalker’s come from the ranks of dart’ists.
• Chalker must be accepted by all parties.
• Chalker holds the responsibility of the games he or she scores.
• Chalker announces the score before the darts are removed. All scores stand after the darts are removed.
• Chalker records the scores of each turn and calculates the cumulative score as the game progresses. 
• No dart is to be touched by dart’ist, another dart’ist, the Chalker, the team captains, or a spectator until the Chalker makes a decision as to the score. 
• Chalker is to refrain from smoking, drinking or making comments in the performance of Chalker’s duties. 
• Chalker is to stand motionless facing the chalkboard at a slight angle to see the dart board and is to remain in that position until the last dart hits the board.
• Chalker’s will come from each team sharing the duties equally. 

Chalker Scoring:

• Chalker will decide the winner for the middle determining who starts first. 
• Chalker is to speak only when a player asks for the number of points scored or remaining or if a dart is in a double/triple ring especially when it is close to the wire. 
• Chalker will NOT advise a player as to how the play the round especially the double required to out for the win. 
• Chalker records the score, the dart’ist must verify his or her own score BEFORE removing his or her darts. 
• Chalker and players have till the next dart’ists next throw/turn to change or adjust scores on the board. 

The Chalker Etiquette:

• Chalker must assume a stance at the score board as follows:
• Stand in a position close to the score board so that the board can be seen at the oche line by dart’ists; stand at a slight angle to face toward the score board and see the dart board clearly.
• Stand in a semi-position of attentive posture with hands held by the side or in front of the lower half of the body.
• Stand as still as possible with no movement or other distracting motions or sounds that may disrupt the toss by the dart’ist at the oche line. 
• Remain still as indicated until the last arrow hits the board.
• Calculate accurately as quickly as possible, enter the score with the running cumulative total so the dart’ist, both the one who just finished tossing his or her darts and the one approaching the oche line so dart’ists can quickly calculate and decide on strategic tactics of the game.
• Resume, unless the circumstances and situation dictate, the original Chalker stance ready position for the next round of arrows to be tossed at the board. 
• Chalker remains quiet except when asked by the dart’ist at the oche line to inform him or her of the dart thrown status/score according to the rules governing the Chalker/Scorekeeper.  

Let me continue by providing an example, I chalk a lot in our local league and as a beginner I made some Faux-Pas that disturbed a player causing, in all probability, his or her missing an intended target. As my experience level increases I understand a lot better how, for some, small distractions can be … distracting. First was an unsolicited notification as to what he had scored with the last thrown dart and second, was a small movement of my head and upper body, to better see where the dart struck to calculate the score to that point, it was the second toss, that caused concern by the dart’ist. Both are against the Chalker etiquette of the game and as you can tell by reading this article, led to this article.   

When you leave the league level and enter into the professional levels you will find this Chalker to Dart’ist relationship critical to the discipline and violating the rules and etiquette could or may result in a loss that spells out economic ramifications of great importance. This is why I write this, to remind me of Chalker Etiquette and Rules as well as train and practice of myself for that time when I may enter into the realm of the professional dart’ist.

Trivia: the reason I refer to the scorekeeper as a Chalker is because in the steel tip game many still use a standard chalk board and a Chalker is a metal device that holds the chalk, to keep the chalk off your hands, but it should be noted that many devices and applications exist that will provide you automated score keeping. It is prevalent in electronic dart games but traditionally the Chalker in steel tips relies on the mind to calculate the scores, etc. Traditionally the Chalker position assists the dart’ist is using math skills to keep in the mind the scores necessary to gain quick end game successes. Electronic scoring tends to leave a lot out of the game so that the player can focus exclusively on his or her darts and winning. In my mind, the game is a collection of variables that the dart’ist must control consistently to hit the perfect dart, score the highest score and to quickly get to an out or close the cricket game faster than his or her opponent. There are many arguments for and against such techno-devices to assist in the game but the human challenge, for me, is critical to being a dart’ist and not just a person playing a game for fun and social gatherings. When you are at a tournament and after hours of participation you are challenged in mind, body and especially spirit to remain in a high state of accuracy and consistency while manipulating your darts, the scores, your strategies and the various tactics necessary to achieve mastery of the dart arts. 

Play the Board

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It's a mind challenge in the dart arts. The mechanics, or physiokinetics, are the easy part and the hard comes in maintaining the mechanics in a consistent way while a constant barrage of external stimuli attacks you constantly.

•     the ebb and flow of the competitive environment.
•     The noise.
•     The rhythm and cadence of each dart'ist.
•     The all critical adrenal stress-conditions.
•     The durinal internal clock in relation to the time of the game.
•     The mind-set and more important mind-state at the oche line.

This is why I personally use the mind-state of playing the board. I approach the oche line observing the board and the scoreboard - my score only. I glance at the other score only to use that info to gauge what strategy I might take while maintaining control, I.e., I make sure I play my OWN game regardless.

I focus on the physiokinetics of MY game, I check the board and then I focus on tossing the perfect dart with perfect form letting the external distractions fade off into a place called, "Dev-null."

Develop a mind-ability that allows you to create a focus that places you and the board inside a vacuum-like bubble where you have the board, the scoreboard, the oche line, you and your darts then relax in a positive way so that your entire body along with the mind and spirit of a dart-ist can toss perfect arrows. This should be your destination in the training, practice and application of the dart arts. 

Play the board, ignore the rest!

Darts: Milestone Markers

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Those progressive points you wish to set and pass on your way to mastery of the Dart Arts.

My latest milestone is to toss a perfect double on of 170, I.e., one double bull and two Treble 20's.

This is not setting goal for goals are an end point while limestone markers are those points you pass along the way to a state of mind, body and spirit - Master Dart'ist.

It is best to contemplate 🤔, "All of life is a journey, we are carried along at nature's pace, whether we choose to run, walk or sit still. Along the way we can create markers and we shall pass them in good time."

Mastering the Dart Arts Mind

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Shoshin, Mushin, Fudoshin, Zanshin and Senshin are martial arts and karate terms on the stages of one’s spirit or in direct relation to the mind-state one works through to achieve mastery, or at least expert proficiency. 

• Shoshin (残心)(Beginner’s Mind); Shoshinsha no Kokoro [初心者の心]
• Mushin (無心) (No Mind); no thought or emotion, innocent. A state of mind with no emotions or no thoughts. 
• Fudoshin (不動心) (Immovable Mind)
• Zanshin (先心) (Remaining Mind)
• Senshin (先心) (Heart) Purified spirit; Enlightened Attitude
• Heijoshin (平叙心) A transcendental state of mind created through the blending, morphing and mutual connectedness of the five states or stages of mind in the dart arts. 

Shoshin mind is that of the initiate, the novice or the beginner who for the very first time takes up the darts and approaches the oche line to toss out the first three darts. It is an attitude that one must maintain even after mastery because it is the removal of all preconceptions that makes for a present moment no-mind, the next level, that when mutually coupled with the other mind-states brings about a level of mind that can conquer all things. 

It is a mind that expands to better see, hear and act, to achieve understanding and ability beyond mere practice, training and competition, a spiritual aspect not of religion but of heart. 

Mushin mind is a state of no-mind, a place of trust in the self, a faith in our innate potential and the fidelity to get the job done. A degree of action that goes beyond what the mind originally conceives in the dart arts as in life’s trials and tribulations - all tools to learn, grow and expand the mind and understanding. It is about achieving a no-mind that is present in this moment, the only moment when it all comes together and is expressed in the perfect dart toss. It is the removal of all mental and physical obstructions, distractions and interruptions. 

Fudoshin mind is one mind and heart that is imperturbable, steadfast and cool in the heat of battle under conditions of adrenal stresses and effects that all work hard to block and break the ability to toss the perfect dart, the perfect score and the perfect game. It is achieving a state of mind and motion in heart, mind and spirit that takes the negative and tosses it out and allows the positive to create, act and achieve all the milestones toward mastery of the dart arts. 

Zanshin mind is that state of mind provides balance in all things, that is left over from all the hard work, trials and tribulations that speak to the process toward mastery. It is that mind one achieves leaving behind the ability to move and act freely as if in a state of primal reflex conditioned mind where all our dart mastery resides waiting to be awakened. It is achieving a natural process and way to expertise and mastery. To achieve flow, rhythm, consistency, patterned processes, and a cadence like music that speaks to the heart of the dart arts. It is the creation of a creative mind through awareness and experience thus achieving a true state of zanshin. 

Senshin mind is a compilation, connectedness and mutually balanced whole of all the four parts that harmonizes with the Universe or the physical manifestations of our world as expressed in these ways. It reconciles the four and presents the final, senshin, that leads to a final state of body-mind-soprit that gives peace of present moment mind called, “Heijoshin.” 

Heijoshin mind is that mind that flows, that gets into that state of flow where the body reacts and triggers the primal reflex conditioned mind of action often thought of as, “Instinct.”  It is that which creates the matrix of the mind to achieve a state of Zen and the Dart Arts mind. 

Iron Man Rules

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

Bet when you read the title the music for iron man played through your head, you know - the song from the sixties that they use as the theme for the IronMan movie from Marvel Comics.

Anyway, last night's Dart League they allow one player to compete against a team and they call that, Iron Man competition.

In this league we play nine rounds of, doubles 301, then two single 301 games. This is followed up with the same for cricket and on to 501.

Of the nine the single iron man forfeits three single games leaving 6 rounds.

The doubles matches the single IM competitor throws three darts against, wait for it, both the other players total of six darts. Kind of s handicapped set but not.

There are doubles of 301, cricket and 501 along with a less handicapped of two to one, I.e., I got to play some single one-on-one games.

In the end I won some double and singles for three wins to the other teams three wins.

Because it was an Iron Man the other team got three wins on forfeit so they won the match with six wins overall while under Iron Man rules I eked out three wins.

Actually, considering how well I played - not bad, not bad at all.

The Standards of the Dart Arts

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

Standards are defined as: “A level of quality or attainment; a required or agreed level of quality or attainment; an idea or thing used as a measure, norm, or model in comparative evaluations (principles of conduct informed by notions of honor and decency).”

European dart arts have consistently taken the art or darts to higher and higher levels in the last decade while American dart arts has actually fallen, or at minimum, remained static and somewhat low. Yes, this is a personal opinion and I expect to hear many say that it also has risen but to date I have not found one iota of proof. 

This disturbs me as one, “Old Timer,” dart’ist and promotor of local events said, “the dart’ist today relies heavily on the drink to maintain their ability to toss arrows. I believe that even the European’s do the same with one exception, they don’t do it on the televised events.” This is discouraging and coupled with the elitist attitudes often described to me seems to put the dart arts into a category that the general public uses the minute one says, “Darts.” 

Personally, the only drink I have when the “Game is ON” is coffee and water. One to remain awake as most dart arts are played after hours, evenings, and along with other obligations makes for a very tired practitioner after certain hours pass. Most locals I play with tend to imbibe through out the evening as would any social drinker which is not a bad thing. But, as long as that remains regardless of its perception of others it will always trigger the perception of local workers drinking beer and tossing a few darts for fun in a more social context. 

If the dart arts is ever going to achieve the same high standards of social acceptance and participation this attitude, perception and distinction of the discipline is going to need a paradigm shift. The real question is, “How the heck are we in the dart world of America going to make that happen when things like cognizant dissonance and confirmation bias are triggered every time one hears the word, Darts.” 

Dart arts quality with honor, respect and standards commensurate to that of European Dart Arts must be raised to those levels or beyond. We Americans have a history of being seen as the underdog who when challenged tend to pick up that big stick and beat that belief into submission and oblivion henceforth and beyond. Again, how do we do that, that is the real question?

My first thought is promotion, we must use influence and compliance principles to create an atmosphere and communications model that would promote and influence everyone toward a more honest view of what the dart arts are and what those same dart arts can achieve - think, Olympics!

Some suggestions to start the ball rolling:

• Read the PDC rules as set forth by the, “Darts Regulation Authority.” 
• Research the growing pains of the dart arts of England that led to its European acceptance and continued growth.
• Research the dart arts progression from a pub game to the televised events drawing in the entire European Nations and the larger than life earnings those dart’ist earn.
• Research the processes used by the great dart artists who have taken the dart arts to such high levels of expertise and play never before seen in the history of the dart arts tantamount to how the game of golf has reached such heights of play, professionalism and acceptance by the world. 
• Use the proper and appropriate means to change American attitudes and perceptions of the dart arts. 
• Research the world of American Darts and compare them to European Darts to find those concepts, ideas and standards that would elevate our discipline to be competitive with theirs. 

This may be a start and we can hope but …