The Real Anchors of a Consistent Darts Throw - Online Darts Coach
- Matt Tizzard
- Jan 13
- 3 min read
The Real Anchors of a Consistent Darts Throw - Online Darts Coach
A Darts Coaching Insight
One of the most common things I hear in darts coaching sessions is that a player has recently “sorted” or changed their stance. When I ask what they mean by that, the answer is almost always the same. Their feet are now in the same place at the oche.
Over the last few weeks of non stop darts coaching, a very clear trend has emerged. Players place huge importance on foot position, toe angle, or back foot placement, yet they still struggle with inconsistency in their game. Many players describe it as days where “it just doesn’t quite feel right”.
The reality is this. A consistent darts throw is stabilised by large muscle groups, not just by where your shoes are pointing.
What I am seeing in darts coaching sessions
Across multiple players and coaching sessions, the same pattern keeps appearing. A player can throw an excellent leg, sometimes even a brilliant visit, and then suddenly lose their alignment without understanding why. When you look beyond the feet and focus on the body, the issue becomes much clearer.
Chest alignment changes between throws. Shoulders subtly open or close. Hips rotate without the player realising. The upper body drifts even though the feet remain fixed.
From the player’s perspective, nothing has changed. From a biomechanical perspective, a lot has changed.
This is why players often say they feel like they are throwing the same darts, yet the results are completely different.
Why the bigger muscles matter most
The darts throw is a precision movement built on stability. That stability does not come from the smallest point of contact with the floor. It comes from the largest controllable structures in the body.
The hips, core, chest, and shoulders are the true anchors of the throw.
If the shoulders are slightly more open than on the previous visit, the arm path changes. If the hips drift, the shoulders follow and the throwing arm may try to compensate by pushing during the action. Balance is also affected. If chest alignment moves, the release point can shift, even if the arm action feels identical.
Perfect foot placement does not prevent any of this from happening.
This is a key area often missed in amateur darts coaching.
The hidden issue most players do not notice
Most amateur players do not feel these changes occurring. That is not a weakness. It is simply how the body works. Under pressure, fatigue, or intense focus on the target, large muscle groups make subtle adjustments without conscious awareness.
This is why advice such as “stand still” or “stay side on” rarely creates lasting improvement.
You cannot repeat a position you are not aware of.
Building consistency at the oche
One of the most important areas we have been working on in recent darts coaching sessions is consistency of position at the oche, specifically the alignment of the chest, shoulders, and hips.
I identified that these alignments vary far more than players realise, even within the same leg. To address this, the focus needs to shift from guessing to measuring.
A simple but powerful solution
To build awareness and repeatability, we use a golf club or alignment stick to create physical checkpoints.
During a session where the player is throwing well, the club is placed across the shoulders to capture their alignment. The same process is repeated across the hips, and then vertically through the centre of the chest, pointing out from the sternum.
Each position, where the club or stick is pointing toDarts, is marked on the wall or a nearby reference point using a small sticker or piece of tape. These markers become visual reference points rather than technical instructions.
This approach works extremely well in practical darts coaching environments.
Turning awareness into habit
Before every home practice session, the first two minutes should be spent checking these reference points. Shoulders aligned. Hips aligned. Chest aligned.
There is no throwing and no scoring during this time. Just positioning.
Over time, this process teaches the body where a consistent and repeatable oche position is for the larger muscle groups. Instead of drifting subconsciously, the body learns its natural anchors.
The long term benefits
This approach is not about becoming stiff or robotic. Relaxation is still essential.
It is about creating a reliable starting platform so the throwing arm can operate freely and consistently.
Most importantly, players stop chasing fixes at the dartboard and start building consistency where it truly begins.
At the oche.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss darts coaching further, feel free to email me.
