Take Aim Part Two

Posted: 25.05.11 in Darts Performance Centre Blog category

You have taken the eye test so what do you do next?

Did you take the test?

Last week we offered dart players a ten second test with the prize a possible explanation for not getting the accuracy they craved. We have had a phenomenal response; so far 3,000 players have had a go. According to the research there should only be a fraction of you that discover that you are right handed but are left eye dominant or the vice versa. Hmmm, well we believe it may be a lot more than just a fraction but most of you should have discovered that there is another factor causing your woes and you can’t pin it on your dominant eye! 

You can take the eye test here

Help!

We have had plenty of emails already from players who have discovered they are “cross dominant” and our message to them is “don’t panic”. One of the main reasons we set up The Darts Performance Centre was to investigate areas such as these in order that dart players can get the advice most other sports take for granted. Membership is £25.00 for a whole year and the subscription helps towards the cost of research projects such as these. We can also help you play better darts too.

Our Project

Three members of the Darts Performance Centre all contacted us (by coincidence) at a similar time to say that after taking the test on The Darts Performance site they had found out that one was right handed and left eye dominant and two were left handed and right eye dominant. We all interacted with each other as the players came to terms with trying to adjust their throw in order to utilise their dominant eye in their throw.

What Do I Do Now?

Let’s face it that is the information you are probably after. However, there is a full report of this study that can be accessed once you have signed up for membership. This is some of the vital data our three researchers reported back to us:

Positioning on the oche:

Client 1  Right hand Left  Eye         Original set up was right shoulder lined up with the bull now                                                               lines up with dominant eye in line with the bull

Client 2 Left hand Right Eye           Originally lined up on the far right side of the oche now                                                                     lines up centrally

Client 3 Left hand Right Eye           Originally lined up to the left of the oche now lining up dead                                                               centre with his dominant eye slightly to the right of the                                                                     bull

Body Position/Stance  

All clients:This was very much experimentation for all of them to find the right stance – They tried:

• Same/similar stance but subtle head movements to bring the dominant eye into play.
• Foot position, all the way around to 90’.
• Being in a position that felt different but was NOT uncomfortable. You will get used to the “different” feeling after time but uncomfortable will never work.
• An immense amount of  extra concentration was required to get any sort of consistency with the new set up.                     
• One client also reported that his throw felt far more natural than previously once he           had found the right set up.

4 Months on

Client 1  As long as I am in my preferred spot on the oche I have been consistant. My new set up felt comfortable after two weeks and now feels automatic. I  did  spend a lot of  time finding exactly the right spot on the oche. It is matter of preference though, you do need to work out what will work for you.

Client 2  I'm left handed but right eye dominant so instead of the eye, shoulder, arm, elbow,  wrist and hand etc being all on one plane, cross dominance meansit's more like triangulation. Personally I have really struggled with this. If the truth be known I still am, but I’m getting used to it, my averages are still going up so its not all bad news. I still use sightright to ensure I am central

Client 3  I basically have 2 darts and 2 hands coming back in my eyesight, and I line up my target in the middle of these, (i would imagine everyone would see this as they’re focusing on the board), my dart still comes back alongside the left hand-side of my face and brushes my cheek with the flight. I'm still aware of my "issue" but not letting it worry me as my throw seems to be ok at the minute.

Conclusion  -Overall it seems our players felt it was worth the time and effort to adjust their throw to bring their dominant eye into their darts shot. Persistence is the key word and perhaps if you are feeling dejected as you try to amend your throw think about client one- Four months on his throw feels natural and it was after just two weeks that he started to feel comfortable with it.

Next week we will  take a look at a possible explanation for all you players who “passed” the dominant eye test but are drifting into the one or the five!

Paul Gillings is the founder of the darts improvement website The Darts Performance Centre- Membership is £25.00 and includes access to the full eye dominance research as well as numerous tips, ideas and practice games to help you play better darts. 

You can link your website to The Darts Performance Centre here