Train For Success!

Posted: 20.12.14 in Tournament Analysis Blog category

How will world class darts players be training for the championship?

With the festive season well and truly upon us, it can only mean one thing for darts fans – the PDC World Championships.

The event, currently taking place at Alexandra Palace, will culminate in the final on 4th January and stars such darts legends as Phil Taylor and his arch rival Michael van Gerwen. As one of the biggest sports tournaments of the year, sports fans are chomping at the bit, while bookmakers are giving out huge offers in speculation for the event. With so much focus on the two titans, the pair are understandably under a huge amount of pressure to perform, giving them all the more reason to train appropriately before an event.

Your typical darts star hardly resembles your average track and field athlete, so where exactly does training come in? For darts, it's about far more than just throwing an implement – other factors such as mental preparations and even diet can come into play. Here are a few training secrets as used by the biggest stars in the world of darts.

Shaking things up

It sounds like something that might be preferred by the likes of Beyonce or a Victoria's Secret model, but in actual fact, some darts stars like to alter their diet drastically in preparation for a big tournament.

Earlier this year, ahead of the Premier League Darts season, Phil 'The Power' Taylor confessed that he had committed to a juice diet in order to detox his body for his upcoming tournament. He told Sky Sports: “I was unfit, not eating properly and not looking after myself. If you're tired in the afternoon every day after having six or seven good hours of sleep then there's something wrong.”

Taking it easy

Unlike marathon runners, Taylor's rival Michael van Gerwen claims that he doesn't put in six to eight hours of practice per day. In fact, with the tournament taking place over the festive season each year, van Gerwen has stated that he likes to “enjoy Christmas” and won't let a punishing training routine get in the way of it. He told the Daily Star: “Listen, there are so many darts players out there who say ‘I practise six, seven, eight hours a day.’ It’s all rubbish.

“Raymond Van Barneveld is not doing that. Vincent van der Voort is not doing that. Adrian Lewis is not doing that – because he’s spending too much time on the PlayStation.” It seems a balance of work and play is the winning combination for an ace darts player.

All in the head

Finally, Phil Taylor also added that the key to success is mental preparation. He told Unicorn Darts: “Lots of it is in the head, but really it's both mental and physical preparation. I think that's what it is all about being properly prepared. I'm already beginning to work on my stamina and mental preparation in order to be ready for the next championship.” Whether that's in the form of brain training, Sudokus or anything else – budding darts players can rest assured, there's more to darts that we might think. 

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The Darts Performance Centre is a resource to assist dart players of all standards play better darts. The site is arranged as an online coaching manual. There is advice on technique, nerves, psychology, goal setting, practice games, an area to log your statistics and an interactive area where your darting questions are answered by two sports scientists, one with 30 years dart playing experience. You also get an invite to our free but exclusive members only events and acess to our members only darts coaching app! Membership is £25 per year!