Stay Sharp at Home – Top Tips from The Worlds Very Best
Endurance at the top of darts is often talked about as a physical phenomenon; the ability to resist the effects of fatigue for a prolonged period of pressure. The arm dropping lower. The increase in heart rate. All things that dart players practice to prevent. But what about mental endurance? Is that even a thing? And can we practice it?
Who better to ask than the World No.1 Michael Van Gerwen, World No.7 Daryl Gurney, The World’s Top Technical coach Steve Feeney and GoDartsPro practice expert Anders Östman. They all know a thing or two about major event endurance. And there’s no doubt in any of their minds that the mental aspect of the game can make all the difference between winning and losing.
Michael said "My practice sessions need to be with a calm mind where possible, but having a tired mind isn’t a reason to skip practice, as the chances are you will have to play many games feeling tired".
Daryl added "For me one obvious way is practicing longer and harder when I don't really want to. Especially if you’re training for a TV Major as you need to be able to learn to relax and recover at different times in the event and these longer sessions can help that".
What both agreed was that the mental fortitude to believe you can overcome anything is immensely important, no matter what setbacks are thrown your way, as you can guarantee in darts they will keep coming.
Your 6 Key Takeaways for Mental Strength
The Winning Mindset
- Practice hard, play easy
- Get on the board all the time
- Find your reason
- Know when to relax
- Keep things simple
- Focus on the positives and try to smile