As I may have mentioned in my previous post, I've got this flu bug thing happening, so I can't see me playing darts for the next couple of days. Luckily there is darts on TV, so will still get my fix.
One thing I can do, however, is to have a look at the mental side of the game.
I've had a look around the internet for tips and advice and there are quite a few articles. Most of them are in agreement, so I think it's safe to say they may all be worth a try. I will trial this for 2 weeks and see what happens.
Big in sport generally is the idea of visualisation. Trying to imagine hitting perfect darts or picking up the trophy at the end of a tournament. This is something I will try to spend at least 15 minutes per day to visualise that I am a good darts player and try and stop the self doubt. I want to embed this thought in my head. It doesn't matter what averages I'm getting, or games I'm winning, I will still visualise that I'm a great player.
I'm a big overthinker and analyse way too much. This, I've read, can be quite detrimental, as there is little focus on what you are actually doing. This would give less confidence in the throw - I would always be thinking how to adjust to make things better, rather than just have belief that I have a decent throw. So my intention is to just throw and not worry about where they go. This is a long term project, so I will accept I will have dips in form.
I remember a few years back, I was told by an elderly, and obviously very experienced player, that breathing was the most important part of the game. I didn't think too much of it at the time, but after reading more and more articles, he may well have been onto something. Deep breathing before a turn and control of breathing during a turn can make a lot of difference in terms of keeping relaxed and focussed at the same time. Concentrating on the breath, means you are not concentrating on the noises in your head. I've been given advice that maybe having a song in your head, or counting can have the same effect, as is distracts the mind, but I am going to try the breathing route.
Finally, for the next 2 weeks, I will just enjoy the game, whether that's practise or matchplay. The aim at the moment is to feel comfortable and not tense. By not worrying about the result or average, I hope this will eventually make a difference. I'm sure I will come back to this topic many times, but I think I have a starting point.
