How to throw a dart like Luke Littler – according to science

Flights come in many different shapes and sizes, and darts themselves range in weight from about 16g to 30g – heavier darts are generally better for beginners.

But because of the weight of the dart – and, you know, gravity – it is very hard to throw one in a perfect straight line.

Instead, players aim for a parabolic curve, which means the dart will first travel upwards, before flying back down and hopefully hitting the board opposite where  the player threw it in a smooth, symmetrical arc.

This is where the skill comes in. Throw it too hard, and it will land higher than you aimed. Not enough power, and it will fall further down than you wanted. Or in either case, you can miss the board entirely.

Beginners are also commonly haunted by a wobble in their darts, which can have many causes. The dart may not be pointed fully in the direction of the throw. You may be spinning it as you let go (probably accidentally). 

Proper foot stance is also important – keep about 70% of your weight on the front foot when throwing.

Then there’s the mechanics of the throw itself.

In darts, the human arm functions as a ‘multi-purpose lever system’, from the shoulder to the hand.

Watching the pros like Luke, you’ll see the shoulder and elbow are almost in line, the elbow dipper slightly lower. This remains fairly static, with the lower arm doing most of the work as it is pulled back and accelerated forward in the throw. 

The release – letting the dart go – completes the throw. The lower arm and hand start the curve, so obviously letting go at the right point along the arc to set the dart off on the trajectory you want is key.

That’s the physics bit, but what about the psychology? 

In darts, the mental aspect is just as crucial as the physical – if not more so. It requires intense concentration and confidence, both of which can be easily broken.

‘Those “winners” have higher levels of psychological resilience, more positive focus on competitive anxiety and greater perceived situational control.’

Then of course there’s the least fun aspect of darts. The maths.

Not in terms of how you throw this time, but when trying to count down from 501 by hitting particular segments on the board – and finishing on a double – you need to be strategic in your scoring.  

And then perhaps the most contentious element. Sex.

Dr Duffy, herself an extraordinary darts player, believes men are naturally better at darts ‘due to their concentration skills’.

Very controversial.

‘In healthy adults, from children all the way through to mid to late adulthood, men and boys are always better than girls at throwing,’ she said last year.

‘It doesn’t matter what task you give them, there’s just something and some reason and not just with darts, but balls and beanbags, throwing at a target in whatever way, the boys are always better.

‘I still haven’t got to the bottom of exactly why this is, there’s possible reasons in brain structure and other psychological concepts related to field-independence and field-dependence that may come into play.’

Dr Duffy wonders if the concentration aspect, rather than physical, plays a part in her theory.

‘It may be where people say anecdotally “women can pay attention to ten things at once, where men can only focus on one thing”, which is a joke, because it’s not true for everyone, but I do believe there’s some truth when you are looking at sports which require real focus and concentration such as darts, chess, bowls and archery,’ she said.

‘I think men manage to block out a lot of the white noise, if you like, and focus on what they need to do a lot easier than women. That makes them better.

‘That’s not to say a woman can’t beat a man, I’ve beaten loads, but when you look at the top of these sports the best men are always going to be better than the best women.’