1
Draw back
The arm pulls back as far as comfortably possible without touching your face. Too little draw-back costs acceleration distance, and with it, accuracy.
Follow-Through
DARTBOOM KNOWLEDGE · TECHNIQUE
At a glance
Follow-through is the arm motion that continues after the dart leaves your hand – not a cosmetic extra, but the part of the throw most often responsible for inaccuracy when it's missing. A cleanly extended arm, aimed at the target, produces a straight flight path, more power from the motion itself rather than the wrist alone, and above all: a repeatable, consistent throw. Most inaccuracy doesn't come from bad aim, but from small deviations in exactly this last part of the motion.
What is follow-through?
Follow-through describes the motion of the arm and hand after the dart leaves your fingers. Technically, the throwing arm works as a three-lever system – upper arm, forearm, and hand – connected at the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. Only when all three levers work cleanly together does the motion stay fluid and controlled all the way to the target.
A dart never flies in a perfectly straight line, but always in a slight parabola – like any thrown object. How high or flat that curve is depends mainly on how much momentum the throw actually carries at the end of the motion.
A complete throw runs through five phases: aim, draw back, accelerate, release – and then follow-through. It's exactly that last phase that gets neglected most often in practice, even though it's what makes the outcome of the previous four visible.
With vs. without follow-through
The difference is more than cosmetic: if the motion cuts off right after release, the hand loses control at exactly the moment the dart gets its final direction. Keep the arm extended and aimed at the target instead, and the motion carries all the way through.
With full follow-through
Arm stays extended, aimed at the target – straight flight path.
Without follow-through
Hand pulls back too early – the last bit of guidance is missing, the dart drifts off.
A way to remember it
dartbase.com describes follow-through with a comparison from shooting sports: you stay aimed at the target after release, the way you stay in position with a rifle after firing, instead of dropping your arm immediately the way you might with a pistol.
The 3 phases of the release
Draw back, release, and follow-through blend into each other – one fluid motion, not three separate steps:
2
Release
The dart lets go when the wrist and fingers release the motion naturally – not through a deliberate "letting go". Your fingertips end up pointing down, while the dart itself points slightly upward at the moment it leaves your hand.
3
Follow-through
The arm extends fully and stays briefly aimed at the target – the hand doesn't move sideways or pull back before the dart lands.
Why it matters this much
Four concrete effects a clean follow-through delivers:
Accuracy
The arm stays on a line to the target right up to the last moment – without a sideways dodge that nudges the dart off course.
Power
Momentum comes from the whole, carried-through motion rather than an abrupt wrist jerk – easier on both technique and consistency.
Consistency
A repeatable motion produces repeatable results. This is exactly where the muscle memory that makes a throw automatic at the oche comes from.
Control
Carrying the motion all the way through lets you correct small errors in grip or elbow height before they show up in the flight path.
Common mistakes
- Releasing the dart too early, before the arm is fully extended.
- Jerking the hand back right after release instead of holding briefly.
- Too much movement elsewhere in the body disturbing the aiming line.
- Gripping too tightly, which locks up the wrist and the final guidance.
- Posture or alignment to the target already being off before the throw starts.
Drills to practice it
- Isolated arm-extension drills: stand at the oche and repeatedly practice just the full extension, with no dart at all.
- Target visualisation: mentally fix the intended segment during the follow-through itself, not only after impact.
- Wrist exercises: light flexion movements away from the board to build a feel for the snap.
- Repetition in sets: practice the complete motion – not just the release – in regular, focused sessions.
- Film yourself: record your motion from the side and compare it with experienced players or coaching footage.
Related topics
Further sources
Research on throw mechanics, follow-through, and the most common causes of inaccuracy – for further reading and depth.
dartbase.comThe mechanical basics of throwing dartsThe physics of the throw: the arm as a three-lever system, the phases of a throw, and the comparison between follow-through and rifle aiming.darterpoint.comMaster Dart Throw Follow ThroughA detailed guide: definition, common mistakes, and concrete drills for a cleaner follow-through.darthelp.com10 Tips For Throwing Better DartsTen compact tips, including the three throwing positions and the wrist snap at the end of extension.playing-darts.comThe REAL Root Cause Of InaccuracyWhy most inaccuracy comes from an inconsistent throw rather than bad aim.