England's Luke Littler celebrates winning the fourth set against Netherlands' Michael van Gerwen during the PDC World Darts Championship final earlier this month. Photo / AFP
England's Luke Littler celebrates winning the fourth set against Netherlands' Michael van Gerwen during the PDC World Darts Championship final earlier this month. Photo / AFP
Darts players are challenging stereotypes by focusing on health and fitness for better performance
UK TV presenter Adil Ray was accused of “fat-shaming” Luke Littler before his world darts championship win
Players like Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price showcase the benefits of fitness in achieving success
There is a stereotype associated with darts that it is a sport only played by middle-aged overweight white men who smoke cigarettes and drink lots of beer.
This perception dates back decades, and anyone associated with the sport today will be sick of hearing constant remarks that are always intended to be light-hearted but can damage the game’s reputation.
The sport comes from humble beginnings, where it was always played in pubs, often by people with a lower socioeconomic status – a real working-class sport.
The stereotype came under the spotlight last month when UK TV presenter Adil Ray was accused of “fat-shaming” Luke Littler prior to his World Darts Championship triumph. Ray said the 17-year-old was “turning into the look of a darts player” hitting out at his diet and lifestyle choice, which includes eating pizza and playing video games before matches.
His comments are of somebody who is single-minded and only aware of that old stereotype. One doubts that he would have made that statement about three-time defending women’s world champion Beau Greaves, who is only 20. Ray has yet to issue a formal apology, but Britain’s version of the Broadcasting Standards Authority has received 311 complaints.
Littler himself has acknowledged he needs to improve, and he had already begun to make changes to his diet before the world champs.
Luke Littler reacts during his match against Rob Cross during their World Darts Championship semifinal. Photo / Getty
Like the world we live in, things change, and many players in the game are attempting to change that reputation which has overshadowed the sport.
The man behind the success of professional darts, Barry Hearn, recently spoke out about the issue on his podcast and encouraged players to focus more on health and use common sense with regards to lifestyle choices.
Darts is like any other sport, everyone is looking for an advantage and arrow smiths are discovering the way to do this is by focusing on health and wellbeing. But unlike other sports, it is more about concentration, composure, consistency and most importantly mental strength. With the growing popularity globally, more demands on players and more prize money up for grabs, it is becoming more evident that they’re becoming more in tune with their bodies than ever before.
Do some players like to delve into an alcoholic beverage or three before a game? Yes. Do some still smoke or vape? Absolutely, but so do other athletes in other sports.
Current world No 1 Luke Humphries is the poster boy for the benefits of focusing on diet and exercise. When he burst on to the scene in 2019, his size was an issue, and his anxiety was that bad, he considered walking away from the sport. During Covid, he opted to use an exercise bike daily and focus on healthier food which eventually saw him lose over 25kg.
The rest is history.
After winning his first major title at the World Grand Prix in 2023, Humphries was open about how his lifestyle changes contributed to his success at the oche.
“It got to the point where I thought you are either going to put on weight or lose it, and I opted for the good thing,” he said.
“I lost about 25 kilos in six months and shortly after I was in my first major final at the UK Open. In my mind I thought it’s definitely working, and that moment I thought, healthy mind, healthy body and it has helped.”
Humphries noted how he felt less fatigued and had the energy to play to a high consistency level across the entire day which can sometimes start around 10am and finish close to midnight depending on the tournament.
Luke Humphries has prioritised his health recently and reaped the rewards. Photo / Getty Images
Former world champion Gerwyn Price is another example of shaking the stereotype of a darts player. That’s because the Welshman was forging a career in professional rugby before switching to darts. Price was a former Wales under-21s player – even facing New Zealand at the 2005 World Cup – and loves to flex his biceps on stage and letting out huge roars after clutch throws. The 39-year-old has often credited the gym as a reason for his success.
Other players who have focused on health in recent years which has led to success include Michael Smith, Ross Smith and John Henderson.
Australian Gordon Mathers made headlines during the recent World Darts Championship with a remarkable 50kg weight loss.
The reason why these stories are popular is because they show people breaking the mould of the stereotype, especially with former players who wish the focus on health and fitness was prominent back in their day.
The focus on mental health is also prominent, especially with some players suffering from a mental condition, known as dartitis, a mental condition where the brain stops a player from being able to release a dart.
The condition has affected many of the sport’s best players, including five-time world champion Eric Bristow, and Greaves, and the most high-profile incident involving Berry van Peer in a televised match at the Grand Slam of Darts in 2017. World No 11 Nathan Aspinall admitted to suffering from dartitis during the recent world champs.
As the sport continues to become more professional, physical conditioning is starting to become more impactful than natural talent.
Fitness is no longer a hidden advantage but a vital component of a player’s success.
