Why The Pause Matters (And Why Your Brain Wants To Skip It)

Watch any professional dart player. They all have one thing in common: a deliberate pause at their setup position before throwing.

Not a long pause. Not a "freeze and think about aim" pause. Just a brief, consistent pause where they settle into position, confirm they're locked in, then execute.

Most recreational players skip this entirely. They raise the dart and immediately throw in one continuous motion.

This is why your throw is inconsistent.

What The Pause Actually Does

The pause is not "aiming time." It's not "thinking time." It's not hesitation.

The pause is a confirmation checkpoint.

Here's what happens during the pause:

1. Lock-In Confirmation

During the raise: Your body is moving, orienting toward the target, getting into position

At the pause: You stop moving and confirm "I'm in the right position"

Without the pause: You're still adjusting when you start the throw. Your setup position is inconsistent.

The pause lets your body settle. Like a gyroscope stabilizing. You can't stabilize while moving.

2. Eliminate Micro-Adjustments

Players who skip the pause: Constantly making tiny adjustments during the throw

Hand angle shifts mid-motion
Elbow position drifts
Dart angle changes
Wrist compensates

Players who pause: Lock in, then execute

Setup position is set
No adjustments during throw
Clean execution

The pause creates a clear separation: Setup phase (adjusting) vs throw phase (executing).

3. Consistent Reference Point

Every throw needs a consistent starting point.

With a pause: Your backswing always starts from the same position

Without a pause: Your backswing starts from wherever you happen to be in the raise motion

Sometimes you pull back from high position
Sometimes from low position
Sometimes from forward position
Different starting point = different throw every time

The pause is your anchor. Same position every throw = consistent execution.

4. Mental Transition

The pause is when you switch from setup mode to execution mode.

Setup mode: Conscious positioning, body alignment, getting ready

Execution mode: Subconscious throw, trust the setup, don't think

Without the pause: You're trying to setup and execute at the same time. Your conscious mind is still engaged when you should be letting your subconscious take over.

The pause is the handoff: "Setup is done. Execute now."

Why Your Brain Wants To Skip It

Your brain hates the pause. Here's why:

Reason 1: The Old Pattern Doesn't Have One

If you've been throwing without a pause for years, your muscle memory is:

Raise → Throw (continuous motion)

Adding a pause means changing to:

Raise → Pause → Throw (two distinct phases)

Your brain sees the pause as an interruption to the familiar pattern. It wants to skip it and go straight to throwing.

This is path interception. The pause is a new checkpoint your old pattern doesn't have.

Reason 2: The Pause Feels Like Hesitation

Your conscious mind thinks: "If I pause, I'll lose momentum / overthink / miss the target"

Reality: The opposite is true. The pause creates consistency, not hesitation.

But it feels wrong at first because you're used to continuous motion. Stopping feels like you're breaking your rhythm.

You're not breaking rhythm. You're creating a deliberate rhythm instead of a rushed one.

Reason 3: Impatience

You want to throw the dart.

The pause delays gratification. Your brain wants:

See target → Throw dart → See result

The pause adds a step:

See target → Raise → Pause → Throw → See result

Your brain wants to skip the pause to get to the result faster.

But faster ≠ better. Consistent execution beats rushed execution every time.

Reason 4: You Think The Pause Is "Aiming"

Common misconception: "I'm pausing to aim the dart"

What actually happens: You start second-guessing your alignment, adjusting your hand, trying to "line up" the dart tip

This defeats the entire purpose. The pause should be confirmation, not adjustment.

If you're using the pause to aim: You're aiming at the wrong time. You should have aimed during the raise (body alignment). The pause is just confirming you're locked in.

The Difference Between Good Pause and Bad Pause

Bad Pause: Static Aiming

What it looks like:

Raise to setup position
Pause for 2-5 seconds
Stare at target
Adjust hand angle
Shift dart position
Try to "line up" visually
Eventually throw

What's wrong:

Too long (creates tension)
Using pause to aim (wrong phase)
Making adjustments (should be locked in)
Conscious thinking (should be trusting setup)

Result: Inconsistent, overthought throws

Good Pause: Lock-In Confirmation

What it looks like:

Raise to setup position (body aligns during this)
Brief pause (0.3-0.7 seconds)
Confirm "I'm locked in"
Backswing and throw immediately
No thinking, pure execution

What's right:

Brief duration (no tension buildup)
Confirmation only (not aiming)
No adjustments (trust the raise)
Mental handoff to subconscious

Result: Consistent, clean execution

The pause should feel like: A checkpoint you pass through, not a stop sign where you park.

How Long Should The Pause Be?

0.3 to 0.7 seconds.

Not a exact science, but:

Too short (<0.2 seconds): Not enough time to settle and confirm lock-in. Basically no pause.

Too long (>1 second): Tension builds up, you start overthinking, setup position drifts.

Just right (0.3-0.7 seconds): Long enough to confirm lock-in, short enough to maintain flow.

Watch Michael van Gerwen: His pause is barely noticeable. Very quick. But it's there, and it's consistent every single throw.

Watch Phil Taylor: Slightly longer pause, maybe 0.5-0.7 seconds. Still brief. Still consistent.

Watch yourself (film it): You're probably either skipping the pause entirely or pausing for 2+ seconds and adjusting.

How To Add The Pause If You Don't Have One

This is a classic interception problem. Your old pattern doesn't have a pause. Adding one means your brain will try to skip it.

Route-Around Option 1: Count It

The method: Count "1-2-3" during your throw

1: Raise
2: Pause (literally say "two" in your head)
3: Throw

Why it works: Can't skip the pause if you're counting it. The count forces the checkpoint.

Duration: Natural speaking rhythm = about 0.5 seconds between counts. Perfect.

Downside: Feels mechanical at first. You'll forget to count and revert to old pattern.

Drill it: 100 throws counting every time. Then 100 more. It becomes automatic.

Route-Around Option 2: Physical Reference

The method: Touch dart to a reference point at pause

Touch dart to chin
Touch dart to cheek
Touch dart to temple
Touch thumb to specific spot on hand

Why it works: Physical action forces a stop. Can't skip the pause if you have to touch something.

Duration: Touch creates natural brief pause (0.3-0.5 seconds).

Downside: Looks a bit weird. Might not be your style.

Drill it: 50 throws with touch, see if it feels natural. If not, try different reference point or different method.

Route-Around Option 3: Breath Control

The method: Match throw to breathing

Inhale: During raise
Hold: At pause (natural breath hold = 0.5-1 second)
Exhale: During throw

Why it works: Breath hold creates natural pause. Your body already knows how to do this rhythm.

Duration: Natural breath hold is perfect pause length.

Downside: Requires conscious breathing at first. Can be distracting.

Drill it: Works best if you already use breathing for other precision activities (archery, shooting, etc.)

Route-Around Option 4: Exaggerate Then Normalize

The method:

Week 1: Pause for 2 full seconds at setup (exaggerated)
Week 2: Reduce to 1 second
Week 3: Reduce to 0.5 seconds
Week 4: Natural brief pause established

Why it works: By starting with an exaggerated pause, you break the "continuous motion" pattern. Then you gradually speed it up while keeping the checkpoint.

Duration: Ends up naturally around 0.5 seconds.

Downside: Week 1 feels ridiculously slow. Stick with it.

Drill it: Volume is key. 200+ throws per week or this won't stick.

What To Do During The Pause

Nothing.

Seriously, do nothing.

Don't aim. Don't adjust. Don't think.

The pause is confirmation:

"Am I in my setup position?" (yes/no)
"Do I feel locked in?" (yes/no)

If yes: Execute.

If no: Reset and start over.

That's it.

Your job during the pause:

Confirm you're in position
That's it
No really, that's it
Stop trying to do more

The aiming happened during the raise (body aligned toward target).

The execution happens during the throw (trust and release).

The pause is just the moment between. Don't make it more complicated.

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using Pause To Aim

The trap: "I'll pause and line up the dart tip with the target"

What happens: You start adjusting hand angle, dart angle, trying to get visual alignment perfect

Why it fails: You're aiming from setup position (wrong) instead of aiming during the raise (correct)

Fix: Aim before you reach setup. Pause is confirmation only.

Mistake 2: Pausing Too Long

The trap: "More pause = more control"

What happens: 2-3 second pause, tension builds in arm, setup position drifts, you overthink

Why it fails: Long pauses create tension and invite conscious interference

Fix: Brief pause. 0.5 seconds max. Just long enough to confirm lock-in.

Mistake 3: Inconsistent Pause Duration

The trap: "Sometimes I pause, sometimes I don't, depends how I feel"

What happens: Your starting position for the backswing is different every throw

Why it fails: Consistency requires same sequence every time

Fix: Pause every throw, same duration every throw. Use a count or reference to enforce it.

Mistake 4: Skipping Pause Under Pressure

The trap: "I pause in practice, but in matches I rush"

What happens: Your practice throw and match throw are different. You revert to old continuous-motion pattern.

Why it fails: You're not drilling the pause enough. It's still conscious, not automatic.

Fix: 1000+ throws with deliberate pause. Needs to become automatic so pressure doesn't override it.

Mistake 5: Freeze-Frame Pause

The trap: "I need to be perfectly still during the pause"

What happens: You tense up trying to hold perfectly still, setup position becomes rigid

Why it fails: Pause should be settled, not frozen. Slight natural movement is fine.

Fix: Pause is settling, not freezing. Like a gyroscope coming to rest, not a statue.

How To Tell If Your Pause Is Working

Film yourself throwing 20 darts.

Watch the video. For each throw, ask:

Is there a visible pause at setup position? (yes/no)
Is the pause duration consistent? (yes/no)
Do you adjust anything during the pause? (yes/no - should be no)
Is the pause brief (<1 second)? (yes/no)
Does backswing start from same position every throw? (yes/no)

If all answers are correct: Your pause is working

If any answer is wrong: That's your focus point for next 100 throws

Most common issues:

No pause at all (continuous motion)
Pause inconsistent (sometimes yes, sometimes no)
Pause too long (2+ seconds)
Adjusting during pause (hand angle shifts, dart repositions)

Fix one issue at a time. Don't try to fix everything at once.

The Pause In Different Throw Styles

Every good player has a pause. But it looks different depending on throw style.

Fast Throw Style (MVG)

Pause is brief: 0.3-0.4 seconds

Almost imperceptible but it's there

Entire sequence is quick: Raise-pause-throw happens in <2 seconds

The pause creates the rhythm: Without it, the throw would be a rushed blur

Controlled Throw Style (Phil Taylor)

Pause is slightly longer: 0.5-0.7 seconds

Very deliberate but not long

Entire sequence is measured: Raise-pause-throw happens in 2-3 seconds

The pause creates consistency: Same timing every throw for 30 years

Slow Methodical Style (Some Players)

Pause is longer: 0.7-1 second

Risk: Too long creates tension

Works if: Player can maintain relaxation during longer pause

My take: Harder to execute consistently. Shorter is better.

Regardless of style: The pause is there.

The Bottom Line

The pause is a confirmation checkpoint, not aiming time.

It creates:

Consistent starting position for your throw
Separation between setup phase and execution phase
Lock-in confirmation before committing
Rhythm and timing

Your brain wants to skip it because:

Old pattern doesn't have one (path interception)
Feels like hesitation
Impatience to see result
Misconception that pause = aiming

Add it with a route-around:

Count 1-2-3 (raise-pause-throw)
Touch reference point at setup
Breath control (inhale-hold-exhale)
Exaggerate then normalize

Duration: 0.3-0.7 seconds

What to do during pause: Confirm you're locked in. That's it. Don't aim, don't adjust, don't think.

Drill it: 1000+ throws with deliberate pause. Needs to become automatic.

Every pro pauses. You should too.

Struggling to find the right setup position to pause at? Check out our guide on Photo 1 vs Photo 2 and why your setup position matters.

Want to understand the complete throw sequence? See our guide on aiming before you setup.