“Zero. I never used to practise” - Michael van Gerwen makes remarkable admission during his first online stream

Michael van Gerwen has revealed that he barely practised during the years in which he dominated world darts, making the remarkable admission during his first online livestream as he outlined his determination to fight his way back to the top.

The three-time world champion broadcast from his own practice room, throwing darts while answering questions from supporters about his form, training routine, recent Czech Darts Open semi-final and what he described as a difficult last 18 months.

For Van Gerwen, the new format took some getting used to. “Now, this is all new for me. I'm a little bit nervous, to be fair, but it's a nice incentive to start practising for me and getting some interaction with the fans,” he admitted while trying to get to grips with the various screens and technical equipment.

The nerves did not disappear as the stream continued either. “I'm more nervous for this than I'm playing at Ally Pally. Serious. How can that happen? It's a bit crazy.”

Trying to follow the rapidly moving chat while practising proved another challenge. “Seriously, guys, if you see how quickly this goes, it's absolutely ridiculous,” Van Gerwen said. “Sometimes for me it's also difficult to keep concentrating on the screen and on the dartboard, so I need to find the right balance.”

The standout admission arrived when Van Gerwen was asked how much he practised during his prime. “You really want to know? Zero. I never used to practise because I played a lot of tournaments.”

His situation is very different now. After a turbulent period on and off the oche, Van Gerwen believes more work is required to restore the consistency that once made him the dominant force in the sport.

“But when you're in less good form, you simply have to work harder. That's how it is. Simple,” he continued. “And of course we all know I had a tough, tough time in the last 18 months, but now I need to make sure I get back on the ball.”

Van Gerwen later returned to the same subject when discussing how long he intends to continue playing professionally. “I've had a really tough 18 months, like everyone knows, but more importantly I still love and enjoy what I do. I think that's the most important thing. That's key. From now I want to move on. I want to keep investing time in myself to do things like this and then move up again instead of downwards. So there's a lot of work to do, but I never mind working for something.”

Consistency is now the priority. “For me now, the most important thing, guys, is get back on the practice board, get consistent again. Of course I still have sometimes good games, but it's too many ups and downs. So that's why I need to make sure I keep making my hours and everything.”

Van Gerwen intends to use the streams partly as an incentive to keep doing exactly that. “However bad it is, I want to take you guys on the journey and I'm going to do everything to make sure I'm going to climb to the top again.”

Although Van Gerwen may not have practised much during his dominant years, he explained that preparation before matches can still involve lengthy spells at the board. “You guys don't know, but before a game, before a tournament, probably most of us practise for two, two and a half hours easily. Most players go to the venue like three hours before. That's why, when I start practising, I mostly just start loosening up a little bit. I think that's the easiest thing.”

His favourite practice game is 121. “My favourite practice game is 121. I like it a lot. I play it with most of the players. I think that's an easy game to play. You don't have to think a lot and you can just move on.”

Vincent van der Voort has also given his close friend another routine based around finishing. “What I do most of the time is around the doubles, or what Vincent tells me: start on 51 to 60. That's ten goes and you need to hit a minimum seven of the ten finishes. Then when you did that, you go from 61 to 70 and then keep going on. It's not easy, but you need to keep battling to make sure you keep focusing, because that's always the point. Just throwing darts at the dartboard, everyone can do that, but not everyone can do this.”

Van Gerwen also stressed the importance of practising situations that actually decide matches. “More importantly, you need to hit the right scoring at the right moments and you need to do the right finishing at that moment. That's how you win games. That's where you need to make sure you keep practising, but don't only practise. Keep repeating it daily.”

Van der Voort could soon join him on stream. “I think I'm going to stream with Vincent next week, guys. I need to ask if he is free,” Van Gerwen said.

Earlier in the broadcast he had added: “Vincent is playing table tennis tonight, guys. Vincent is a friend and he said that he couldn't watch, but I'm going to ask him to come next week to join me and we can have a bit of banter, a bit of practice.”

Van Gerwen also looked back on his recent Czech Darts Open campaign in Prague, where he reached the semi-finals before being beaten by Luke Littler. “I enjoyed Prague a lot. I had a decent tournament. I didn't play well against Luke, but Luke played out of his skin. But I still think it was a good result. It was a nice step upwards again. Semi-final, not a bad result, but of course you always want more.”

Equipment was another major topic during the stream. Van Gerwen revealed that his dart points protrude around 28 millimetres and dismissed the need for heavily gripped points.

“A lot of people also play with grip points, but I think it's absolutely nonsense because if you look at Littler's points, they're not really big grip points. Taylor and myself and Bristow, for me the best dart players ever lived, played with quite normal points. So I don't know why people play with the grippy points. You don't need it at all if you play on a good board.”

Despite the growth of integrated flight and shaft systems, Van Gerwen remains relatively traditional with his own setup. “I'm always a little bit old-fashioned. I don't mind a nylon shaft and just a normal, regular old-style flight. That's my preference anyway at the moment.”

New Van Gerwen darts are nevertheless on the way after a recent visit to the Winmau factory.

“The big new range coming soon, guys. Seriously, I was at the Winmau factory the other day and it's a couple of really good sets. One of the sets is this. I'm going to show you. You can't really see it, they need to zoom in better, but I've been testing them as well. I played with them last week. But sometimes when you're not 100 per cent focused, you'd better go back to the basics and move on from there to make some more steps.”

Asked to pick the best match he has ever played, Van Gerwen pointed to his famous World Championship clash with Raymond van Barneveld. “I think it's my game against Raymond van Barneveld in the World Championship when I threw a 114 average and Raymond lost with the highest average in the World Championship ever, I think, 109.”

George Noble and Russ Bray were his choices when asked to name his favourite 180 callers. “Two, to be fair: George Noble, because he is a friend of mine, and Russ Bray, because I've known them guys for years. They've been so good for the sport.”

A book about Van Gerwen's career has also already been discussed. “They've been in contact with me already a few times, but I think it's too early. My book is going to be very big.”

There is no retirement date in mind either. “Till what age do I want to be on the PDC? Until I've had enough, of course.”

Van Gerwen was also questioned about the dramatic physical transformation he has undergone. “How much weight did I lose? 28 kilos.”

Changing his eating habits has played a major part. “I used to always eat after the darts when I went back. I used to eat badly all the time. I never do it anymore.”

He followed that explanation with a joke about his recent divorce. “And guys, to lose weight, very good, very good. I have some very good advice: just divorce. That's so much stress. Doesn't matter. Easy.”

Beer has never been part of Van Gerwen's diet either. “I don't mind a good glass of wine, guys. I never drink beer in my life. It's disgusting. But a good glass of wine, especially with a nice dinner when you're with friends and things like that, I think it's really nice.”

Life as a professional player brings another physical demand through the amount of travelling required. “When you're a lot on the road, guys, don't get me wrong, it costs a lot of energy, a lot of travel time, a lot of waiting time around airports, everywhere. Even just calculate the time I stood at the check-in desk at a hotel, things like that. People underestimate my travel.”

His recent schedule offered a particularly stark example. “In the last two weeks I slept in ten different beds or something. It's weird sometimes.”

Van Gerwen wants to stream more frequently but will fit it around his professional and family commitments. “But I also have kids. I also have a private life. So I need to try to find a good combination so everything works out the best for everyone.”

The livestream itself is intended to become a mixture of practice and interaction rather than simply Van Gerwen throwing alone at the board. “Darts has always been a sport where you could interact with the people you like closely. In what other sport can you get so close to the fans or with players, or do this? You can't see it anywhere.”

Van Gerwen plans to bring guests into the practice room in future, with Van der Voort already targeted for a forthcoming appearance. He also called German entertainer Knossi during the broadcast and told him: “You have to come in the stream with me one day.”

“Every time is going to be different. Then I'm going to practise more, then I'm going to have more fun. It's a combination of practice, talking to you guys, getting close to the fans. That's my goal. And I have to practise anyway, so I'll get you on my journey.”

The questions also moved back to his tournament schedule. Van Gerwen confirmed his intention to compete on home soil in Maastricht.

“Yes, I will be playing in the Euro Tour in Holland. The Euro Tour in Holland is in Maastricht. The last time I was there, it was a long time ago. I've won over there. So no, I like it. Close to home, why not? It would be really weird if I wouldn't go.”

Niko Springer was among the players put to Van Gerwen during the stream. “Someone's asking me now about Niko Springer. If you look at what he's able to do, I think he's a very good player. But I think all the German players are strong enough at the moment.”

He also referenced the pressure Max Hopp has faced throughout his career. “Max is starting to play a bit better. In Germany there's so much pressure on his shoulders from the beginning of his career. It's ridiculous.”

One of the more personal exchanges came when a viewer told Van Gerwen that he looked depressed. “I don't look depressed now, do I? Everyone is sometimes depressed. Things happen in life and you have to move on.”

Van Gerwen then offered a simple assessment of the position he finds himself in after his difficult spell. “Everyone falls down the ladder sometimes, but make sure you run it up again.”

For Van Gerwen, that climb now means more hours on the practice board, greater consistency and further livestreams as he attempts to build on his recent semi-final run in Prague and move back towards the level that once made him the dominant player in world darts.