I've actually started to disc back up progressively and have been gaining strokes and consistency. However, by discing down I've improved my game and accuracy with all discs that I throw so that since I've disced up, I have a better understanding on how to use all my discs. Discing down is a learning tool, and knowing when to disc back up isn't based on distance but on yourself and knowing your limitations. I've started discing up, and also stopped mold minimizing. I've thoroughly enjoyed mold minimizing, it's taught me a lot about how discs wear and how to create lines with discs that aren't generally thrown for that type of shot. I've started to fill the slots with discs that may overlap slightly, but are more utilities around my core bag. Additions like Z Nuke, 150 Z Flick, Teebirds/Leopard, and for windy days an ESP Force.
It's just like any drill, there are people that try to argue with the Dan Beto video saying that's not how you actually throw. It's to be use as a drill, just like the hammer pound, discing down, and mold minimizing. Discing down is effectively a way of making yourself push every disc you throw to it's potential, and teaching you about stability and flight characteristics. You cannot learn all of this if you aren't able to throw the discs to their potential, so throwing faster discs than you can handle doesn't teach you anything about the flight characteristics of discs. That is why discing down is a drill, and not so much end-all tournament practice.
side note: I can comfortably say that through discing down and my understanding of discs now, I could put together a bag of discs I've never thrown, or thrown very little, and within a round be able to score quite well with the new bag. Most people cannot say that, they know their discs only and are lost when they lose their favorite disc.
Since I've already mentioned mold minimizing, I'll go into that a little. Think of mold minimizing as brand loyalty. Every shot is covered by the major brands, but sticking to just one brand is limiting yourself. Why drive with an aviar if you are more comfortable driving with a wizard or an ion. A Comet might be better complimented by a Roc than a Hornet, both are more overstable counterparts and can essentially do the same thing (when new). The Roc throws more like a Comet though, whereas a Hornet is more driver like. Changing how you throw discs back and forth can lead to inconsistency and even mess with your head game due to confidence in your shots. By mold minimizing (or in this example, brand loyalty), you are learning how to throw different lines with the same disc. I could hand you a new KC Pro Roc, a Buzzz, and a Fuse. Between these three mid ranges, almost all shots could be made. None are the same brand, and none throw the same. If you don't know how to throw each individually, your consistency will not be the same as if I were to hand you a new KC Pro Roc, a beat DX Roc, and a thrashed to hell DX Roc. The Roc would need to be thrown higher, more like a putter. The buzzz is very driver like and can be thrown at low height, but can stall out and not glide as much as the roc or fuse. The Fuse is almost a mix between the two, it is lower profile and can be throw lower, but also reacts very well to high spin glide shots that older discs like the Roc and Comet do very well with. In essence, you may be able to throw every shot with a gator, a roc, and a mako, but that doesn't mean you would do the best and be the most consistent by using only Innova midranges.
/end long post
(I know this thread has pretty much turned into spam, but I wanted to type it all out anyway)
