been flying acro mode for about 6 months now mostly on a 5inch freestyle quad. i can do the basic stuff, split s, rolls, big looping lines, holding a dive and pulling out. but i feel like im just doing the same moves over and over and not actually getting better. my footage is okay but its not the kind of thing i'd want to show anyone.

part of the problem might be that i learned a lot on simulators (liftoff mostly) and i wonder if my muscle memory is kinda stuck in sim mode where you can be a little sloppy because there are no real consequences. not sure what to actually practice to break out of this. someone told me to fly slower which sounds boring but maybe theres something to it

the slow flying advice is real, i resisted it for ages too. flying slow in acro is actually harder than going fast because you cant use momentum to cover up input errors. try doing figure 8s at like walking pace and keeping them perfectly level ? sounds dumb but it will immediately show you where your coordination is sloppy. the inputs feel totally different when you remove speed from the equation.

also if you're not already flying with someone better than you, find a way to do that. doesnt even have to be in person, just having another pilot critique your DVR footage is huge. i thought i was doing clean power loops until someone pointed out i was consistently over-rotating on the pull and losing altitude every time. couldnt see it myself at all.

liftoff is fine but yeah the physics feel slightly forgiving compared to a real 5inch on a windy day. have you tried just flying in windier conditions on purpose? not like dangerous but like go out when its 12-15mph and force yourself to fly smooth lines. it basically forces you to anticipate and lead your inputs instead of just reacting. my flying got noticeably better after a few sessions doing that, felt awful at the time though lol