Stick time is the key for me. At the field is of course the best but the sim will keep the rust off. It really boils down to the maneuver becoming natural. If you have to think about it it's to late. It's like when you first learned to fly. Most guys get the AILE back wards when the plane is coming to them. At first you have to remember the old trick off the stick propping the low wing up. After a while it comes naturally to you and your ready to land. Next comes knife edge then inverted flying and so on and so on etc etc etc.....
As far as next year I have hit a wall with the equipment I have. I am going to try and go bigger. I have a 1/4 scale but the wing loading is a little high. I have not decided on the plane yet but that is the next step up the ladder.
I should also say that a SPAD3D helped me more than the SIM. A SPAD3D flys on the prop 90% of the time. These are great for learning rudder and throttle control. Two key things in 3D. I went through a lot of props(one every flight at first) but the hands on time with a SPAD did accelerate my learning curve. Mostly on things like hovering,torque rolling, and harriers. They look like a turd and fly sport like a turd but can't be beat for teaching your left thumb what to do.

David