diff --git a/hydrogym/core.py b/hydrogym/core.py
index ed58e2b..9b9eee1 100644
--- a/hydrogym/core.py
+++ b/hydrogym/core.py
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@ class PDEBase(metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
     any information about solving the time-varying equations
     """
 
-  MAX_CONTROL = np.inf
+  # MAX_CONTROL = np.inf
+  MAX_CONTROL_LOW = -np.inf
+  MAX_CONTROL_UP = np.inf
   DEFAULT_MESH = ""
   DEFAULT_DT = np.inf
 
@@ -406,8 +408,8 @@ def __init__(self, env_config: dict):
         dtype=float,
     )
     self.action_space = gym.spaces.Box(
-        low=-self.flow.MAX_CONTROL,
-        high=self.flow.MAX_CONTROL,
+        low=self.flow.MAX_CONTROL_LOW,
+        high=self.flow.MAX_CONTROL_UP,
         shape=(self.flow.num_inputs,),
         dtype=float,
     )
diff --git a/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/cavity/flow.py b/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/cavity/flow.py
index 9fe0251..b5caa7c 100644
--- a/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/cavity/flow.py
+++ b/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/cavity/flow.py
@@ -41,8 +41,9 @@ class Cavity(FlowConfig):
   FUNCTIONS = ("q", "qB"
               )  # This flow needs a base flow to compute fluctuation KE
 
-  MAX_CONTROL = 1.0
-  CONTROL_SCALING = 0.1
+  MAX_CONTROL_LOW = 0.0
+  MAX_CONTROL_UP = 0.03
+  CONTROL_SCALING = 1.0
   TAU = 0.075  # Time constant for controller damping (0.01*instability frequency)
 
   # Domain labels
diff --git a/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/cylinder/flow.py b/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/cylinder/flow.py
index b842176..c58bbf6 100644
--- a/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/cylinder/flow.py
+++ b/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/cylinder/flow.py
@@ -232,7 +232,8 @@ def render(self, mode="human", clim=None, levels=None, cmap="RdBu", **kwargs):
 
 
 class RotaryCylinder(CylinderBase):
-  MAX_CONTROL = 1.0
+  MAX_CONTROL_LOW = -1.0
+  MAX_CONTROL_UP = 1.0
   CONTROL_SCALING = 5.0
   DEFAULT_DT = 1e-2
 
@@ -246,7 +247,8 @@ def cyl_velocity_field(self):
 
 
 class Cylinder(CylinderBase):
-  MAX_CONTROL = 0.1
+  MAX_CONTROL_LOW = -0.1
+  MAX_CONTROL_UP = 0.1
   CONTROL_SCALING = 1.0
   DEFAULT_DT = 1e-2
 
diff --git a/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/pinball/flow.py b/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/pinball/flow.py
index c29b602..8319d40 100644
--- a/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/pinball/flow.py
+++ b/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/pinball/flow.py
@@ -58,10 +58,11 @@ class Pinball(FlowConfig):
   x0 = [0.0, rad * 1.5 * 1.866, rad * 1.5 * 1.866]
   y0 = [0.0, 1.5 * rad, -1.5 * rad]
 
-  MAX_CONTROL = 1.0 #0.5 * np.pi
+  MAX_CONTROL_LOW = -1.0
+  MAX_CONTROL_UP = 1.0
   CONTROL_SCALING = 5.0
-  # TAU = 0.5  # TODO: Tune this based on vortex shedding period
-  TAU = 0.04  # Time constant for controller damping (0.01*vortex shedding period)
+  TAU = 0.5  # TODO: Tune this based on vortex shedding period
+  # TAU = 0.04  # Time constant for controller damping (0.01*vortex shedding period)
 
   MESH_DIR = os.path.abspath(f"{__file__}/..")
 
@@ -155,7 +156,8 @@ def evaluate_objective(self, q: fd.Function = None, averaged_objective_values=No
     else:
         CL, CD = averaged_objective_values[:3], averaged_objective_values[3:]
     # print('pinball lambda', self.reward_lambda, CD, sum(np.square(CD)), flush=True)
-    return sum(np.square(CD)) + self.reward_lambda * sum(np.square(CL))
+    # return sum(np.square(CD)) + self.reward_lambda * sum(np.square(CL))
+    return sum(CD)
     # return -(1.5 - (sum(CD) + self.reward_lambda * np.abs(sum(CL))))
 
   def render(self, mode="human", clim=None, levels=None, cmap="RdBu", **kwargs):
diff --git a/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/step/flow.py b/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/step/flow.py
index 713afde..4b9ed26 100644
--- a/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/step/flow.py
+++ b/hydrogym/firedrake/envs/step/flow.py
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ class Step(FlowConfig):
   FUNCTIONS = ("q", "qB"
               )  # This flow needs a base flow to compute fluctuation KE
 
-  MAX_CONTROL = 1.0
+  MAX_CONTROL_LOW = -1.0
+  MAX_CONTROL_UP = 1.0
   CONTROL_SCALING = 0.1  # Arbitrary... should tune this
   TAU = 0.005  # Time constant for controller damping (0.01*instability frequency)
 
diff --git a/hydrogym/firedrake/flow.py b/hydrogym/firedrake/flow.py
index cdf1e81..95441a8 100644
--- a/hydrogym/firedrake/flow.py
+++ b/hydrogym/firedrake/flow.py
@@ -315,8 +315,8 @@ def set_control(self, act: ArrayLike = None):
 
       if hasattr(self, "bcu_actuation"):
         for i in range(self.num_inputs):
-          u = np.clip(self.actuators[i].state, -self.MAX_CONTROL,
-                      self.MAX_CONTROL)
+          u = np.clip(self.actuators[i].state, self.MAX_CONTROL_LOW,
+                      self.MAX_CONTROL_UP)
           self.bcu_actuation[i].set_scale(u)
 
   def inner_product(