Muscles memory serves a very valuable function, as you might imagine.  If we had to concentrate on every activity that involved movements and the muscles – sitting, brushing hair, putting pressure on the gas pedal of the car, typing on the computer – our brains would probably be in overload every minute of the day.  But at the same time, this muscle memory is a real impediment when it comes to learning new things.  Think of how difficult it might be to move to a country where you had to drive on the other side of the road and so your car’s equipment was now switched!  Your one foot would automatically reach for the proper pedal and hit nothingness while your hands struggled to find the turn indicator, wipers, radio, and so on.

If you’re aware of what you’re fighting, you’ll be much more successful in that fight.  Understanding how muscle memory works and what you’re up against will help you to overcome it.  When you feel yourself doing something automatically and without much thought, you know it’s the muscle memory kicking in and you can resist it.