Too true.
kinesthetic memory is very very specific. That's why most martial arts drills are useless, for example, if someone does something even a little different.
they are located in the hindbrain (thalamus from memory) and are just a few ganglions in size, smaller than the head of a pin. If it gets destroyed for some reason, then that skill can never be relearned. At least in rats.
Anyway:
To correct pronunciation I try to use words they cannot have heard of (archaic and obscure words for example), so they don't have a habit. They cannot learn that apple is not appoe. So, I use something else such as grapple make them practice it until they can, and then try to relate it back.
So far, I can get them to say L at the end of words, and other things supposedly difficult, but it is very hard to break the habit such as appoe or 'der' instead of 'the' etc. I then use peer pressure for that. This works reasonably well, but takes some time and needs careful attention to training the students to watch for errors in each other, using things like sound and visual cues, and get them to correct each other It is especially difficult to get them to enjoy correcting each other so there is an appreciable progression, which then spurs them to try harder.
But it works.