I had a client say to me the other day, "I appreciate you telling me the same thing week in and week out and not getting frustrated with me."
I actually laughed a little, because it's nice to have a client who is struggling with some technique changes recognize that I am in fact telling him the same thing over and over each week, and slightly tweaking it each time in hopes that something clicks.
So, whether you are learning how to improve your technique on your own, or are being coached through it, or are doing the coaching, listen up...
IT'S A PROCESS.
Do some quick math - how many squat reps have you done in your life? Let's say conservatively its 3 years of training x 2 squat sessions a week x 30 reps a session including warm ups.
3 years x 52 weeks x 30 reps x 2 a week = 9,360 REPS
Now, how many good reps would you expect it to take to unlearn the habits of those 9360 reps? I don't have an answer, but it's more than one session, and its more than one training cycle.
Lifters - you MUST learn to be patient with yourself while still holding yourself accountable.
That means getting under the bar and treating 135 like its your squat PR.
That also means when you fuck up something on your top set, that you're not a total failure.
Coaches - you MUST practice patience, communication, and honest feedback.
You can't hammer clients for every little thing they're doing wrong - a mistake I made early on. Don't let perfection be the enemy of good.
You also can't let shit slide - point out a mistake, but also show them how far they've come, and direct their focus to what needs to happen right now, and going into the next training session.
And don't forget, we all need a compliment every now and then.
