Cheating in workout??

I am always amused at how often master's swimmers will take individual liberties in workout to suit their own needs. For example: * Swimming free instead of breaststroke or the stroke prescribed by the coach. * One handed turns on *** and fly. * Cutting corners to stay up with the lane * Using pull gear when it isn't a pull set * Kicking your favorite kick and not the one given by the coach * Leaving 2 seconds behind (more like 2 tenths behind) * Pulling on the lane line * Swimming when it's a kick set * etc... Maybe its all those years of swimming under "do it my way or the highway" type coaches, that I still have a hard time changing anything in the workout. I must admit however that it does feel good once and while to cheat a little. As a coach, I've asked many swimmers as to why they change the set or cheat and I hear a million different excuses. I'm very interested in hearing from all of you, all the excuses you have or have heard from other swimmers. Some of my favorite ones are: * I don't want to get passed!!! * I hate the other strokes? (from a former IM'r) * My tri coach say's I shouldn't swim other strokes