The goal of almost any bodyweight training program is to increase the number of repetitions you are capable of performing in any given movement. Either in a single set. In multiple sets. Or in a given period of time.
A good goal to have.
However it’s important to remember; more and more reps does not necessarily mean more and more work. And really it is the latter we are after.
Here is a quick experiment to showcase what I mean:
Perform 10 push ups as fast as you can
Rest for a several minutes or longer
Perform 5 push ups holding the bottom of each rep for 10 seconds
You will soon discover the latter requires a lot more ‘work’ despite requiring fewer total repetitions (as I’ve written about before this type of tactical pause is a great way to increase the difficulty of bodyweight exercises!)
Simple takeaway then:
Muscles ‘work’ throughout a repetition. Not just upon completion of a repetition.
So if measuring reps is your barometer of progress make sure the speed of movement remains consistent. Otherwise your performance data is rendered all but meaningless.