If you use calisthenics regularly, should you pretty much always stop at the last rep where you can hold your form, or should you maybe once in a while push to the point where you have to wiggle, kick, spit and cuss to get the last reps out.

Let's say in a chinup I can do 8 with perfect form, though the 8th is slow and tough, but I could get another 2 out and make it ten with a little kip and cursing--should I ever do that, or is it counterproductive? Or lets say I can do 30 perfect pushups--same deal, I could do 40 if I allowd a little wave in my body to help whip me up. Should I always, sometimes, or never push this far?

Thanks--and even if it is a stupid question, I'd really like an answer .

Dave

My experience is that your 'growth' comes from that last few where you have to push for it, the first ones are warmups. You will be static and never improve if you don't push for a little bit more.