Nutrisystem Team Leader: keep those questions coming!

To the Nutrisystem Perfect Pushup team leader Tom – like the motivation and particularly like the detailed e-mail – thanks.

To your points:

a. The “0” level (i.e. can’t do a pushup starting workout) is 4, 3, 2, 1 on your knees – if this phrase “*on your knees” or “*knee pushups” isn’t written under the numbers 4,3,2,1 then you have a faulty chart – let me know ASAP [at mystory@perfectpushup.com] and I’ll get you another one – also, check out perfectpushup.com/workouts and you’ll find the correctly stated workout for the starting level of “0” – to perform proper knee pushups see the chart.

b. The “10” level on the chart does ask you to do a total of 20 pushups – what gives? Great question – here’s why – the idea is to get you to do 80% of your max on the first rep – after that, I want you to exhaust your muscles to force you to your knees. Everyone thinks that Pushups only count if your knees don’t touch the ground – NEGATIVE – this rule only applies when you’re conducting your one set Max. The concept is to push your muscles to total exhaustion and to get you to total exhaustion I use time and twice your max number of repetitions to compel you to go to your knees.

If you’re not ending the last sets of your pushups on your knees then you’re not pushing yourself, and if you’re not pushing yourself then you won’t get maximum gains, and if you don’t get gains then sooner or later you’ll give up – and that’s the last thing I want anyone to do. I realize this is a fine line – make it too hard and the workout will scare folks off – make it too easy it’ll they complain that they are not getting the results they deserve. Coming from SEAL Team, I’ll err on the side of making things harder – I know level “50” gives you only 4 seconds of rest – but that’s the point – I don’t want level “50” to be easily achieved – it can be done, but it takes time and a whole lot of practice on your knees!

c. All this said, if you feel I haven’t stated the importance of conducting your final sets of pushups on your knees then I will definitely edit the chart to articulate it more clearly – it’s this kind of feedback that helps us help teammates all over the world better themselves, and this is exactly why I started this company – thanks for the feedback – you’ll be receiving our latest Power 10 Advanced DVD and Workout cards (these about to go to print so you’ll get’em in about 6 wks) - keep the feedback coming!

CHARLIE MIKE – ALDEN