Stew Smith

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. If you are interested in starting a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle - check out the Military.com Fitness eBook store and the Stew Smith article archive at Military.com. Contact Stew with your comments and questions.

Email: stew@stewsmith.com

Latest Articles

Marines exercise during a High Intensity Tactical Training session led by Force Fitness instructor, Sgt. Jared Skelley. Photo by Sgt. Brittney Vella.

Phase One of Tactical Fitness: Candidate/Recruit Preparation

Col. Craig C. Peters, commander of the 911th Airlift Wing, serves the December holiday meal to Maj. Tina Burr (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joseph E. Bridge).

How to Lose Weight During the Holiday Season

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert, gives his top tips on how to lose weight (or not ga...

Ask Stew: Finding Peak Performance

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert, answers a question from a reader about how to consi...

Top 5 Ways to De-Stress Your Way to a Healthier Life

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert, gives his top ten ways you can de-stress your life....

Senior leaders of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade participated in the Army Combat Fitness Test (Photo Credit: 1st Lt. Verniccia Janet Ford (101st Airborne))

When Your Workout Becomes Your Warmup

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert's workout of the week.

Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUDs) students participate in Surf Passage at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. Surf Passage is one of many physically demanding evolutions that are a part of the first phase of SEAL training. Navy SEALs are the maritime component of U.S. Special Forces and are trained to conduct a variety of operations from the sea, air and land. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael Russell.

Ask Stew: The Road from USMC to Navy SEAL BUD/S

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert, answers a question from a reader about how to enter...

Nicole Goss, trainer at the JBER-Elmendorf Fitness Center, offers tips on setting SMART fitness goals and staying motivated (Photo by: Nicole Goss).

How to Accomplish Any Goal with an Action Plan

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert, gives his advice on how to achieve any goal by deve...

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Brandon Stout, 28th Civil Engineer Squadron fire and emergency services driver operator, performs pull-ups at the fire station on Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Jan. 8, 2013. Stout devotes two hours a day to a strict weight lifting regiment and diet which has helped him achieve the top ranking in the 165 pound junior and open divisions for power lifting tournaments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zachary Hada/Released)

Workout of the Week: Tough Upper Body Workout With a Good Balance

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert's workout of the week.

Ask Stew: Swimming for Special Ops

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert, answers a question from a reader about how to incre...

Pvt. Michelle Strang, a supply specialist with HHC, 1st ABCT, 1st Cav. Div., pushes herself through the 100 m "burpee" broad jump during the Iron Hammer Challenge Dec. 10 at Fort Hood, Texas. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Christopher Dennis, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs, 1st Cav. Div.) (Photo Credit: Sgt. Christopher Dennis)

Workout of the Week: Spartan 300 Workout

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL and Military.com's tactical fitness expert's workout of the week.

Rebecca Frye, a military spouse, competes in the swim portion of the Travis Triathlon at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., July 15, 2017. Over 25 participants competed in the triathlon which consisted of a 400 meter swim, 12 mile bike ride and a 5K run. (U.S. Air Force photo by Louis Briscese)

Favorite Workout of the Month: Special Ops Triathlon Plus Mystery PT

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert, favorite workout of the month.

Senior Airman Terrence Ruffin, 16th Electronic Warfare Squadron, lifts 25-pound dumbbells at the fitness center on Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. In November, the Airman became the youngest professional bodybuilder on the circuit at age 21. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Ask Stew: How to Build Rest into Your Workouts

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert, gives his advice on how to properly incorporate res...

III Marine Expeditionary Force Marines perform burpees during a Force Fitness Instructor (FFI) course July 31, 2018 at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan. Marines participating are required to lead physical training exercises to demonstrate the various exercise techniques they’ve learned during the six-week course. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Kindo Go)

Proven Methods to Rebuild Your Fitness Habit

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert, gives his proven tips on how to rebuild your fitnes...

Ask Stew: How to Train When Missing Sleep

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert, details how to train when you work long hours and h...

Why Diets Fail and How to Achieve Your Fitness Goals

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert, gives the low-down on diets and nutrition.

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November is Military Family Appreciation Month

Throughout the month, military families are honored and recognized for their commitment and contributions in support of our military and nation.

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Most Popular Military News

Chief Special Warfare Operator Edward Gallagher (Image: LinkedIn)

SEAL Allegedly Shot Non-Combatants, Held Reenlistment Ceremony with Corpse

A Navy SEAL who allegedly stabbed a wounded ISIS fighter to death last year is also accused of shooting two noncombatants.

Army Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar (Army Photo)

SEALs, Marines Charged in Strangling Murder of Green Beret in Mali

The charges against the four individuals were finalized yesterday, according to a release from Navy Region Mid-Atlantic.

Capt. John Graziano was killed Nov. 13, 2018 in a T-38 Talon crash. (Air Force via Facebook)

Air Force Identifies Pilots Killed, Injured in Latest T-38 Trainer Crash

The crash was the 5th in 12 months involving a T-38.

U.S. Army Green Berets carry a zodiac boat uphill prior to executing boat carries during a company team-building event on Oct. 30, 2018, Fort Carson, Colorado. (U.S. Army/Sgt. Connor Mendez)

First Woman Passes Army Special Forces Selection Process

A female soldier has made it through the selection process required for the U.S. Army Special Forces Qualification Course.

Emergency responders move equipment across Route 21 in Port Wentworth, Georgia, where a WC-130 cargo plane from the Puerto Rico Air National Guard crashed on May 2. The plane was on its way to Tuscon, Arizona, where it was to be decommissioned. All nine people on board were killed. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Maintenance Errors Preceded Horrific WC-130 Crash That Killed 9

Engine and maintenance issues documented in the aging aircraft raise more questions about the cause of the May 2 mishap.

Latest Military Videos

Army News

Under Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy shakes the hand of JROTC Cadet Gabrile Queslati during an Oct. 30 recruiting trip to Philadelphia. From the far left are Cadet Adam McAvoy, Cadet Jori Lemay, Cadet Aerron McKnight and Cadet Dominic Brown. (US Army photo/Beth Smith)

Facing Recruiting Shortfall, Army Brass Hit the Road in Search of New Warriors

The Army is targeting 22 major cities in an attempt to strengthen the service's connection with the American public.

The three Green Berets killed in Jordan were identified as Staff Sgts. Matthew Lewellen, Kevin McEnroe and James Moriarty. (Photos courtesy U.S. Army)

Fathers of 3 Green Berets Killed in Jordan File Lawsuit Alleging Cover-Up

The fathers of three U.S. troops killed in Jordan compared the deaths of their sons to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

$699 Million Fort Bragg Construction Planned over 6 Years

Fort Bragg officials said there is no end in sight for growth at the nation's largest military installation.

Navy News

FILE - In this July 12, 2018 file photo, Navy Secretary Richard Spencer delivers a speech during a re-dedication ceremony for the USS John S. McCain at the U.S. Naval base in Yokosuka, southwest of Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

Judge Allows Class-Action Lawsuit by Mentally Ill Veterans

Thousands of vets of recent war who developed PTSD but were denied VA benefits were given a green light to sue the military.

Sailors perform a countermeasure washdown on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) during sea trials, May 12, 2018. (U.S. Navy photo/Kenneth Abbate)

Petty Officer Gets 2-Year Sentence After Assaulting Sailor, Strangling Civilian

A USS Ronald Reagan aviation ordnanceman has been sentenced to two years in prison.

The Thresher (SSN 593) is launched at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine on July 9, 1960. (US Navy photo courtesy of Naval History and Heritage Command)

Senators Push for USS Thresher Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery

USS Thresher sank off the coast of New England April 10, 1963. The submarine was built at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

Air Force News

U.S. Air Force Academy cadets salute during a commencement ceremony in Colorado Springs. One cadet faces a court-martial for using cocaine and lying about it to investigators. (Getty Images)

Air Force Academy Cadet Accused of Cocaine Use Faces Court-martial

Junior cadet and football recruit Ethan Walton faces a maximum sentence of five years for the drug charge.

Aircrew and support from the 146th Airlift Wing at Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, California accomplished 4 retardant drops between November 13-14, 2018 over the Woolsey Fire. (California Air National Guard/ Staff Sgt. Nicole Wright)

California Air National Guard Units Called In to Fight Wildfires

The California Air National Guard is assisting in firefighting efforts across the state as citizens flee two wildfires.

An F-35 Lightning II from the 34th Fighter Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, lands at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, April 19, 2017. (U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Emerson Nunez)

F-35 Tests Out Tech that Keeps Pilots from Crashing Into the Ground

A technology that can help prevent pilots from colliding with the ground has begun its initial testing on the F-35 JSF.

Marine Corps News

Pastor Frank Pomeroy hugs his wife Sherri near his First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs on November 6, 2017 in Sutherland Springs, Texas. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) -- Getty Images

Marines Hope to Prevent Mass Shootings by Stressing FBI Reporting

The Marine Corps recently put out a message to ensure that commanders report "criminal justice information" to the FBI.

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump visit with Marines at the Marine Barracks Washington, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump Visits Marines, Talks at Veterans' Event

The president and first lady Melania Trump spent about 40 minutes at the Washington, D.C. Marine Barracks compound.

Homeless veteran Johnny Bobbitt Jr. (left) stands next to Kate McClure in Philadelphia on Nov. 17, with her boyfriend Mark D'Amico standing behind them. (Elizabeth Robertson/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

Couple, Homeless Marine Vet Charged in Charitable Scam

A tale of a homeless man using his last $20 to help a stranded woman buy gas was a complete lie, a prosecutor said.

Coast Guard News

The Coast Guard has seized 18.5 tons of cocaine from 15 drug-smuggling boats off the coasts of Mexico, Central America and South America, with help from other law enforcement agencies. (US Coast Guard photo via Fox News)

Multi-agency Drug Sweep Nets 49 Arrests, $500M in Cocaine: Coast Guard

The Coast Guard seized 226 tons of cocaine last year and brought in 708 suspected drug smugglers.

A pallet of interdicted cocaine is offloaded from the Coast Guard Cutter James (WMSL-754) by crane Nov. 15, 2018 in Port Everglades, Florida. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Brandon Murray)

$500 Million of Cocaine Seized by Coast Guard Delivered to Port Everglades

The U.S. Coast Guard unloaded about 18.5 tons of cocaine, seized in international waters in a series of interdictions.

In this July of 1999 file photo, a freighter is silhouetted in Lake Superior near Whitefish Point, Mich. The U.S. Senate has approved a new policy on ships that dump ballast water in coastal ports and the Great Lakes, a practice blamed for spreading invasive species that damage the environment and the economy. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Senate OKs Coast Guard Bill with Ballast Water Compromise

The plan, part of a $10.6 billion Coast Guard budget authorization bill, includes provisions sought by environmentalists.