Stew Smith, CSCS®

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 Stew Smith article archive on Military.com. Contact Stew with your comments and questions at stew@stewsmith.com.

Latest Articles

Marines and sailors in blue shirts do pushups in scraggly brown grass.

The Power of the Pushup: Health Improvements Across the Board

While pushups alone won’t save your life, they will always be a solid marker of fitness, health and wellness, and they can...

A soldier does a sandbag lunge while another looks on.

3 Full-Body Sandbag Circuits

Here are three versions of a circuit workout we did last week that simulates load-bearing, equipment carry, and log PT. All...

Ask Stew: How to Gain Pool Skills for Dive School or Rescue Swimmer Prep

Here is a question from a future Navy diver or rescue swimmer who is considering his options and working on becoming better...

Soldiers sprint across an indoor football field.

3 Running Workouts to Help Ace Your Next Fitness Test

Combining Zone 2 running, goal pace running and sprinting in your weekly training plan can be ideal for developing aerobic...

Marines perform kettlebell swings in a gym.

Try This 20-Minute Upper Body Blitz

If you're looking for a fast, effective way to condition your upper body and core, this 20-minute blitz circuit is designed...

Special Forces candidates walk on a dusty road with backpacks and guns.

Ask Stew: Should I Prepare for Military Training Alone or With a Group?

I am joining the Army with the goal of becoming a Special Forces officer. How does training alone differ from training with...

How Tactical Fitness Compares to the GPP/SPP Exercise Models

While GPP/SPP and tactical fitness and strength aim to build a capable athlete, they differ largely in their “why” and “how.”...

Four U.S. soldiers wearing Army PT gear do squats on a soccer field at night.

Leg-Day Workout With Weights, Sandbags and Calisthenics

By stacking variations of the same movement, the squat, with different loading implements, you can target your lower body...

Recruits in swim masks line up in the water to start a timed test.

Ask Stew: Swim Portion of the Air Force Special Warfare Initial Fitness Test (IFT)

The process of taking and performing well on a swimming test in the military requires technique first, conditioning second...

A retiree performs battle ropes in a gym.

The 3 Phases of Fitness Provide a Lifelong Approach to Performance

When it comes to fitness, three phases provide a progressive process to building a lifelong foundation that supports both...

100-Plus Troops and Veterans Ranked These Workouts as Their Top 5

Whether climbing a PT pyramid, swimming, powering through a 5x5 or unwinding with mobility work, these workouts are favorites...

Sailors in a gym do lunges with sandbags.

Ask Stew: When Tired, How to Decide to Work Out vs. Rest

Is your body failing, or is your brain just trying to protect you from discomfort?

At night in silhouette, SEAL candidates carry a log together.

Ask Stew: The Best Recommendation Letters for Military Special Programs

Here is a question from a young OCS-to-BUD/S hopeful concerning the best letters of recommendation to help with the...

A man in a civilian tank top does a pullup.

A Workout for Days When You Have Only 20-30 Minutes to Train

With a well structured workout template that incorporates dynamic warmups, strength training and cardio options, you can...

Careful Out There: The Surprising Health Risks of Shoveling Snow

Shoveling snow might seem like a routine winter task, but it comes with significant risks, especially for older adults and...

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Most Popular Military News

George Foster and a soldier examining Hideki Tojo for his new set of dentures.

This Navy Dentist Engraved 'Remember Pearl Harbor' on Hideki Tojo's Dentures

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Official U.S.M.C. portrait of PFC. Dan Bullock. He altered his birth certificate to appear older and enlisted in the Marines at 14 -years-old. he died in combat at the age of 15 while acting as an ammunition runner for his unit which was under attack. (Wikimedia Commons)

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Investigations and Features

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Marine Corps drill instructors are a national symbol of discipline. But for some, their imposing persona belies a dark...

Army Capt. Jeremy Kuykendall and his wife Kate, cradle their daughter

Unsupervised: Military Child Care Centers Slow to Report Abuse with Little Oversight

A Military.com investigation into military day care centers revealed that service branch rules generally prioritize...

Army News

The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) color guard presents the colors during the official ceremony of the 78th year commemoration of Operation Market Garden at Sint-Oedenrode, Netherlands, Sept. 18, 2022. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Angelo Mejia)

Did Color Guard Appearance at National Religious Conference Break Protocol?

An Army spokesperson told Military.com the event was "nonpartisan," though Defense Secretary Hegseth attacked previous...

Legislaton to rename the Plainfield, Illinois Post Office Building after Staff Sergeant Jose Dueñez Jr.

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Navy News

Thanks But No Thanks: Trump’s Hospital Ship Plan Provokes Defense of Greenland Health Care System

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The Congressman Who Accidentally Told Japan How to Sink American Submarines During WWII

In June 1943, a Kentucky congressman walked up to a microphone and gave Japan one of its greatest intelligence victories of...

Air Force News

Energy Secretary Chris Wright, center, and Under Secretary of Defense Michael Duffey,

US Military Airlifts Small Reactor as Trump Pushes to Quickly Deploy Nuclear Power

The nearly 700-mile flight was hailed as a breakthrough for U.S. efforts to fast-track commercial licensing for microreactors...

DoW Christian Service Draws Dozens of Complaints from Members, Contractors

One contractor told Military.com that the email invite was "stark, depressing, almost threatening."

Space Force News

A Vulcan rocket carrying the USSF-87 mission successfully launches from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Feb. 12, 2026. (U.S. Space Force photo by Staff Sergeant Samuel Becker)

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The 2026 Defense Strategy elevates space as the new high ground. In an exclusive interview, Stephen Kitay explains how AI and...

POLARIS at NATO Exercise REPMUS 25 in October 2025. POLARIS is a small, gimballed free space optical communication solution for naval vessels and unmanned surface vessels. (Photo source: NATO DIANA, courtesy of Astrolight)

Russian Satellite Activity Exposes Gaps in Satellite Communications Security

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Marine Corps News

Ross F. Gray, a Marine from Alabama, earned the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on Iwo Jima. (Wikimedia Commons)

The Marine Who Crossed a Minefield Unarmed to Wipe Out Japanese Defenses on Iwo Jima

Sgt. Ross F. Gray carried a satchel charge though a minefield while under heavy Japanese fire. What followed became one of...

Football exhibit at the National Museum of the Marine Corps (Photo by Robert Billard, Military.com)

Marine Corps Museum Unveils Football Exhibit: Honoring a Winning Legacy

From wartime roots to the gridiron: Uncover the hidden history of Marine Corps football, where Leathernecks produced 21 NFL...

Coast Guard News

A Department of Homeland Security building sign in Washington.

What to Know About the Homeland Security Shutdown

The vast majority of employees at the Secret Service and U.S. Coast Guard will continue their work, though they could also...

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Coast Guard Seizes 200,000 Pounds of Cocaine in Six Months in Pacific Ocean

Operation Pacific Viper, which began in August, is getting rave reviews from federal officials.