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 his Fitness eBook store and the Stew Smith article archive on Military.com. Contact Stew with your comments and questions at stew@stewsmith.com.

Latest Articles

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Kaleb Slaughter, an Electric Systems Craftsman with the 332d Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron, lifts 560 pounds November 25, 2019 at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. (U.S. Air Force/Senior Master Sgt. Ralph Branson)

The Case for Never Skipping Leg Day

Here are all the health and wellness benefits you may be neglecting by not exercising your legs.

Lance Cpl. Creighton Crenshaw, a pay clerk with Headquarters Battalion, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, carries a log during a battalion physical training session, MCBH.

How to Improve the Load-Bearing Skills Required by the Military Through Fitness

You need a foundation of strength to be durable enough to handle carrying boats, logs, rucksacks, people, water jugs and ammo...

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Timothy Joiner and Airman 1st Class Oliver Guzman-Cespedes, both 509th Civil Engineer Squadron electrical power production technicians, race to finish the final lap of the Murph workout at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.

Don't Like Working Out? Here’s How to Make Your Fitness Journey More Enjoyable

Setting long-term goals such as losing 50 pounds, making a sports team or preparing for regular military or special...

From Recruitment to Readiness: The 6 Critical Fitness Mistakes Every Future Service Member Must Avoid

Whether you're aiming for the conventional military or a career in special operations, there are best practices you should...

Army Reserve Spc. Julian Ditona, a multi-channel transmission systems operator/maintainer, assigned to the 98th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 335th Signal Command (Theater), sprints to the finish line of a 2-mile run during the Army Physical Fitness Test at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

The Many Health Benefits of Including Sprints in Your Cardio Fitness Training

Working sprints into your training week can help you develop capabilities that are easily lost as we age out of sports and...

A Marine listens to his regimental commander talks after a regimental run aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif.

6 Tips to Avoid Becoming a Heat Casualty

Hot summer days are brutal for many working outside in arid or humid environments.

A machine gunner demonstrates a sandbag squat during the 2016 Tactical Athlete of the Year competition on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.

How This Sandbag Workout Will Prepare Your Legs for Military Fitness Tests

Many groups within the military use logs to build small-unit cohesion and teamwork.

How to Assess Your Workout with Every Change of Season

This fall (or any change of season), it's time to sharpen your focus on any weaknesses and pinpoint where you stand in your...

Sailors perform the physical screening test for the Hospital Corpsman Advanced Technical Field school at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas. (U.S. Air Force/Tristin English)

The Combat Sidestroke for the Navy Physical Screening Test: Do You Need to Learn Both Sides?

It’s like being right- or left-handed: one side will feel more comfortable when you learn this military swim test stroke.

5 Helpful Strategies to Fall Asleep Faster

Without sleep, stress becomes chronic, and we develop high blood pressure, an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes...

Airmen run the 2-mile portion of the Army Physical Fitness Test as part of an Army Air Assault Assessment on Jan. 30, 2019, at Camp Blanding, Fla.

How to Maintain Your Running Goal Pace Following Calisthenics

Many who perform calisthenics and run separately often notice during military fitness test days that their running...

Tactical air control party candidates stretch before performing a 1.5-mile run for the physical ability and stamina test on March 20, 2015, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga.

The Importance of Improved Flexibility and Mobility for Military Fitness Training

As we transition into retirement or after a demanding career in tactical professions or a long athletic history, it's smart...

U.S. Navy Religous Programs Specialist 3rd Class Whitney Hooker, with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, performs a deadlift during a deadlift competition at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan in June 2019. (U.S. Marine Corps/Cpl. Andrew Jones)

Compound Lifts vs. Core Exercises: Tailoring Your Workouts to Meet Your Goals

The path to core strength is as varied as the number of exercises that build your core system.

A Marine with 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division conducts a 500-meter underwater swim with fins and a snorkel at the Courthouse Bay Training Tank aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The Best Swim Workouts with Fins for Military Training

If you are considering a military special program involving rescue swimming or diving, you will eventually be tasked with...

U.S. Army Sgt. Luis Cruz, assigned to 687th Rapid Port Opening Element, performs sit-ups during the Army physical fitness test portion of the 2017 Army Materiel Command's Best Warrior Competition at Camp Atterbury, Indiana.

PT Pyramid Workout: How to Lessen the Amount of Rest Required

When doing the "perfect workout," how well you do and how much rest you need depends on your conditioning and muscle stamina.

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