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

A variety of healthy ingredients were used to prepare the meals for the Healthy Barbecue Cooking Class held outside the Bayview Restaurant aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.

What You Should Know About Carb Loading for Military Fitness Tests and Training

A highly active person requires carbohydrates, proteins and fats to provide energy for and support recovery from physically...

A retail services specialist 3rd class, assigned to the USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) supply department, conducts a command fitness class in the hangar bay.

Fitness at Sea: Workouts You Can Do on a Ship and Ace the Navy Fitness Test

Staying fit in tight spaces with little to no equipment is always a challenge, whether you are in a hotel room or living and...

Staff Sgt. Jason Preston, an infantry soldier with 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, starts his morning with 100 triceps dips on an improvised bar at his unit's tactical operations center in Jordan on Aug. 31, 2019.

This Calisthenics and Cardio Workout Will Prepare You for Any Military Fitness Test

Calisthenics and cardio exercises can be arranged in several ways to improve running times and overall fitness test scores...

Traveling? This Hotel Room Workout Will Keep You Active

If you need a rest, take it. But, if you need to be at the top of your game, be well-rested and well-tested.

(Cpl. Kenneth Trotter Jr./U.S. Marine Corps photo)

The Best Nutrition Tips Right Before a Military Fitness Test

When you're preparing for a fitness test, what you eat the night before can play a big role in your performance the next...

A Coast Guard recruit from Company Oscar 188 does plank exercises during incentive training at Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J.

How to Prepare for the Coast Guard’s Mandatory Physical Fitness Tests

The service announced this week that all military personnel will be required to undergo mandatory physical fitness tests, or...

An airman lateral pulldowns during a back and biceps workout at the fitness center on Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea.

Why Grip Strength and Leg Strength Are Key Indicators for Longevity

Strong hands and legs make you an asset in many tactical and life-or-death situations. Moreover, the ability to maintain...

A U.S. Air Force pararescueman assigned to the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron recovers a simulated patient during a joint training with the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161 (VMM-161) in Djibouti, Aug. 4, 2025. As part of the 449th Air Expeditionary Group, the 82nd ERQS serves as the task force responsible for conducting personnel recovery operations in East Africa.

The Best Fitness Strategy to Prepare to Serve in Military Special Operations

Being selected for military special operations programs requires a layered approach to fitness.

What to Know About Creatine and Why the Military Regulates it for Special Forces

Creatine's reputation is built on decades of scientific research and practical results, making it a common addition to sports...

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Mauricio Varonmoncayo and fellow classmates use fins to race during a Scout Swimmers Course at the Camp Hansen Aquatics Center, Okinawa, Japan.

The Essential Swim Workout for Military Special Operations Candidates

Building a requisite level of swimming conditioning and water confidence takes time, patience and consistent time in the...

Combat rescue officer candidates perform flutter-kicks.

Air Force Combat Rescue Officer (CRO)

The United States Air Force combat rescue officer (CRO) is an officer career field added because of the importance of joint...

Runners take off at the start of the Yokohama North Dock Running Festival, held Nov. 4 on the installation at U.S. Army Garrison-Japan. The event, which returned to the installation for the first time in four years, drew nearly 1,000 competitors for its 5K, 10K and half-marathon races.

How to Improve Your Cardio Fitness Safely

While running is an effective form of cardio, it is not always the best option for heavier athletes, especially those with...

A screen from the 2013 movie 'Cliffy,' about an Australian potato farmer named Cliff Young who won a 544-mile ultramarathon in 1983.

How an Australian Potato Farmer Changed Running Forever

Released in 2013, the movie “Cliffy” chronicles Australian Cliff Young’s rise from a potato farmer to an ultramarathoner and...

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Marcella Quinonez, an aircraft armament systems specialist from the 57th Maintenance Group, performs a sandbag front carry during the fitness portion of the 4th quarter weapons standardization team load crew competition at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

Try This Military Fitness Workout to Improve Leg Strength and Endurance

Leg days in military preparation training require two components: strength training with weights and movement training with...

Lt. Marylou Proano, a Navy nurse from New York, rides a stationary bike during a Morale, Wellness, Recreation event aboard the USNS Comfort (T-AH 20).

6 Biking Options to Replace Running if You Are Injured

If you are dealing with common running injuries such as shin splints, stress fractures or persistent foot and knee pain...

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Most Popular Military News

Handcuffs rest on a table inside the security forces building during a training exercise

Tennessee Man Shot Dead After Flipping Middle Finger at War Memorial

Albert Sturgill Jr., 63, was confronted by a group while gesturing at the flag and monuments at Cumberland County Veterans...

U.S. soldiers with the West Virginia National Guard conduct a routine patrol at the Stadium-Armory Metro Station in Washington, D.C.

Chicago Braces for Potential National Guard Deployment Amid Trump Threats

Illinois politicians are sounding an alarm and bracing for possible National Guard deployments to Chicago amid President...

California National Guard stand guard as protesters gather during the No Kings protests in Los Angeles.

Is Trump's Troop Buildup in US Cities a Declaration of War — or Something Else?

As President Donald Trump goads Democratic-led cities, Americans are grappling with a fundamental question of American...

Firefighters secure parts of a damaged UAV shot down by Polish authorities at a site in Czosnowka near Biala Podlaska, Poland

Poland Says It Shot Down Russian Drones that Violated Its Airspace During Strikes on Ukraine

Poland said that multiple Russian drones entered and were shot down over its territory with help from NATO allies, describing...

Soldier Dies on Fort Leonard Wood Rifle Range

The Army identified the 18-year-old on Monday but has not provided details into the circumstances of his death.

South Carolina National Guard members on patrol on the National Mall in Washington.

Takeaways from Trump's Federal Law Enforcement Surge in DC as His Emergency Order Is Set to Expire

Without an extension by Congress, the 30-day emergency declaration issued by President Donald Trump that federalized the...

Latest Military Videos

Reverse Push-Ups

Military.com fitness writer Stew Smith demonstrates the proper form for reverse push-ups. (Sept. 9) Military.com

Reverse Pull-Ups

Military.com fitness writer Stew Smith demonstrates the proper form for reverse pull-ups. (Sept. 9) Military.com

Pulldowns

Military.com fitness writer Stew Smith demonstrates the proper form for pulldowns. (Sept. 9) Military.com

Push-Ups

Military.com fitness writer Stew Smith demonstrates the proper form for push-ups. (Sept. 9) Military.com

Investigations and Features

In One of the Marines' Most Iconic Jobs, a Stunning Pattern of Suicide

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

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Tacoma, Wash

Disabled US Army Veteran in ‘Limbo’ at Tacoma ICE Detention Center

A U.S. Army veteran's immigration case remains uncertain after he was recently denied bond by a judge, family members say.

A guardsman stands at a gate to Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas.

Could National Guard Soldiers Be Deployed in Dallas to Combat Crime?

There’s less enthusiasm among Texas politicians for deploying the National Guard to curb violent crime in Texas cities.

Navy News

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams

Navy Culinary Specialist Charged in Death of Fellow Sailor in Norfolk

Jeremiah Copeland has been held since the discovery of Seaman Angelina Resendiz’s body in June.

Fitness at Sea: Workouts You Can Do on a Ship and Ace the Navy Fitness Test

Staying fit in tight spaces with little to no equipment is always a challenge, whether you are in a hotel room or living and...

Air Force News

Senate Democrat Tries to Formally Condemn Funeral Honors for Ashli Babbitt

Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., went to the Senate floor to request what’s known as “unanimous consent” to pass a resolution...

EPA Pilot Program at Scott AFB Combats Waste and ‘Food Insecurity’ Among Airmen

The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and an Illinois farmer launched the pilot to a new nationwide program to...

Space Force News

Col. Edward Segura, director of manpower, personnel and services, Air Force Reserve Command, speaks

Space Force Opens Applications for Air Force Reservists to Sign Up for Part-Time Service

Applications have opened for certain Air Force reservists to join the Space Force under its new one-of-a-kind, part-time...

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle discusses the decision to relocate U.S. Space Command headquarters to Redstone Arsenal

US Space Command Can Be Running in Huntsville Before Trump Leaves Office, Official Says

U.S. Space Command headquarters can be fully operational before President Donald Trump leaves office, a Redstone Arsenal...

Marine Corps News

The sign at the entrance at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

Camp Pendleton Officer, Wife Sue Military Housing Company over Crash That Killed 8-Year-Old Son

A Marine Corps family whose 8-year-old son died last year after he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle on Camp...

Marine Veteran Charged with Threatening to Shoot Schoolchildren Now Out of Jail

Once held on $1 million bond for livestreaming threats to shoot elementary school children, a military veteran is now out of...

Coast Guard News

Fitness at Sea: Workouts You Can Do on a Ship and Ace the Navy Fitness Test

Staying fit in tight spaces with little to no equipment is always a challenge, whether you are in a hotel room or living and...

A Military Approach to Drug Busts Upends US Efforts and Raises Legal Questions

The Trump administration has indicated more military strikes on drug targets could be coming, saying it is seeking to “wage...

Stew Smith, CSCS®

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