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

Lacey Hancock works out with dumbbells in Smith Physical Fitness Center while Curtis Nelson spots her. The two have become close friends as they share their love of bodybuilding and fitness with others. (Photo Credit: Eric Pilgrim)

Advance Your Fitness Level Through Periodization

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert, lays out a perfect plan for those beginning their f...

U.S. Army Soldiers conduct their two-mile run during the Army Physical Fitness Test (Photo courtesy of militaryonesource.mil)

Ask Stew: Fitness Goals Using the PT Pyramid

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

Pararescueman from the 48th Rescue Squadron workout while using technologies to track their physical and mental well-being as part of the Human Performance Optimization program at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Mar. 13, 2019. (U.S. Air Force/Airman 1st Class Kristine Legate)

How the Mind-Body Connection Affects Performance

Here are some ways to think your way to better physical performance -- whether it is a PT test, or just a normal workout.

Bridget Rolens demonstrates various mindfulness activities during the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction luncheon Feb. 27 at Scott. Mindfulness meditation is being used in a variety of ways in the military. Rolens is the owner and program facilitator for the Pathways to Mindfulness. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kiana Brothers)

It's Time We Look at Mental Health the Same as Physical Health

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL and Military.com's tactical fitness expert explains why taking a mental health day as part of your fitn...

Marine recruit Andrade was required to lose 60 pounds in order to enlist in the Marine Corps (Photo By: Kailey J. Maraglia).

Ask Stew: Losing Weight Before Joining the Military

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL and Military.com's tactical fitness expert gives advice to a service member who is trying to lose weigh...

U.S. Navy SEAL candidates participate in Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training, Jan. 23, 2018. (U.S. Navy photo/Abe McNatt)

Ask Stew: I Failed at Never Quit

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL and Military.com's tactical fitness expert responds to a Naval Officer who failed at BUDs and is wonder...

How to Become a Navy SEAL

All roads to becoming a Navy SEAL, end at BUD/S - Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL Training.

Seal Training Via Officer Candidate School

So you have a college degree and are now thinking about what you want to do with your life? Many attempt to join the military...

Chief Master Sgt. Robert Valenca, 1st Combat Camera Squadron superintendent, performs a dead lift during a weightlifting test (U.S. Air Force photo/ Nicole Mickle)

Ask Stew: The Difference Between Power and Absolute Strength

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert answers a question from a Navy service member about...

An unidentified advanced individual training Soldiers assigned to the Quartermaster School performs stretching exercises during a Physical Readiness Training primer. (Photo Credit: T. Anthony Bell)

How to Begin Training After Injury or Illness

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL and MIlitary.com's tactical fitness expert details how to start training after an injury or illness.

Recruits of Company H, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, push themselves through the last stretch of their timed three-mile run during the final physical fitness test aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego (Photo By: Bridget M. Keane)

Goal-Paced Running, Intervals Sprints, and Timed Runs Training

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert answers a question from a Marine on how to impove hi...

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Randy Oczkowski, 19th Operation Support Squadron Air Traffic Controller, gets his face painted by Lily (left), Henry (bottom middle), and Patrick Griego (right), during a camouflage face painting activity as part of a mock deployment line (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Grace Nichols)

Parental Advice for Teens Who Want to Join the Military

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert, doles out sound advice to parents who have children...

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brandon, a member of the 118th Wing, Tennessee Air National Guard, performs an overhead squat during a high-intensity workout (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Mark Thompson)

What Is the Most Important Virtue and Element of Fitness?

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL and Military.com's tactical fitness expert, delves into what virtue is most valuable for achieving fitn...

Col. Kenneth Moss, 374th Airlift Wing commander, runs up a flight of stairs during the Sept. 11 Tower Run at Yokota Air Base (U.S. Air Force photo by Machiko Arita).

Travel and Workouts: Tips to Avoid Getting Out of the Habit of Training

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL veteran and Military.com's tactical fitness expert, details how to get your workout in while traveling.

Marines test their resiliency during Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany's first High Intensity Tactical Training tactical athlete competition (Photo By: Marti Gatlin).

Ask Stew: How to Create a Tactical Fitness Program

Stew Smith, Navy SEAL and Military.com's tactical fitness expert answers a question from a reader on how to great a rigorous...

Military News

Select Service

My Membership

army

My Profile Army Home Page

navy

My Profile Navy Home Page

air force

My Profile Air Force Home Page

marines

My Profile Marines Home Page

coast guard

My Profile Coast Guard Home Page

national guard

My Profile National Guard Home Page

Spouse

My Profile Spouse Home Page

My Profile News Home Page

Most Popular Military News

U.S. Marines with Golf Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), conduct ship-to-shore movements to Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) during Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) MEU Integration Training (PMINT) in vicinity of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, July 11 2019. PMINT is part of the 26th MEU’s and PHIBRON 8’s pre-deployment training program, which enhances interoperability and familiarizes Marines and Sailors to life

A Marine Called on the Commandant to Fix the Corps' Identity Crisis. Here's His Response

The commandant's vision is that Marines will be trained and equipped as a naval expeditionary force.

Two U.S. Marine Corps gunners attached to the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit perform system checks on a Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) as it transits the Suez Canal, Jan. 12, 2019. (U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Mike DiMestico)

Here's the New Marine Corps Weapon that Just Destroyed an Iranian Drone

The Marine Corps' Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System, known as LMADIS, jammed an Iranian drone.

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen, the 59th superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, and cadets celebrate receiving the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy during a ceremony at the Pentagon, in Arlington, Va., May 1, 2018. (U.S. Army photo/Anna Pol)

Despite Opposition, Gamecocks Pick Retired General as School's Next President

The former superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point said he is honored to be named UCS's next president.

U.S. Navy corpsmen with 1st Marine Aircraft Wing secure a Marine to a stretcher during an indirect fire drill as part of Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2017 on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, August 29, 2017. (U.S. Marine Corps/1st Lt. Karoline Foote)

Navy Corpsman Bought 27 Lottery Tickets, Won 26 Times

He beat odds of 1 in 1.8 million with his latest win of $1 million.

Tech. Sgt. Geraldine Lovely is under investigation at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, for recording a profane Facebook video rant about her subordinates. (Facebook video screen capture)

Air Force NCO Behind Racist Online Video Separated from Service

Geraldine Lovely, who last served as a staff sergeant at Nellis Air Force Base, was separated from the Air Force on April 5.

Latest Military Videos

In Their Own Words: Andrew Morgan

"We really want to build that atmosphere of an extended family early on and the sooner the better. I...

Astronaut Moments: Drew Morgan

Before launching to the International Space Station on the anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s “giant leap for mankind,” astronaut Drew...

B-2 Stealth Bomber’s Incredible First Flight

Northrop Grumman’s B-2 Spirit stealth bomber turned 30 on July 17, 2019. Watch moments of its groundbreaking first flight...

B-2 Stealth Bomber Marks 30 Years

On July 17th, 1989, The B-2 Spirit Bomber took its first flight in Palmdale, California. Thirty years later, the...

Meet the Newest Army Astronaut

Col. (Dr.) Andrew “Drew” Morgan was selected to be a NASA astronaut in 2013 when he was serving as...

Army News

A U.S. Army Ranger tab hangs above the training area where the competitors for the Best Ranger Competition wait to begin at Camp Rogers, Fort Benning, Ga., April 11, 2014. (U.S. Army photo/Austin Berner)

Soldier Restored to Ranger Hall of Fame

Sgt. 1st Class Wilton "Pappy" White was a pioneer in the Ranger world who would later become a legend among those troops.

In this April 23, 2019 photo, research scientist Leila Walker, left, is assisted by nutritional physiologist Holly McClung, center, as they demonstrate equipment designed to evaluate fitness levels in female soldiers, not shown, who have joined elite fighting units such the Navy Seals, at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center, in Natick, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Military Studies 'Hyperfit' Women who Pass Grueling Courses

Army medical researchers hope to uncover answers in a just-launched voluntary study.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Lauren Kalani, 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron flight nurse looks over her electronic flight book onboard a KC-135 Stratotanker during an exercise May 8th, 2019, out of Kadena Air Base, Japan. The 18th AES deploys and operates elements of a theatre aeromedical evacuation system capable of worldwide taskings. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Matthew Seefeldt)

Air Force and Army Practice Aeromedical Evacuation in Hawaii

The point of the exercise in interoperability was to practice rapidly treating casualties.

Navy News

The future USS Indianapolis (LCS 17) during Acceptance Trials in Lake Michigan, June 19, 2019. (U.S. Navy photo/Patrick Evans)

New USS Indianapolis Commissioning Set for Indiana Port

The ceremony marking the ship's entry into the Navy's active fleet is set for Oct. 26 at Burns Harbor along Lake Michigan.

A U.S. Huey helicopter sprays Agent Orange over Vietnam. The U.S. military used at least 11 million gallons of Agent Orange in Vietnam from 1961 to 1972. Wikimedia Commons

Group Sues over Delay in Processing Benefit Claims for Blue Water Navy Vets

The organization is asking a federal judge to rescind a stay on claims processing.

Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Slayton Saldana. (U.S. Navy photo)

Navy Identifies Sailor Lost at Sea from Carrier Lincoln

Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Slayton Saldana was reported overboard July 17.

Air Force News

U.S. Marines from Communications Company, Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, pose for a photo on Camp Courtney, Okinawa, Japan, on July 17, 2019. The Marines showed heroic actions on July 14, 2019, at Mermaid's Gratto by attempting to save swimmers in need. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Trystan Jordan)

Marines Commended for Working to Save 2 Drowning Airmen in Japan

Three Marines have been recognized for putting their lives at risk to save two Air Force comrades from drowning.

An Atlas V rocket carrying the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) GEO Flight 4 satellite lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., Jan. 19, 2018. (U.S. Air Force illustration/Dalton Williams)

Lessons from F-35 Can Be Applied to Space Weapons, Retired General Says

Like the F-35, future national security equipment needs to be able to execute more than one mission.

Air Force and Army Practice Aeromedical Evacuation in Hawaii

The point of the exercise in interoperability was to practice rapidly treating casualties.

Marine Corps News

Marines Commended for Working to Save 2 Drowning Airmen in Japan

Three Marines have been recognized for putting their lives at risk to save two Air Force comrades from drowning.

Then-Navy Secretary Ray Mabus shakes hands with then-Lt. Gen. David H. Berger, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, aboard Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, on Nov. 15, 2016. (Photo by Cpl. Aaron S. Patterson, U.S. Marine Corps)

Former SecNav Applauds Marine Commandant's Call for 1-Year Maternity Leave

Ray Mabus, who served as Navy secretary from 2009 to 2017, said a revamped military parental-leave policy is long overdue.

Lifelike robotic targets made by Marathon line up in formation at a military training range. Photo courtesy of Ralph Petroff/Marathon Targets

These Marines Are Becoming Crack Shots Thanks to Robot Targets that Move Like Humans

The new targets can charge, move in unexpected directions, respond when engaged and even shout in a foreign language.

Coast Guard News

Aerial photo of Naval Air Station Key West’s D-1 Pier, right, at Coast Guard Sector Key West on the Trumbo Point Annex. (U.S. Navy photo/Cody R. Babin)

Coast Guard Rescues Eight People from Two Separate Boats in Key West

The U.S. Coast Guard said the rescues were made possible because someone had the proper safety equipment to call for help.

The Coast Guard Cutters Oliver Berry (WPC 1124) and Joseph Gerczak (WPC 1126) at the Coast Guard Base Honolulu pier Sept. 12, 2018, following Tropical Storm Olivia. The commercial harbors throughout the state re-opened to traffic throughout the day as crews completed damage and impact assessments. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. J.G. Peter Driscoll/Released)

Coast Guard Cutter Provides World War II Aviator with Final Sendoff

His memorial service took place on board the Coast Guard cutter Oliver Berry.

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)

Here's How the US Coast Guard Helped Put El Chapo Away for Life

Drug interdictions by the service played a role in convicting the kingpin.