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

A soldier on a rope unhooks a sign representing a ranger tab.

Ask Stew: Teen Wants to Be an Army Ranger

My 13-year-old son wants to go to the Ranger Regiment when he is old enough. What should I focus on to help him prepare?

A soldier leads a field of soldiers on yoga mats in a seated yoga pose.

How to Reduce Burnout, Overstress and Physical Stress From Overtraining

Chronic stress is not something you can eat, sleep or work out of your system.

A Marine recruiter with a mustache and long-haired Marine recruits do planks.

Military PT Test Workout: Prepare for the Pushups, Plank, Run

Following changes in military fitness tests, along with corresponding pass/fail standards ,over the past few decades, most...

Ask Stew: How to Prepare for Dive School, Including Swim, Tread and Pool Skills

Preparing for any military diving training will involve significant time in the pool and open water as well as land-based...

These Are the Current DoD Fitness Tests for 2026

Over the past 20 years, to say that all branches of the military have changed their fitness testing and standards is an...

Warmup Ideas for Your Cardio Workouts

Here is a list of warmups you can try out before your next cardio day, along with a sample workout of the week that requires...

Ranger School candidates do pushups in the grass.

Ask Stew: Endurance Athlete Prepares for Army Ranger Selection

Endurance athletes typically need to focus more on resistance training, including both calisthenics and weight lifting, when...

Drill and Workout to Help with Diver, Rescue Swimmer and Special Ops Pool Skills

Here is a workout to help with both underwater swimming and the lifesaving, or buddy tow, test.

Ask Stew: Running Out of Gas on the Navy PST

Have you ever noticed that when you take a fitness test, your individual scores are much better than your scores when tested...

Four service members in workout clothes doing squats

Train for Life: Functional Fitness for Enduring Strength, Cardio and Mobility

Training for life means embracing a holistic approach that values longevity as much as performance.

A soldier in a PT uniform swings a kettlebell.

Pull-Leg Combo Workout Adds a Fun Component to Fitness Routines

Whether you are looking to switch up your training or target your posterior muscle chain more effectively, this approach is...

A woman's silhouette looking out from the side of a volcano to the sunrise over the ocean.

How to Make Your ‘Spring Forward’ Workout Week Productive and High-Energy

Avoid the post-daylight saving time, end-of-the-week, beatdown feeling. This week does not have to be a slog. Proactively...

Ask Stew: What’s Better? Working Out Once vs. Multiple Times Per Day

Use spread-out exercise sets to build capacity (total daily reps), and use single-session workouts to test that capacity.

Quick Workouts in Groups Can Help With Depression and Anxiety

If you need to unwind from a stressful day, or if you struggle with depression and anxiety, the “go hard or go home” approach...

Close-up shot of Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder jar in person hands.(Image via:Shutterstock)

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...

Military News

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Most Popular Military News

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to Task Force Nighthawk, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division receive their Shoulder Sleeve Insignia – Military Operations in Hostile Conditions (SSI- MOHC) during a patching ceremony at Erbil Air Base, Iraq on Oct. 23, 2025. U.S. Army photo by Capt. Bernard Jenkins Jr. Source: DVIDS.

Army Expands Combat Patch Eligibility as Modern Deployments Redefine Combat Service

The Army expanded combat patch eligibility, recognizing soldiers in modern deployments where risk is high even without...

Veterans hold signs supporting the PACT Act.

You Took Separation Pay Years Ago. Now the VA Wants It Back From Your Disability Check.

Under federal law, a veteran cannot receive both separation pay and VA disability compensation for the same period of service...

Dieter Dengler is photographed after being rescued following his escape from Vietnam, weighing 93 pounds. (Matthäus Dengler)

25 Years: Nephew Remembers P.O.W. Navy Pilot Dieter Dengler Who Escaped Vietnam

Dieter Dengler, who died about 25 years ago, was "bigger than life."

New recruits take the oath of enlistment at the Advocate Center for the Eleventh Annual Chicago Bulls Special Recruit Division Enlistment Ceremony in Chicago. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Camilo Fernan)

Could the US Bring Back the Draft? Who Would Be Called First — and Who Qualifies

Could the U.S. bring back the draft? Here’s how Selective Service works today, who would be called first and why only about...

3 Big PCS Changes Are Coming at Once. Here’s What Service Members Need to Know Before Peak Season.

In 2026, three major changes are affecting military household goods moves: a new permanent agency to run the system, the end...

Latest Military Videos

Trump Offers More Details of Dramatic Rescue of Airman in Iran

Trump offers more details of dramatic rescue of airman in Iran.

Former Australian Soldier Charged with Committing Five War Crime Murders in Afghanistan

Former Australian soldier charged with committing five war crime murders in Afghanistan.

Artemis II Breaks Apollo 13’s Distance Record

Artemis II breaks Apollo 13’s distance record as humans travel farther from Earth than ever before.

Ukrainians Find Joy in Releasing Bats Rescued from War

After a harsh winter, Ukrainians find joy in releasing bats rescued from war.

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

This photo provided by Jen Rickling shows U.S. Army staff sergeant, Matthew Blank, left, and his wife, Annie Ramos, posing for a photo while celebrating their wedding, in March, 2026, in Houston. (Jen Rickling via AP)

US Soldier Trying to Halt Wife's Deportation After She Was Detained on Louisiana Military Base

A U.S. Army staff sergeant is trying to halt his wife's deportation after she was detained inside a Louisiana military base...

Monkeys eat tomatoes distributed by social workers near a Hindu temple during nationwide lockdown in Gauhati, India, Thursday, April 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

'Monkey Business': Pentagon Sued for US Taxpayer-Funded Primate Labs

“It's troubling that agencies like the Department of Defense continue to fund animal labs overseas when we've seen how...

Navy News

'Monkey Business': Pentagon Sued for US Taxpayer-Funded Primate Labs

“It's troubling that agencies like the Department of Defense continue to fund animal labs overseas when we've seen how...

Loved ones make hearts with their hands for their sailor on board while the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) prepares to pull away from Naval Station Norfolk for deployment.

'However Long It Takes': USS Bush Gets Underway as Iran Conflict Rages

The USS George H.W. Bush got underway from Naval Station Norfolk as the conflict in the Middle East continues to rage.

Air Force News

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Washington, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listens. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Trump, Officials Reveal Details of ‘No-Fail’ Rescue of Downed Pilots

A downed U.S. airman evaded capture for nearly two days inside Iran before a rescue mission under fire pulled him out.

'Planned and Rehearsed': How US Rescued F-15E Crew Member in Iran

Trump called the rescues of two F-15 crew members "one of the most daring in U.S. history."

Space Force News

Robbie Robertson, Sedaro CEO and co-founder, presents a live demo to USSF leadership Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, at Spacepower Conference in Orlando, FL. (Photo courtesy of SFA)

National Spacepower Center: Advancing US and Allied Spacepower

The Space Force Association launched the National Space Center in Dec. 2025 to connect government, academia and industry and...

This year's USO 2026 "Service Members of the Year." (USO)

'Exceptional Courage': USO Announces its 2026 Service Members of the Year

This year's crop of USO honorees saved motorcycle crash victims, rescued bodies underwater, saved civilians from a building...

Marine Corps News

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Carlos A. Ruiz, the 20th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, visits Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, April 3, 2026. During Ruiz’s visit, he attended the 2-26 Basic Reconnaissance Course (BRC) graduation, where Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Dakota Meyer graduated as one of the BRC 2-26 graduates. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by GySgt Jordan E. Gilbert)

Medal of Honor Recipient Dakota Meyer Completes Marine Recon Training

Sgt. Dakota Meyer, who received the Medal of Honor for heroism in Afghanistan, completed the Marine Corps' Basic...

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz. (thefreedom13.org)

Organization Honors Fallen Marines by Building Nature Retreat for Veterans

Following the devasting loss of his son and 12 other Marines, Mark Schmitz vowed to do something to honor their sacrifice. He...

Coast Guard News

Coast Guard Cutter Midgett (WMSL 757) prepares to Moore at their homeport Honolulu, Hawaii Oct. 3, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jennifer Nilson)

Coast Guard Cutter Finds, Retrieves Family Missing for 7 Days in Micronesia

The rescue mission was one not "routine" to the Coast Guard and cutter crew that succeeded.