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 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...

It’s Almost Spring: Let’s Get Ready for the Murph!

As with any fitness goal, a logical progression is needed to accomplish the Murph. Here is how to add in Murph prep training...

A Marine swimming in scuba gear holds a fin out of the water.

Ask Stew: Swimming with Fin Pain and Other Issues

When swimming with scuba fins, especially the type that the military issues, Rocket or Jet Fins, you may find a learning...

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...

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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A Wedding Proposal and a Promotion Honored a Coast Guardsman Before He Died of Injuries From Mission

The Coast Guard awarded Tyler Jaggers the Distinguished Flying Cross, one of the highest military awards for heroism.

Stew Smith, CSCS®

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