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

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...

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...

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Most Popular Military News

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)

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After the Knock on the Door: How TAPS Supports Military Families for Life

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Latest Military Videos

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Most Americans say US military action against Iran has gone too far, poll finds.

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Investigations and Features

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

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Army Capt. Jeremy Kuykendall and his wife Kate, cradle their daughter

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Army News

At Least 1,000 US Troops from 82nd Airborne Set to Deploy to Mideast, Sources Say

The U.S. military is preparing to deploy at least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, according...

Savino Anguiano, right, with San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. (Submitted)

Spring Training with the Padres: Student Veteran Lives Baseball Dream

Former soldier Savino Anguiano, a lifelong baseball fan, enjoyed quite an experience with the San Diego Padres, but it wasn't...

Navy News

U.S. Navy veteran John Wells is honored on March 20 with the DAR Medal of Honor by the Louisiana Society of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) during its 117th state conference held in Alexandria, La. (DAR)

Navy Veteran Who Helped Service Members Affected by Agent Orange Honored

Navy veteran John Wells has given to his country, and to his fellow men and women. His legal work helped result in landmark...

Milton 'Rip' Ripple (left) with "Rosie" Delphine Klaput and WWII veteran Robert Hartline. (Pacific Historic Parks)

Milton 'Rip' Ripple, One of Last WWII and Bikini Atoll Atomic Veterans, Dies at 98

The Navy veteran, who served aboard USS Pollux in the Pacific, rendered a final salute at Pearl Harbor's 84th commemoration...

Air Force News

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...

Air Force Veteran Kay Perkins Wins Right to 'Double-Dip' for VA education benefits (Kay Perkins).

Rulings Over Veterans’ Education Benefits Allow for ‘Double-Dipping’

Over 1M veterans may qualify for extended VA education benefits after a federal appeal withdrawal clears the way to use both...

Space Force News

'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...

How Nuclear Waste Can Save Military Satellites and Lunar Exploration

Russia and China can black out military satellites in seconds. A Latvian startup says nuclear-waste generators using 5x less...

Marine Corps News

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina meets with U.S. service members during a visit at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, April 15, 2023. Graham visited the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to meet with Team PSAB service members and show support. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stephani Barge)

Senator References Bloodiest Battle in USMC History While Urging Attack on Kharg Island

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., drew sharp criticism from fellow GOP lawmakers after invoking the Battle of Iwo Jima while...

'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...

Coast Guard News

'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...

Service members move through a TSA Honor Lane at a U.S. airport, as security systems face increasing pressure amid a Department of Homeland Security funding lapse (DVIDS).

Rising US Casualties in Iran Put New Strain on Homeland Security

As U.S. casualties rise in Iran, a DHS shutdown is stretching homeland security—exposing growing strain between war abroad...

Stew Smith, CSCS®

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