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

Sailors in a gym do lunges with sandbags.

Ask Stew: When Tired, How to Decide to Work Out vs. Rest

Is your body failing, or is your brain just trying to protect you from discomfort?

At night in silhouette, SEAL candidates carry a log together.

Ask Stew: The Best Recommendation Letters for Military Special Programs

Here is a question from a young OCS-to-BUD/S hopeful concerning the best letters of recommendation to help with the...

A man in a civilian tank top does a pullup.

A Workout for Days When You Have Only 20-30 Minutes to Train

With a well structured workout template that incorporates dynamic warmups, strength training and cardio options, you can...

Careful Out There: The Surprising Health Risks of Shoveling Snow

Shoveling snow might seem like a routine winter task, but it comes with significant risks, especially for older adults and...

A senior Army general wearing PT gear lifts weights.

Strength Training Linked to a Lower Biological Age

New research links regular strength training to healthier aging.

Marines pictured upside-down, lying in the sand linking arms.

How to Do Marines’ Versatile ‘Shamrock’ Workout

Here is a classic style of workout that can be changed depending on the equipment available, such as weights and pullup bars...

Marines tread water in a pool with their hands raised.

Ask Stew: How Often Should I Train Treading Water (No Hands)?

Stew, do you have any recommendations on how much I should be treading before Navy Dive School?

Here’s the New Navy Combat Fitness Test for SEALs, SWCC and EOD/Divers, Plus What It’s Missing

The Navy has a new fitness test for active-duty “combat arms personnel,” including members of Naval Special Warfare and Naval...

How to Gain Strength While Maintaining Cardio and Muscle Stamina

Here is a typical leg day routine for athletes do who need a foundation of strength, load-bearing stamina, and to maintain...

Navy special operations candidates do pushups.

Ask Stew: Does ‘Well Rested -- Well Tested’ Apply to Military PT Tests?

This short saying should be a mantra for any testing you do in the future to achieve the best results.

Airmen run toward the camera in the dark.

Struggling to Start? This ‘ACTION’ Plan Helps Turn Ideas and Goals Into Reality

Here is how I like to break down action, with the ACTION acronym helping to solidify those steps into a practical strategy.

Advanced Upper-Body ‘Push’ Workout With Running

Here is a favorite “push” day workout with running we do for our special ops candidates.

Ask Stew: Should I Take a Scuba Course Before Military Dive School?

Does getting scuba qualified before military dive school training help?

A soldier in an Army tracksuit does a deadlift outside.

Training to Fatigue? Rethinking Limits for Muscle Growth and Strength

Throughout my years of coaching and training on my own, the subject of pushing to failure (or beyond) with heavier weights or...

The Mobility 20/20 Is the One Workout You Need in 2026: 20 Minutes a Day for 20 Days (or Forever?)

After over a decade of adding this specific mobility and flexibility routine to my life, to say it has been life-changing is...

Military News

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