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

U.S. Marines with 3d Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, provide security in a snow storm during exercise Forest Light 21 in the Niigata Prefecture, Japan. (U.S. Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Jonathan Willcox)

How to Avoid the Dangers of Extreme Temperatures

If not regulated, extreme temperatures can end your training or mission capability and ultimately lead to organ failure, coma...

A Coast Guard recruit from Company Oscar 188 does plank exercises during incentive training at Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J.

These Workout Options Can Help You Start Moving Again

This classic warm-up will get the legs moving and the body warm.

Soldiers with the Army Reserve’s 75th Training Command participate in a timed, 2-mile run in Houston.

How an Advanced Track Workout Can Improve Your Military Fitness Test Scores

This workout is ideal for those seeking to improve timed runs for military fitness tests and sprints and agility for combat...

Recruits participates in the initial fitness test for the Special Warfare recruiting and development program on Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi.

These Goals Can Improve Your Running, Swimming Times for Special Ops Fitness Tests

Setting fitness performance goals is a fun way to help you stay consistent with your weekly training.

(U.S. Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Kathy Nunez)

Walk More in '24: How to Make the Most of a Few Minutes of Workday Downtime

A nice walk after meals has been customary in many cultures for centuries. It's beneficial for healthy blood work and offers...

The fitness rush is in full swing during the first week of the new year at the fitness center on Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea.

8 Healthy Things You Can Do During the Last Week of the Year (and Beyond)

If you are staying home and limiting travel time, consider the following things to do to help you get the new year started...

A Marine Corps sergeant uses a foam roller during a foundational movement class on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.

How a Wellness Fitness Exam Can Help You After a Long Layoff from Exercise

After recovering from illness or injury, consider a wellness fitness exam to test your flexibility, mobility, cardio function...

A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater aircrew conducts a rescue swimmer training flight off the west coast of Florida.

How to Become a Better Military Rescue Swimmer

Many occupations in the U.S. military require you to be competent in the water, whether you are scuba diving, combat swimming...

The Best Physical Activity for Improving Your Mental Health

According to the Mayo Clinic, all forms of physical activity are helpful in the quest to help improve our mental and...

A senior airman completes one minute of traditional push-ups during a physical fitness test.

How to Fit in an Advanced Workout in Just 30 Minutes a Day

Short on time? A week of 30-minute-a-day workouts can help serve as the main part of a maintenance week.

The Best Running Workouts for Military Fitness Test Timed Runs

People use many types of running workouts to improve their pace for timed runs and longer-distance races. Knowing which ones...

Service members take advantage of weight-room amenities inside the Cpl. Terry L. Smith Gymnasium on the Henderson Hall portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia.

New Week, New Month, New Year: The Perfect Time to Start a New Goal

This is not your typical New Year's resolution article. In fact, this January, the New Year starts on a Monday, which creates...

A U.S. Marine Corps corporal performs a bench press during the human health and performance initiative on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Try These Options to Invigorate Your Bench Press Workouts

Universally, bench press wins the competition, hands down, as to people's most-used or favorite exercise.

Incoming soldiers stretch out after a run during newcomers PT at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

How to Incorporate Stretches Before and After Workouts

Whether to stretch or not is a common discussion among all types of fitness enthusiasts.

The Many Benefits of Stretching for Just Minutes a Day

Finding the right warm-up routine for your body and your specific physical activities is a process that will take some trial...

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Most Popular Military News

Rep. Michael Lawler, R-N.Y., left, confronts House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

Federal Government Shutdown Grinds into a Second Week as Tempers Flare at the Capitol

As the federal government shutdown enters a second week, there’s no discernible endgame in sight.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) questions U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as she testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Trump Targets Blumenthal, Calling for Investigation into Senator's Vietnam Service Claims

President Donald Trump is targeting U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal again after Connecticut’s senior U.S. senator grilled U.S...

Pvt. Paul Douglas, age 50, performs a rifle inspection with his drill instructor aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot S.C., 1942. Douglas, at age 50 was the oldest recruit in the history of Parris Island, and went on to become a purple heart recipient and Chicago senator (DVIDS).

At 50, He Survived Marine Boot Camp — Then Fought at Peleliu and Okinawa

When 50-year-old Paul Douglas showed up at Marine Corps boot camp in 1942, the white-haired economics professor looked more...

Pack and transport platoon of the Russian army. Southern Military District. Ministry of Defense of Russia (Wikimedia Commons).

Ukrainian Drones Attack Russian Cavalry Troops in Rare 21st-Century Encounter

A short video circulating online this month appears to show a Russian mounted patrol being struck by a Ukrainian drone near...

When The Government Can Afford Everything Except The Essentials

Every shutdown forces the government to decide what counts as “essential.” Air traffic controllers and TSA agents fall into...

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

Latest Military Videos

VIDEO: How a Former Waffen-SS Officer Became an American War Hero Buried at Arlington National Cemetery

A headstone in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery marks the remains of the only known former Waffen-SS member...

'What Kind of Truce Is This?' Dozens of Palestinians Killed in New Israeli Attacks on Gaza

Israel’s military said Wednesday that the ceasefire was back on in Gaza after it carried out heavy airstrikes overnight...

Russia Targets Kyiv with Drones, Killing 3 and Wounding 29

Russia attacked Ukraine with 101 drones over Saturday night into Sunday, according to Ukraine’s air force, of which 90...

Destruction in Gaza Visible from Southern Israel

From multiple vantage points, debris piles are visible as a result of bombing in Gaza. (AP) Oct. 24

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

The US Draws Down Troops on NATO's Eastern Flank as Europe Frets About a Security Vacuum

The United States has informed NATO allies that it will reduce its troop presence along Europe’s eastern border with Ukraine.

Florencio Davila. His family made sure that his final wish was honored with the help of the local community. (Submitted photo)

Fort Hood Steps In After Shutdown Halts WWII Veteran’s Military Funeral

Florencio Davila, a World War II veteran, died recently at age 99. His dying wish was to be buried with full military honors...

Navy News

Marine Corporal Robert Maurer with 3/25, provides security during multi-domain training in Trinidad and Tobago during TRADEWINDS 2025 (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Astia LeBron)

Marines in the Caribbean: Poised for Any Potential Conflict

U.S. Marines currently deployed to the Caribbean are well poised for any potential conflict in the U.S. Southern Command Area...

White House Urged Firing Live Bombs, Not Dummies, for Trump’s Visit to Navy Celebration

The White House pressed Navy officials to launch 2,000-pound live bombs instead of dummy explosives during a recent military...

Air Force News

U.S. Air Force personnel stand guard at an Alaska airbase during the Cold War in this painting by Mort Kunstler. Operation Washtub trained 89 civilian Alaskans as stay-behind agents to gather intelligence if Soviet forces invaded the territory between 1951 and 1959. ("Guardians of the North" by Mort Kunstler, courtesy National Guard Bureau)

Operation Washtub: How the Air Force and FBI Recruited Alaskans to Resist a Soviet Invasion

From 1951 to 1959, the FBI and Air Force ran Operation Washtub, a covert program that trained bush pilots, trappers, hunters...

President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington.

Former US Airman Threatened to Assassinate Trump Over LGBTQ+ Policies, Feds Say

Joshua Levi Young, 21, of Ishpeming, is accused of issuing several threats since January that called for the execution of...

Space Force News

U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rachel Harmon and Master Sgt. Tom Anderson, weapons loaders assigned to the 174th Attack Wing, checks an inert GBU 12 laser guided missile on an MQ-9 Reaper at Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base in Springfield, Ohio.

Two Space Force Units Bring the 'Invisible Front Line' to Ohio

A ceremonial ribbon-cutting is planned for Friday for the Space Intelligence Production Cell at the Springfield-Beckley Air...

A painting of a Defense Support Program satellite from the Air Force Art collection. DSP provides a variety of national security capabilities. Its flagship mission of launch detection was made famous during the Cold War. (U.S. Air Force image)

Clearing The Orbits: Space Force Partnerships In Orbital Cleanup

The growing congestion of Earth orbit has raised risks to satellites, space stations, and long-term space sustainability. The...

Marine Corps News

Marine Corps veteran Jose Pequeno after receiving his new dress blues. (Photo courtesy of Fox 13 Tampa)

Marine Veteran Injured in Combat Receives Heartfelt Surprise

Jose Pequeno, who suffered devastating injuries during his deployment to Iraq, was sad to discover his Marine Corps dress...

Marine Cpl. Rick Colts and his military working dog Torry pause during a patrol in Afghanistan in 2011. Torry, a German shepherd, worked with II Marine Expeditionary Force detecting IEDs in Helmand Province. (Rick Colts)

K9 Hero: Marine Survives Afghanistan IED After Dog’s Ultimate Sacrifice

Rick Colts knew something was wrong the moment his military working dog changed his search pattern. It was June 1, 2011, the...

Coast Guard News

Signage showing the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is accepted is displayed at Wild Onion Market, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

'SNAP Is Everything': Military Families, Vets Prepare for Empty Fridges

A disabled Navy veteran tells Military.com that his family will go hungry as SNAP benefits are slated to expire Nov. 1 due to...

Coast Guardsmen stand watch behind a barrier at Coast Guard Base Alameda.

Shots Fired, Driver Hurt and Held After Truck Rams Into Coast Guard Base Alameda

No Coast Guard personnel were hurt.