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. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Peter D. Huntley, commander, Marine Forces Special Operations Command, conducts a fireman’s carry at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

The Most Challenging Leg Workout for Military Fitness

This is a classic method for working the legs, glutes and hips, along with cardio events between resistance training.

How to Make Healthy Breakfast Choices While Eating Out

Many retirees eat out for breakfast daily as a social activity, but making the right food choices for general health...

Cursing Like a Sailor May Help You with Your Next PT Test

Science has linked cursing to physical fitness test improvements, which is particularly helpful if you are in the Navy, as...

Navy divers assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2 are lowered into the water on Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek during a Mk-16 underwater breathing apparatus training dive in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

How to Structure Swim Workouts for Navy Diver Training

Preparing for future military swimming and diving training requires spending several days a week in the pool.

Sailors swim for the Navy Physical Screening Test held by Naval Special Warfare Assessment Command at Naval Air Station Sigonella.

How to Select the Best Swim Stroke for the Navy Physical Screening Test

When taking the Navy Physical Screening Test -- the common fitness test for jobs in the Navy that require swimming and diving...

Army Reserve drill sergeant candidates motivate future soldiers.

What to Consider When Picking Which Military Service Branch to Join

A high school student is considering joining the Army or Marine Corps and asks Stew Smith, Military.com's tactical fitness...

U.S. Army Pfc. Logan Moore, West Virginia Army National Guard, completes pull-ups in Umm Salal Muhammed, Qatar.

The Best Fitness Workouts When You Are Pressed for Time

If you only have 20-30 minutes or less to get in a workout for the day, keep it simple with a few exercises done in as many...

Beale’s walking group walks around the track Sept. 10, 2021, at Beale Air Force Base, California.

The Benefits of Including Walking in Your Fitness Regimen

Walking more can be helpful for weight loss and mental health and help reduce the risks of chronic diseases.

Why You Want to Build Muscle at Any Age and Work to Never Lose It

It is easier to build muscle while we’re young, but keeping muscle mass gets more difficult as we age.

1st Lt. Lindsey Boughter demonstrates proper deadlifting techniques to Staff Sgt. Zane Craig.

The Best Exercises to Pair with Deadlifts for Military Fitness Training

Exercises such as deadlifts and squats are foundational to load-bearing strength and transfer well into military activities...

Marines with Marine Forces Special Operations Command push a zodiac into the water during the Gung Ho portion of Raider Week at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The Age Ranges for Joining US Military Special Operations Programs

You have many options that may or may not require an age waiver. It's time to get to work on that dream job.

(Senior Airman Lauren Silverthorne/U.S. Air Force photo)

Changes Are Coming to Army Ranger Fitness Tests. Here’s How to Prepare for Them

The evolution of testing and training has affected the Ranger School and Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, with a new...

(U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class MacAdam Kane Weissman)

6 Honest Questions to Ask Yourself When You're Not Seeing Fitness Results

Not seeing results in your efforts toward any health and fitness goal is frustrating, especially if you have been diligently...

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Peter D. Huntley, commander, Marine Forces Special Operations Command, conducts a fireman carry during an honor workout at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

The Best Workout to Prepare for Advanced Military Training Programs

Combining cardio workouts such as running, rucking and swimming with other load-bearing activities is necessary for those...

Running and Lifting Don't Just Make You Stronger. They Make You Smarter – and More Useful

Studies show adding cardiovascular and strength training to daily activities has dozens of benefits, on top of preventing us...

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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.

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

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Trump says US will 'have' Greenland 'one way or the other'.

Iran's Foreign Minister Speaks on US, Protests

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Warships from China, Russia and Iran arrive in South African waters for naval drills.

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

American troops moving through the Kasserine Pass. (Wikimedia Commons)

The Battle of Kasserine Pass: The Humiliating WWII Defeat That Transformed the US Army

The Battle of Kasserine Pass was America's first major fight against the European Axis in World War II. It turned into one of...

Army veteran Nick Rinn recovers material in a lake during a recent mission with Oregon Rescue Divers. (Photo from Central Oregon Daily)

‘I See It So Others Don’t Have To:’ Oregon Army Veteran Recovers Bodies as Rescue Diver

After his military career ended, Nick Rinn decided to use his scuba diving talent to help others, searching and recovering...

Navy News

Sen. Kelly Sues the Pentagon Over Attempts to Punish Him, Declaring It Unconstitutional

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly has sued the Pentagon over attempts to punish him for his warnings about illegal orders.

Hegseth Censures Sen. Kelly After Warning About Following Illegal Orders

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced that he is issuing a letter of censure to Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona...

Air Force News

Air Force veteran Dominic Marino was murdered in the fall of 2018. Police are still searching for leads in his case. (Photo from obituary)

Who Killed Dominic Marino? 7 Years Later, Murder of Disabled Veteran Baffles Police

More than seven years after Dominic Marino was brutally killed inside his Connecticut home, police are still searching for...

President Donald Trump talks to the media.

With Capture of Maduro, Trump Treads Into Uncharted Territory

Trump has now twice used U.S. forces to carry out risky operations against American adversaries.

Space Force News

President Donald Trump holds top a signed executive order as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth watches in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

How Trump’s 2025 'War' Agenda Rewired the Pentagon

Trump’s 2025 executive actions reshape how the current administration defines national security.

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

Louis Tanzer, a retired 105-year-old staff sergeant, raises his fist after eating cake during the United States Marine Corps 250th birthday celebration in Boston. (Photo from Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

105-Year-Old Massachusetts Veteran Believed to Be Nation’s Oldest Marine

Louis Tanzer, likely the nation's oldest living Marine Corps veteran, received quite a celebration after turning 105 years of...

U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Kendell Jones, Headquarters Company, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a training dummy with an automated external defibrillator during a CPR and AED course, on MCB Camp Blaz, Guam, Nov. 14, 2025 (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Afton Smiley)

The Push for AEDs at Every Marine Physical Training Session

Sudden cardiac arrest remains the top non-traumatic cause of death for young U.S. service members, with rates reaching as...

Coast Guard News

A person dangles from a helicopter hoist above rubble and fire

Coast Guard Aircrews Grade Hollywood’s Biggest Helicopter Missions

Hollywood loves helicopter rescues that look heroic. Real Coast Guard aviation runs on checklists, limits, and hard calls. We...

A person watches the oil tanker Ocean Mariner, Monrovia, arrive to the bay in Havana, Cuba.

A Battered Cuba Braces for Aftershocks as US Seizures of Oil Tankers Linked to Venezuela Surge

“Cuban military forces are on high alert,” said Andy S. Gómez, retired dean of the School of International Studies and senior...