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. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Joshua J. Garcia)

How to Lift for Strength While Maintaining Your Fitness with Calisthenics and Cardio

Whether you’re preparing for boot camp or already serving, you’ve probably noticed the military provides ample opportunities...

A soldier takes an Army Combat Fitness Test at Strickler Field at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania.

How Combining Calisthenics, Cardio and Strength Training Builds the Tactical Athlete

As you build your training routine, remember that each aspect of fitness plays a crucial role in your overall ability and...

Omega-3 fatty acids are commonly found in types of fish, nuts and seeds.

Why Omega-3s Should Be at the Heart of Your Wellness Plan

As you consider ways to enhance your longevity, stave off memory loss and combat feelings of depression, you might be...

U.S. Army Sgt. Melissa Schimmel, an intelligence analyst with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, performs squats at Fort Carson’s Iron Horse Sports and Fitness Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

What Is the Best Beginner Fitness Workout?

I often get asked what the best workout is to do when you are trying to add fitness back into your life again. My answer...

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Hannah F. Montegue, a scheduling officer with Officer Candidates School, Quantico, Virginia, swims during the first Training and Education Command Fittest Instructor Competition at The Basic School on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.

5 Tips to Help You Return to Swimming After a Shoulder Injury

It is not uncommon to obtain shoulder injuries that require surgery. While the shoulder is the most versatile joint in our...

The Best Way to Get a Jump-Start on New Year's Fitness Goals: Start in November

Start now with a few logical goals that can help you with your discipline and stress to build a solid foundation for any New...

A Marine conducts a 500-meter underwater swim with fins and a snorkel at the Courthouse Bay Training Tank aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.

How to Improve Your Ankle Mobility to Handle Swimming with Fins

Ankle mobility is the root cause of pain when it comes to swimming with fins, which requires both practice and stretching.

U.S. Army Garrison Kwajalein Military Welfare and Recreation holds a sunrise yoga class at the Corlett Recreation Center, Kwajalein Atoll, in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

5 Tips to Recommit to a Healthier Lifestyle

Start by embracing simple beginner routines that act as steppingstones, providing guidance without the initial intimidation.

(U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sean Furey)

This 2-Part Swimming Workout Will Help Anyone with Water Confidence

You must swim, tread and place your face in the water to overcome any water fears. Here is a workout that will progressively...

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Briana Quintana performs a clean and press at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea.

How Improving Your Tactical Fitness Can Make You a Better Service Member

The development of the elements of fitness, ensuring a military member is proficient in all of them, is a journey that adapts...

(U.S. Marine Corps/Sgt. A. J. Van Fredenberg)

5 Reasons Why Service Members Need Physical Training for Job Performance Beyond Fitness Tests

While the initial physical assessment is a crucial entry-point event, it hardly scratches the surface of what is necessary...

Culinary Specialist 1st Class Bennett Evans uses dumbbells for the bench press during a physical training session aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105) in the East China Sea.

This Full-Body Exercise Circuit Will Take Your Fitness Training Up Another Level

If you like full-body workouts that focus on pull-push-legs-core, this circuit of these fitness components will challenge you...

A soldier from the U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) participates in his semiannual physical fitness test at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

How to Determine the Source of Your Running Pain

Running for the first time requires a delicate progression to avoid typical overuse injuries such as shin splints, Achilles...

(U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Dennis Sloan)

Everyone Has a Fitness Weakness. Here's How to Handle Yours

If we genuinely want to be well-rounded, physically active and healthy, it's important to assess the components of fitness...

Air Force Senior Airman Brandon Stout, 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, does pull-ups during a workout at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.

This Military Fitness Workout Can Help Improve Your Special Operations Training

Here is a workout we use on an upper-body day that helps prepare for higher-rep calisthenics (grinder PT) and running.

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Most Popular Military News

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Tennessee Man Shot Dead After Flipping Middle Finger at War Memorial

Albert Sturgill Jr., 63, was confronted by a group while gesturing at the flag and monuments at Cumberland County Veterans...

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Latest Military Videos

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Marine Corps drill instructors are a national symbol of discipline. But for some, their imposing persona belies a dark...

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A Military.com investigation into military day care centers revealed that service branch rules generally prioritize...

Army News

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Disabled US Army Veteran in ‘Limbo’ at Tacoma ICE Detention Center

A U.S. Army veteran's immigration case remains uncertain after he was recently denied bond by a judge, family members say.

A guardsman stands at a gate to Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas.

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Navy News

U.S. Navy meritorious promotion ceremony

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Air Force News

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Space Force News

Col. Edward Segura, director of manpower, personnel and services, Air Force Reserve Command, speaks

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Marine Corps News

The sign at the entrance at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

Camp Pendleton Officer, Wife Sue Military Housing Company over Crash That Killed 8-Year-Old Son

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Coast Guard News

A retail services specialist 3rd class, assigned to the USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) supply department, conducts a command fitness class in the hangar bay.

Fitness at Sea: Workouts You Can Do on a Ship and Ace the Navy Fitness Test

Staying fit in tight spaces with little to no equipment is always a challenge, whether you are in a hotel room or living and...

A Military Approach to Drug Busts Upends US Efforts and Raises Legal Questions

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