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

Sgt. Alexander Otruba, assigned to the 10th Mountain Division, completes a set of push-ups during the Ranger Physical Fitness Assessment as part of the XVIII Airborne Corps Best Squad Competition on April 15, 2025, at Fort Campbell, Ky.

How Special Operations Candidates Should Approach Workouts to Become Stronger

Strength training for the tactical athlete is not exactly the same as what football players and powerlifters do to prepare...

(Lance Cpl. Crystal Druery/U.S. Marine Corps photo)

How to Decide Whether You Should Eat Before Working Out

If you’re someone who likes to start your day with a workout, you have probably wondered if you should eat before hitting the...

U.S. Army Sgt. Zarinadel Diazinga conducts kettlebell swings during SETAF-AF’s sergeant’s time circuit training at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy.

The Essential Workout for Service Members Performing Load-Bearing Military Activities

The combination of leg and core strength, along with cardio conditioning through weight movement, makes you better at rucking...

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Caine Nielsen, 19th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal NCO in charge of EOD equipment, performs the trap-bar deadlift at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas.

What Air Force Bomb Techs Should Know About Their New Fitness Test

Beginning in August, those in EOD roles will no longer be required to complete the standard 1.5-mile run, push-ups and sit...

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Cristina Jourden, 423rd Communications Squadron flight commander, performs deadlifts as part of the Defender Challenge on RAF Alconbury, England.

Why Strength Training Is Vital to Achieve Faster Running Times

If you are looking to shave seconds (or even minutes) off your run times, the answer is not simply to run more miles per week...

Senior airman Jared Trimarchi completes a set of dips at Joint Base Charleston, S.C.

How to Modify Your Military Fitness Training if Your Shoulder Hurts

Whenever we sustain an injury during training, it is normal to stop working out so we have time to rest and recover.

Staff Sgt. Alyana Vasquez exercises on an elliptical machine at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, Jan. 11, 2023.

How Combining Cardio and Strength Training Benefits Your Brain

Aerobic exercise and strength training offer unique and complementary benefits for brain health, according to a growing body...

The Unintended Consequences of Skipping a Workout (and What You Can Do About It)

When you skip a workout, the session isn't just forgotten. Unfinished tasks weigh on your mind, mentally distracting you with...

Sgt. Amber Kelly conducts a max set of kettlebell deadlifts in 60 seconds as instructor Nicole Freres counts her repetitions during the 2017 Tactical Athlete Competition Preliminaries at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.

What Having Stronger Legs Can Do for You

Stronger legs are not just for muscle heads in the gym.

U.S. Navy SEAL candidates from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) class 286 participate in a training exercise at Naval Base Coronado in Coronado, Calif.

Navy SEAL Timeline: From Acceptance to Training

Since its inception in 2014, SEAL Officer Assessment and Selection (SOAS) has served as an important step in screening...

An Indiana Guardsman completes the plank portion of the Army combat fitness test at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, during the Best Warrior Competition.

The Exercises You Should Be Doing for a Strong Core

When most people think of core exercises, they think crunches and sit-ups – possibly because the tactical professions have...

Staff Sgt. Christian Gabelmann performs a 150-pound farmer’s walk carry as part of the maximum strength test during the 4th Infantry Division Best Ranger Competition at Fort Carson, Colo.

Should You Do Farmer’s Walks with Weight in One or Both Hands?

Farmer’s walks improve your overall strength and grip strength, as well as your balance and core muscles.

A variety of healthy ingredients were used to prepare the meals for the Healthy Barbecue Cooking Class held outside the Bayview Restaurant aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.

What You Should Know About Carb Loading for Military Fitness Tests and Training

A highly active person requires carbohydrates, proteins and fats to provide energy for and support recovery from physically...

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...

Staff Sgt. Jason Preston, an infantry soldier with 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, starts his morning with 100 triceps dips on an improvised bar at his unit's tactical operations center in Jordan on Aug. 31, 2019.

This Calisthenics and Cardio Workout Will Prepare You for Any Military Fitness Test

Calisthenics and cardio exercises can be arranged in several ways to improve running times and overall fitness test scores...

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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

'Greatest' US Soldier Took a Tank Round to the Leg and Kept Fighting

The accounts of everyone who watched Matt Urban mount a tank under heavy fire in Normandy were "remarkably consistent"...

Wreckage of Turkish Military Cargo Plane that Crashed in Georgia

A Turkish accident investigation team reached the crash site of a military cargo plane early Wednesday and was inspecting...

Video Shows Moment of Turkish Military Plane Crash

Footage obtained by Georgian media showed the moment a Turkish military plane crashed in Georgia.

Operation Washtub 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...

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

Herbert Morton Stoops’ Battle of New Orleans captures the fury of the British assault against the American lines at Chalmette Plantation. Contrary to Stoops’s depiction of the 93d Highlanders, which shows them wearing kilts, the Scotsmen attacking the American lines wore trousers. (Army Art Collection)

How a Rag-Tag Group of Soldiers, Marines, Choctaw, Militia and Pirates Saved New Orleans From the British

By December of 1814, American forces were in tatters. The Redcoats had dominated them in the War of 1812, repulsed their...

Warrant Officer Stephen Peth (left) with Ted Jacoby (right). Behind them is one of the UH-1 Huey DUSTOFF helicopters, which ferried wounded troops from the battlefield to hospitals, greatly increasing their chance of survival. (Stephen Peth)

Vietnam DUSTOFF Pilot Who Saved 3,000 Earned Gold Medal Honor for MEDEVAC Crews

By then, he had flown over 3,000 casualties to safety during 11 months evacuating wounded soldiers from Vietnam's most...

Navy News

How a Rag-Tag Group of Soldiers, Marines, Choctaw, Militia and Pirates Saved New Orleans From the British

By December of 1814, American forces were in tatters. The Redcoats had dominated them in the War of 1812, repulsed their...

Members of an honor guard carry U.S. service flags up Fifth Avenue during New York City’s Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 11, 2025. The nation’s largest Veterans Day event honored 250 years of American military service with thousands of spectators lining the route in freezing temperatures. (Darius Radzius/Military.com)

New York Honors 250 Years Of Military Service In Nation’s Largest Veterans Day Parade

New York City marked Veterans Day with the largest parade in the nation, honoring 250 years of military service along Fifth...

Air Force News

Transgender Members of the Air Force Sue Over Losing Retirement Pay

A group of 17 transgender members of the Air Force are suing the U.S. government over what they say is the military’s...

Air Force Base Housing Landlord Says No Christmas Decorations Before Thanksgiving

A private company managing housing near Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida has told residents to remove Christmas decorations...

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

How a Rag-Tag Group of Soldiers, Marines, Choctaw, Militia and Pirates Saved New Orleans From the British

By December of 1814, American forces were in tatters. The Redcoats had dominated them in the War of 1812, repulsed their...

New York Honors 250 Years Of Military Service In Nation’s Largest Veterans Day Parade

New York City marked Veterans Day with the largest parade in the nation, honoring 250 years of military service along Fifth...

Coast Guard News

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem participates in a tour at the U.S. Coast Guard Station Charleston, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Charleston, S.C. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)

More Recruits Require More Space: Coast Guard Announces New Training Center

Days after the U.S. Coast Guard announced some of its highest recruiting numbers in decades, it now intends to open a new...

US Coast Guard Recruitment Hits Highest Mark in Decades: 'Workforce of Future'

The service hits its highest numbers since 1991, with bigger plans to come.

Stew Smith, CSCS®

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