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 the Stew Smith article archive on Military.com. Contact Stew with your comments and questions at stew@stewsmith.com.

Latest Articles

Marine lifts a 30-pound ammunitions can during his combat fitness test.

Marine Corps Combat Fitness Test (CFT)

The Marines' combat fitness test, taken every six months, is intended to keep Marines ready for the physical rigors of...

Four military members in workout gear do events of the Murph on a ship's deck.

A New Way to Make the Murph Workout More Difficult

If you want to succeed with the Murph, you may want to start your preparation several months before Memorial Day. Typically...

Two service members jog with backpacks of toys.

Ask Stew: Is Rucking with a Weight Vest the Same as with a Backpack?

Weight vest rucking will help you develop strength in your upper back, core and legs for when you start training with a...

A paratrooper assigned to the Division Artillery Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, participates in the Strongest All American weightlifting competition, part of All American Week 2025 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, May 20, 2025. (Pfc. Jadyn Merritt/Army)

Keep Up with Calisthenics and Cardio During Lift Cycles: Here’s How

By cycling through training phases and carefully coordinating the daily structure, you ensure that gains in strength and...

An airman faces the camera and performs a curl.

Ask Stew: Workout Adjustments for an Arm Injury

I broke my arm a few days ago. What advice do you have to not go crazy with this cast on my arm? Any variations of workouts...

Never Skip Leg Day: It's the Foundation of Strength and Longevity

Here is an advanced leg day, but each section is completely scalable for any level of fitness.

Men silhouetted watch the sunrise on Omaha Beach.

Starting at Sunrise, an All-Day Routine for Better Sleep and Better Performance

You may not realize this, but your bedtime routine starts up to 12 hours before you go to sleep.

Two runners side by side on a track at night.

Track and Swim Workout with Upper Body PT Test Combo

Adding calisthenics between sets of speed and goal-pace running and swimming can be an effective way to combine muscle...

Airmen in full uniforms pictured from above swimming.

Ask Stew: How to Practice Deep-end Swim Skills in a Shallow Pool

If you’re training for Air Force Special Warfare selection and your base pool only goes to 5 feet, it’s understandable to be...

Hammocks below the deck of the USS Constitution.

The ‘Complete Cycle State,’ or How to End Each Day for a Better Tomorrow

The goal of each evening should be to end the day’s stress with stress-relieving activities such as walking, deep breathing...

‘How Much Do You Bench?’ Bench Press Combination Ideas

While you can improve strength with the following strength and conditioning combinations, the priority here is more work...

Navy members in PT uniforms ride stationary bikes.

Ask Stew: How Often Is Biking in Place of Running an Acceptable Training Option?

How often is it acceptable to use the bike as opposed to running through programs? It feels like a cop-out some days.

Get Stronger for the Hex Bar Deadlift, a Common Fitness Test Lift

Depending on your job, you may be required to lift weights or carry a load in a military fitness test. Learning how to...

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Juan Del Haro, right, a drill instructor with Mike Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, instructs Recruit Madrid Adam during a circuit course training event at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California, Sept. 3, 2025. The circuit course consists of various exercises such as pull-ups, crunches, push-ups, different styles of lifting, and more to help recruits build physical endurance and mental toughness. (Cpl. Sarah M. Grawcock/Marine Corps)

Ask Stew: When Should I Breathe During Exercises?

A reader asks whether Stew recommends exhaling while performing eccentric movements or concentric movements.

Two military officers in a breathing exercise.

If You Think Nasal Breathing Is Helpful, Try Left/Right Nostril Breathing

During physical activity, working in high stress situations, and sleeping, being a nose breather can improve mood, physical...

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Most Popular Military News

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Mujuni Menani, a senior drill instructor with Fox Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, recites the drill instructor creed on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., Jan. 31, 2026. These drill instructors will be responsible for training and mentoring their recruits during the 13 weeks of recruit training. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jordy Morales)

The Recruiting Surge Was Engineered. Can It Last in a War with Iran?

The military’s recruiting surge didn’t happen by accident. New programs drove gains, but as the war with Iran grows...

New recruits take the oath of enlistment at the Advocate Center for the Eleventh Annual Chicago Bulls Special Recruit Division Enlistment Ceremony in Chicago. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Camilo Fernan)

Could the US Bring Back the Draft? Who Would Be Called First — and Who Qualifies

Could the U.S. bring back the draft? Here’s how Selective Service works today, who would be called first and why only about...

A U.S. Army armored vehicle equipped with advanced targeting and air defense systems maneuvers through a training range, reflecting the service’s push to integrate AI-driven capabilities and rapidly field combat-ready technology. (U.S. Army Materiel Command)

Army Speeds AI Warfighting Push as US Troops are in Active Combat

An Army test used AI tools to hit 15 targets in one hour, signaling a rapid shift in how battlefield decisions are made and...

VA Study: Ozempic, Other GLP-1 Drugs May Fight Addiction Across Every Major Substance

For the more than 48 million Americans with substance use disorders, including a disproportionate share of veterans, GLP-1...

Bonnie Carroll, founder of TAPS, hugging a survivor (Photo courtesy of TAPS).

After the Knock on the Door: How TAPS Supports Military Families for Life

After a service member dies, families face a lifetime of grief. TAPS founder Bonnie Carroll explains how the organization...

Latest Military Videos

UN Human Rights Chief Calls for Protection of Children After Strike on Iran School

UN human rights chief calls for protection of children after strike on Iran school.

Judge Weighs Whether Venezuela Can Pay Maduro's Legal Costs

Judge weighs whether Venezuela can pay Maduro's legal costs in US drug trafficking case.

Speaker Johnson Says Iran Should ‘Take Note’ of the Troop Buildup in Middle East

Speaker Johnson says Iran should ‘take note’ of the troop buildup in the Middle East.

Colombia Investigates Military Plane Crash that Killed 69

Colombia investigates military plane crash that killed 69 as doctors identify victims.

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 Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and Sergeant Major of the Army Michael R. Weimer awarded eight meritorious service medals and two Purple Hearts to cadets from Old Dominion University Army ROTC during a private ceremony on March 22, 2026. The cadets from ODU were recognized for their bravery and sacrifice during the March 12 shooting incident in their ROTC classroom. U.S. Army photo by Ian Ives. Source: DVIDS.

Honor Under Fire: ODU Cadets Receive Army Recognition for Bravery and Sacrifice

Army ROTC cadets at Old Dominion stopped a campus shooter and later received Meritorious Service Medals and Purple Hearts for...

Army Speeds AI Warfighting Push as US Troops are in Active Combat

An Army test used AI tools to hit 15 targets in one hour, signaling a rapid shift in how battlefield decisions are made and...

Navy News

USS Ross Departs Naval Station Norfolk

The destroyer is part of the George H. W. Bush carrier strike group, which is likely relieving the overdue Gerald R. Ford’s...

U.S. Navy veteran John Wells is honored on March 20 with the DAR Medal of Honor by the Louisiana Society of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) during its 117th state conference held in Alexandria, La. (DAR)

Navy Veteran Who Helped Service Members Affected by Agent Orange Honored

Navy veteran John Wells has given to his country, and to his fellow men and women. His legal work helped result in landmark...

Air Force News

Brother and Sister Are Charged After an Explosive Device Was Found Outside a Florida Air Force Base

A brother and sister have been charged after an explosive device was found outside a gate at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

This year's USO 2026 "Service Members of the Year." (USO)

'Exceptional Courage': USO Announces its 2026 Service Members of the Year

This year's crop of USO honorees saved motorcycle crash victims, rescued bodies underwater, saved civilians from a building...

Space Force News

'Exceptional Courage': USO Announces its 2026 Service Members of the Year

This year's crop of USO honorees saved motorcycle crash victims, rescued bodies underwater, saved civilians from a building...

How Nuclear Waste Can Save Military Satellites and Lunar Exploration

Russia and China can black out military satellites in seconds. A Latvian startup says nuclear-waste generators using 5x less...

Marine Corps News

D. R. Howe (Glencoe, MN) treats the wounds of Private First Class D. A. Crum (New Brighton, PA), Company H, 2nd Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment, during Operation Hue City. (USMC Photo)

'Like Dante's Inferno': One Marine’s Experiences in Vietnam and the Battle of Hue

Cpl. Charles McMahon was on a convoy entering Hue when the NVA seized the city. He spent the next month fighting through it...

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina meets with U.S. service members during a visit at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, April 15, 2023. Graham visited the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to meet with Team PSAB service members and show support. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stephani Barge)

Senator References Bloodiest Battle in USMC History While Urging Attack on Kharg Island

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., drew sharp criticism from fellow GOP lawmakers after invoking the Battle of Iwo Jima while...

Coast Guard News

'Exceptional Courage': USO Announces its 2026 Service Members of the Year

This year's crop of USO honorees saved motorcycle crash victims, rescued bodies underwater, saved civilians from a building...

Service members move through a TSA Honor Lane at a U.S. airport, as security systems face increasing pressure amid a Department of Homeland Security funding lapse (DVIDS).

Rising US Casualties in Iran Put New Strain on Homeland Security

As U.S. casualties rise in Iran, a DHS shutdown is stretching homeland security—exposing growing strain between war abroad...

Stew Smith, CSCS®

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