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

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...

Traveling? This Hotel Room Workout Will Keep You Active

If you need a rest, take it. But, if you need to be at the top of your game, be well-rested and well-tested.

A U.S. Air Force pararescueman assigned to the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron recovers a simulated patient during a joint training with the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161 (VMM-161) in Djibouti, Aug. 4, 2025. As part of the 449th Air Expeditionary Group, the 82nd ERQS serves as the task force responsible for conducting personnel recovery operations in East Africa.

The Best Fitness Strategy to Prepare to Serve in Military Special Operations

Being selected for military special operations programs requires a layered approach to fitness.

What to Know About Creatine and Why the Military Regulates it for Special Forces

Creatine's reputation is built on decades of scientific research and practical results, making it a common addition to sports...

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Mauricio Varonmoncayo and fellow classmates use fins to race during a Scout Swimmers Course at the Camp Hansen Aquatics Center, Okinawa, Japan.

The Essential Swim Workout for Military Special Operations Candidates

Building a requisite level of swimming conditioning and water confidence takes time, patience and consistent time in the...

Combat rescue officer candidates perform flutter-kicks.

Air Force Combat Rescue Officer (CRO)

The United States Air Force combat rescue officer (CRO) is an officer career field added because of the importance of joint...

Runners take off at the start of the Yokohama North Dock Running Festival, held Nov. 4 on the installation at U.S. Army Garrison-Japan. The event, which returned to the installation for the first time in four years, drew nearly 1,000 competitors for its 5K, 10K and half-marathon races.

How to Improve Your Cardio Fitness Safely

While running is an effective form of cardio, it is not always the best option for heavier athletes, especially those with...

A screen from the 2013 movie 'Cliffy,' about an Australian potato farmer named Cliff Young who won a 544-mile ultramarathon in 1983.

How an Australian Potato Farmer Changed Running Forever

Released in 2013, the movie “Cliffy” chronicles Australian Cliff Young’s rise from a potato farmer to an ultramarathoner and...

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Marcella Quinonez, an aircraft armament systems specialist from the 57th Maintenance Group, performs a sandbag front carry during the fitness portion of the 4th quarter weapons standardization team load crew competition at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

Try This Military Fitness Workout to Improve Leg Strength and Endurance

Leg days in military preparation training require two components: strength training with weights and movement training with...

Lt. Marylou Proano, a Navy nurse from New York, rides a stationary bike during a Morale, Wellness, Recreation event aboard the USNS Comfort (T-AH 20).

6 Biking Options to Replace Running if You Are Injured

If you are dealing with common running injuries such as shin splints, stress fractures or persistent foot and knee pain...

How Recruits Can Build Core Fitness

Many combat veterans reportedly are adding sprints, agility drills and core exercises to build a better-equipped combat...

New Army PRT and CRT

For decades, the Army has assessed physical fitness through the standard fitness test that many branches of the military and...

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

Circuit to Improve Pull-Ups: First Strength, Then Muscle Stamina

Many people struggle with pull-ups at first, but with practice, this exercise can be rewarding and can build upper body...

Military.com fitness writer and former Navy SEAL Stew Smith demonstrates a deep squat.

Why Improved Flexibility and Mobility Is Crucial for Tactical Service Members

When it comes to tactical fitness, being more flexible and mobile can make the difference between peak performance and...

Andrew Hutchinson, an Army veteran and director of camps and special programs for Team Red, White and Blue, leads a warm-up before a calisthenics session during a rock-climbing camp at Estes Park, Colo.

How Group Exercise Can Do More for Veterans Than Going Solo

For more than a decade, Team Red, White and Blue -- a nonprofit organization for veterans – has operated a unique program...

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Most Popular Military News

A view of the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.

Portrait of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee with Slave Rehung at West Point

The reinstallation marks the latest effort by the Trump administration to reverse the work of a congressionally mandated...

USS Falcon crewmen suit up 2 Navy divers during the rescue operation following the sinking of the USS Squalus.

How the Men on a Navy Submarine Survived After Sinking 240 Feet in the Atlantic

Trapped 240 feet beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, Lt. Oliver Naquin could not ensure the crew of the USS Squalus...

Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, chief of Navy Reserve, is piped aboard during a change of command ceremony where Rear Adm. Luke Frost relieved Rear Adm. Mike Steffen as commanding officer of Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command aboard Naval Station Norfolk on June 27, 2025.

All Services Now Issue Form DD214-1 to Departing Reservists

The military's reserve components now issue departing reservists a new record that summarizes their periods of active and...

From Jackson to McKinley: What Trump's Shift of Presidential Hero Says About His Evolving Goals

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Randy 'Duke' Cunningham, Naval Aviator and Corrupt Appropriator, Dies at 83

Cunningham, a California Republican, joined the Navy at age 25 and during the Vietnam War became the first “ace,” an honor...

Navy officers walk through the tunnels of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.

2 Civilians Indicted for Their Role in a Pearl Harbor Fuel Spill That Sickened 6,000 People in 2021

The indictments are the first to result from the fuel spill that angered Hawaii residents, lawmakers and military service...

Latest Military Videos

Jumping Jacks

Military.com fitness writer Stew Smith demonstrates the proper form for jumping jacks. (Aug. 29) military.com

Half Squat

Military.com fitness writer Stew Smith demonstrates the proper form for half squats. (Aug. 29) military.com

Hip Rollers

Military.com fitness writer Stew Smith demonstrates the proper form for hip rollers. (Aug. 29) military.com

Hi Jack and Jills

Military.com fitness writer Stew Smith demonstrates the proper form to perform hi Jack and Jills. (Aug. 29) military.com

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

Cadets march at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point

Army Football Player and His Dad Save a Man from Flames After a Car Crash near West Point

An Army football player and his father pulled a man from a crashed car just before it burst into flames near the U.S...

Sen. Joni Ernst speaks during an Iowa GOP event

Iraq War Veteran Sen. Joni Ernst Expected to Announce Next that She Won't Run for Reelection

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst is expected to announce next month she won't seek reelection, leaving another vacancy in an Iowa seat...

Navy News

DHS Secretary Noem Confirms More ICE Resources Are Heading to Chicago for Immigration Crackdown

Noem's comments come after the DHS requested limited logistical support from officials at the Naval Station Great Lakes to...

2 Civilians Indicted for Their Role in a Pearl Harbor Fuel Spill That Sickened 6,000 People in 2021

The indictments are the first to result from the fuel spill that angered Hawaii residents, lawmakers and military service...

Air Force News

Micki Witthoeft, mother of Ashli Babbitt

Jan. 6 Rioter Fatally Shot by Police Approved for Military Funeral Honors by Air Force

Ashli Babbitt, who served as a senior airman, was among a group of rioters attempting to smash through barricaded doors...

B-52 bomber from in a flyover at the North Dakota State Fair

NTSB Says B-52 Bomber Nearly Hit 2 Different Planes in North Dakota Last Month

These close calls were just the latest incidents to raise questions about aviation safety in the wake of January’s midair...

Space Force News

Family and friends pin Officer Training Course badges on graduating U.S. Space Force Guardians

Space Force Celebrates First Officer Training Course Graduation at Peterson Space Force Base

The Space Force celebrated the first graduating class of its new Officer Training Course, marking a new approach to training...

109th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

Air Guard Transfers to Space Force Appear Likely as Senators Backtrack on Effort to Stop It

New amendments added to Congress' must-pass annual defense policy bill would allow the Space Force to take over certain state...

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

A Marine Corps family whose 8-year-old son died last year after he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle on Camp...

Marine Veteran Charged with Threatening to Shoot Schoolchildren Now Out of Jail

Once held on $1 million bond for livestreaming threats to shoot elementary school children, a military veteran is now out of...

Coast Guard News