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

Close-up shot of Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder jar in person hands.(Image via:Shutterstock)

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...

It’s Almost Spring: Let’s Get Ready for the Murph!

As with any fitness goal, a logical progression is needed to accomplish the Murph. Here is how to add in Murph prep training...

A Marine swimming in scuba gear holds a fin out of the water.

Ask Stew: Swimming with Fin Pain and Other Issues

When swimming with scuba fins, especially the type that the military issues, Rocket or Jet Fins, you may find a learning...

Marines and sailors in blue shirts do pushups in scraggly brown grass.

The Power of the Pushup: Health Improvements Across the Board

While pushups alone won’t save your life, they will always be a solid marker of fitness, health and wellness, and they can...

A soldier does a sandbag lunge while another looks on.

3 Full-Body Sandbag Circuits

Here are three versions of a circuit workout we did last week that simulates load-bearing, equipment carry, and log PT. All...

Ask Stew: How to Gain Pool Skills for Dive School or Rescue Swimmer Prep

Here is a question from a future Navy diver or rescue swimmer who is considering his options and working on becoming better...

Soldiers sprint across an indoor football field.

3 Running Workouts to Help Ace Your Next Fitness Test

Combining Zone 2 running, goal pace running and sprinting in your weekly training plan can be ideal for developing aerobic...

Marines perform kettlebell swings in a gym.

Try This 20-Minute Upper Body Blitz

If you're looking for a fast, effective way to condition your upper body and core, this 20-minute blitz circuit is designed...

Special Forces candidates walk on a dusty road with backpacks and guns.

Ask Stew: Should I Prepare for Military Training Alone or With a Group?

I am joining the Army with the goal of becoming a Special Forces officer. How does training alone differ from training with...

How Tactical Fitness Compares to the GPP/SPP Exercise Models

While GPP/SPP and tactical fitness and strength aim to build a capable athlete, they differ largely in their “why” and “how.”...

Four U.S. soldiers wearing Army PT gear do squats on a soccer field at night.

Leg-Day Workout With Weights, Sandbags and Calisthenics

By stacking variations of the same movement, the squat, with different loading implements, you can target your lower body...

Recruits in swim masks line up in the water to start a timed test.

Ask Stew: Swim Portion of the Air Force Special Warfare Initial Fitness Test (IFT)

The process of taking and performing well on a swimming test in the military requires technique first, conditioning second...

A retiree performs battle ropes in a gym.

The 3 Phases of Fitness Provide a Lifelong Approach to Performance

When it comes to fitness, three phases provide a progressive process to building a lifelong foundation that supports both...

100-Plus Troops and Veterans Ranked These Workouts as Their Top 5

Whether climbing a PT pyramid, swimming, powering through a 5x5 or unwinding with mobility work, these workouts are favorites...

Sailors in a gym do lunges with sandbags.

Ask Stew: When Tired, How to Decide to Work Out vs. Rest

Is your body failing, or is your brain just trying to protect you from discomfort?

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Most Popular Military News

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron lands at a base in the Middle East, Jan. 18, 2026. The F-15's presence enhances combat readiness and promotes regional security and stability. (Courtesy Photo)

The US Military Will Risk Everything for Its Own. Here’s Why

The rescue of downed U.S. airmen in Iran shows why “leave no one behind” still defines the military, and why it matters for...

Bruce Willis in military gear in Tears of the Sun, actor who grew up in a military family. (Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing)

These Actors Grew Up as Military Children. It Shaped Everything

These 10 actors were raised in military families. Their upbringing didn’t just shape their lives—it still influences how they...

Veterans hold signs supporting the PACT Act.

You Took Separation Pay Years Ago. Now the VA Wants It Back From Your Disability Check.

Under federal law, a veteran cannot receive both separation pay and VA disability compensation for the same period of service...

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...

3 Big PCS Changes Are Coming at Once. Here’s What Service Members Need to Know Before Peak Season.

In 2026, three major changes are affecting military household goods moves: a new permanent agency to run the system, the end...

Latest Military Videos

Russia's Internet Crackdown Leads to a Spring of Growing Discontent

Russia's internet crackdown leads to a spring of growing discontent.

Israeli Military Releases Video of Strikes on Southern Lebanon

Israeli military releases video of strikes on southern Lebanon.

Artemis II Astronauts Release Images of Moon Flyby and Eclipse

Artemis II astronauts release images of moon flyby and eclipse.

US and Iran Agree to 2-week Ceasefire as Trump Pulls Back on Threats

US and Iran agree to 2-week ceasefire as Trump pulls back on threats.

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

An Army Veteran Is Charged with Sharing Classified Details of an Elite Commando Unit

An Army veteran has been charged with sharing classified information about an elite commando unit with a journalist, which...

Team Air Force wheelchair basketball athlete Joshua Oshua fights for a rebound against Team Special Operations Command athlete Master Sgt. Scotty Roessler during a preliminary game against Team SOCOM at the Department of Defense Warrior Games at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado, June 3, 2018. (U.S. Air Force)

Wheelchair Basketball Team Provides Purpose for Disabled Veterans

Searching for hope and direction after catastrophic injuries, a pair of Colorado veterans found their new community on the...

Navy News

A soldier visits a troop store on USAG Bavaria to make purchases at a self-checkout register. (Army & Air Force Exchange Service Public Affairs)

Military Exchange Shoppers Donated $2.5M to Army, Air Force in 2025

Military Exchange shoppers have donated more than $11.7 million dating back to 2017.

These Actors Grew Up as Military Children. It Shaped Everything

These 10 actors were raised in military families. Their upbringing didn’t just shape their lives—it still influences how they...

Air Force News

Military Exchange Shoppers Donated $2.5M to Army, Air Force in 2025

Military Exchange shoppers have donated more than $11.7 million dating back to 2017.

These Actors Grew Up as Military Children. It Shaped Everything

These 10 actors were raised in military families. Their upbringing didn’t just shape their lives—it still influences how they...

Space Force News

Robbie Robertson, Sedaro CEO and co-founder, presents a live demo to USSF leadership Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, at Spacepower Conference in Orlando, FL. (Photo courtesy of SFA)

National Spacepower Center: Advancing US and Allied Spacepower

The Space Force Association launched the National Space Center in Dec. 2025 to connect government, academia and industry and...

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...

Marine Corps News

U.S. Marine Corps Master Sgt. Justin A. Henry, avionics chief, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 533, Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, returns from a Unit Deployment Program at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, Oct. 29, 2025. VMFA-533 returned from a UDP, which provided forward presence and bolstered unit readiness. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Julius Hackney)

Marine Corps Hikes Family Separation Allowance: What Deployed Marines Get Now

Many Marine Corps families are getting a direct pay bump thanks to a recent MARADMIN. Deployed Marines, those on shipboard...

These Actors Grew Up as Military Children. It Shaped Everything

These 10 actors were raised in military families. Their upbringing didn’t just shape their lives—it still influences how they...

Coast Guard News

Coast Guard Cutter Midgett (WMSL 757) prepares to Moore at their homeport Honolulu, Hawaii Oct. 3, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jennifer Nilson)

Coast Guard Cutter Finds, Retrieves Family Missing for 7 Days in Micronesia

The rescue mission was one not "routine" to the Coast Guard and cutter crew that succeeded.

'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...

Stew Smith, CSCS®

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