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

An explosive ordnance disposal team member squats with a 50-pound kettlebell during part of the 2019 Warrior Challenge event May 16, 2019, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

The Workout You Should Be Doing to Prepare for Military Training

Incorporating fundamental exercises, such as squats, lunges, carries, crawls and load-bearing movements, is among the best...

Airmen with the 157th Air Refueling Wing, New Hampshire Air National Guard, perform a litter carry as part of a multi-day military readiness exercise at Pease Air National Guard Base, Newington, N.H..

The Physiological Costs of High-Stress Military Training

These exercises build resilience and readiness by simulating combat conditions that involve high stress, including...

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Ed Scherzer, with the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, performs a demonstration on the dip bar on Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.

How a Low-Cost Home Gym Can Produce Big Fitness Benefits

For less than a $200 investment, you can have a functional home gym capable of keeping you in top shape and even preparing...

Participants run through a series of drills and exercises at Fort Drum, New York.

The Best Strategy to Rebuild Your Mileage After Sustaining a Running Injury

Not all injuries are created equal, but when an injury prevents you from running for more than six months, you should build...

Chief Warrant Officer Greg Gransback uses an elliptical trainer at the gym on Camp Victory, Iraq.

How to Gauge Where to Begin a Fitness Program

What is a good workout for someone who is just starting a fitness plan?

1st Lt. Molly Reagan, assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, performs kettlebell front squats as part of the 'Strongest All American' weightlifting competition during All American Week 2024 at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.

How to Create a Military Fitness Workout on the Fly Despite Limited Resources

If you have only half the time you usually do to train, you can either skip working out or get something done during the time...

Individuals scheduled for boot camp complete a 1.5-mile run during a Marine Corps Recruiting Station Jacksonville pool function March 22, 2025, at Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island in Jacksonville, Florida.

The Best Way to Increase Your Running Mileage to Prepare for Military Fitness Tests

Training to run faster is a common issue for people serving in the military.

Physical fitness training during Basic Combat Training

Are You Made for the Military? Traits That Predict Basic Training Success

While your natural tendencies may set the stage, your development during training plays a crucial role in your overall...

Update Your CPR Knowledge and Save a Life

Since 2000, international guidelines on CPR have changed three times, the latest in 2015.

U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jeff Dee, commanding officer of Naval Operations Support Center at Offutt Air Force Base Neb., performs a weight-vest push-up inside the Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, Field House gym.

How This Weight-Vest Calisthenics Workout Will Test Your Military Fitness Level

Once you have achieved a moderately high level of abilities with your body weight, the next option is to increase the weight...

A U.S. soldier assigned to the 20th Engineer Brigade powers through a bench-press attempt during the Castle Week powerlifting competition at Fort Bragg, N.C.

The Best Strategies to Recover from a Heavy Weightlifting Training Cycle

When training specifically to improve your performance, especially in the strength and power components of fitness, it can be...

U.S. Army battalion commanders from 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, use resistance bands to complete a leg exercise at a special physical training session at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

6 Tips to Improve Your Fitness and Save Money

Many people assume their fitness journey must include pricey gym memberships or high-cost home equipment, but establishing a...

A U.S. Marine with Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, Marine Forces Command, Marine Forces Northern Command, performs a pull-up during the Murph Challenge at Camp Elmore, Norfolk, Virginia.

The Full-Body Military Fitness Workout Adaptable to Any Situation

Whether you have full or limited equipment, this full-body circuit offers a time-efficient workout.

Should You Drink Milk Before Going to Bed?

While billions of people do not drink milk at all, billions do or consume dairy products, providing another option to obtain...

(U.S. Air Force/Airman 1st Class Natasha Ninete)

How Prolonged Sitting Undermines Your Health and What You Can Do About It

Research indicates that doing nothing will reduce blood flow and oxygen levels to the brain, negatively impacting cognitive...

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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

Military Parades in Baghdad to Mark Anniversary of Victory over Islamic State Group

Iraq held a military parade in Baghdad to mark the anniversary of victory over the Islamic State group in...

Trump Says Guardsman Shot Near White House Got Out of Bed

Trump says Guardsman shot and severely wounded near White House got out of bed.

Putin Presents Awards to Russian Soldiers

Putin presents awards to Russian soldiers who have fought in Ukraine

Australia, US Ministers Embrace AUKUS' Go-Ahead Without Mentioning China

'Full steam ahead': Australia, US ministers embrace AUKUS' go-ahead without mentioning China

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

Godfrey Wade with two of his three grandchildren. (Photo from 11Alive News)

Georgia Army Veteran Stuck in ICE Detention Center

Godfrey Wade, an Army veteran, has lived in the U.S. for over 50 years. He's spent the past three months in a detention...

A sign outside the main gate of Fort Stewart, Georgia. AP Photo: Russ Bynum

Fort Stewart Entered Lockdown After Reported Active Shooter Alert

Fort Stewart was placed under a shelter in place order Tuesday after reports of a possible active shooter in a residential...

Navy News

US Military Flies 2 Fighter Jets Over the Gulf of Venezuela as Scrutiny Grows

The U.S. military flew a pair of fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela in what appears to be the closest American warplanes...

Congressional Lawmakers Hear From Retiring Navy Admiral Overseeing Boat Strikes

The U.S. Navy admiral who is retiring early from command of the campaign to destroy vessels allegedly carrying drugs near...

Air Force News

Lindsay Gutierrez. (Photo from Pinups For Vets)

Double Organ Donor to Pin-Up Model, Air Force Veteran Keeps Changing Lives

Air Force veteran Lindsay Gutierrez, one of about 280 people in the U.S. who are living double organ donors, is again helping...

Air Force Pilot Safely Ejects Before F-16 Fighter Jet Crashes in California Desert

Military officials say a fighter jet with the Air Force's Thunderbirds demonstration squadron has crashed in the Southern...

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

U.S. Marines with Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz stand at attention during a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Tumon, Guam, Dec. 2, 2025 (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Ryan Little)

Christmas Across the Corps 2025: Top Community Events

Christmas Across the Corps 2025: Tree lightings, Santa photos, parades, and free festivals at Quantico, Lejeune, Pendleton...

Marine Dies in Training Exercise at Camp Pendleton

Authorities say a U.S. Marine has died during a training exercise at Southern California's Camp Pendleton.

Coast Guard News

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., arrives at the chamber.

Senators Want Answers From Coast Guard on How it Probes Displays of Swastikas or Other Hate Symbols

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., warned that “relaxing policies aimed at fighting hate crimes not only sends the wrong message to...

Coast Guardsmen assigned to the Law Enforcement Detachment conduct small boat operations with sailors assigned to the littoral combat ship USS Charleston during a southern border support mission in the Pacific Ocean, May 30, 2025. (Navy Seaman Joey Sitter, DoW).

Coast Guard Reverses Course on Policy to Call Swastikas and Nooses 'Potentially Divisive'

The U.S. Coast Guard has released a new, firmer policy addressing the display of hate symbols like swastikas and nooses just...