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

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.

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...

How Walking Backward Can Enhance Your Overall Fitness

What if taking a few steps back could propel your health forward?

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Keyon A. Simmons-Harwell conducts a pull-up during a battalion workout challenge at Camp Elmore, Norfolk, Virginia.

3 Keys When Doing Military Fitness Training Twice a Day

If you are preparing for challenging military training programs or selections, you must progress to advanced, well-rounded...

A Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) student participates in interval swim training in San Diego Bay.

How Navy SEAL and SWCC Training Is Alike and Different

Navy SEAL and Navy SWCC training share a foundation rooted in rigorous training, water competency and high fitness standards.

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...

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, you might think the answer is simply to run more...

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. 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...

The Best At-Home Fitness Exercises Without a Lot of Equipment

To achieve any health, wellness or fitness goal, consider incorporating movement throughout the day to break up prolonged...

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Most Popular Military News

Recovering service members and caregivers take an evening break

Caregivers Sue VA over Denial of Benefits

Survivors of veterans who died from service-connected conditions have filed a class action seeking changes to a VA practice...

Marine Corps Ranks: A Complete Guide to Enlisted and Officer Ranks

Explore U.S. Marine Corps ranks from private to general. Learn rank structure, pay grades, insignia and promotion paths in...

Contractors hired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers clean up a property damaged by wildfire in Pacific Palisades, California.

Homeowners Say the Army Corps and its Contractors Mishandled LA Fire Debris Cleanup

More than 800 complaints were submitted to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hotline dedicated to the agency's debris removal...

Japan Marks End of World War II as Survivors Remember Wartime Emperor's Surrender Speech 80 Years Ago

A national ceremony will begin at Tokyo’s Budokan hall at noon, the same time then-Emperor Hirohito’s 4½-minute prerecorded...

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Flights Restricted over Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit

North American Aerospace Defense Command issued a statement saying it would be enforcing Federal Aviation Administration...

Judge Weighs Whether Trump Violated Federal Law by Deploying National Guard to Los Angeles

A federal judge in San Francisco is weighing whether the Trump administration violated federal law by sending National Guard...

Latest Military Videos

Trump and Putin Wrap up 'Very Productive' Summit but Leave with 'No Deal' to End the War in Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had "very productive" talks in Alaska Friday but...

US Discusses Possible Deployment of More Missile Launchers to the Philippines

The United States is discussing the possible deployment of more missile launchers to the Philippines to strengthen deterrence against...

Judge Weighs Trump's Deployment of National Guard in Los Angeles

A federal judge in San Francisco is weighing whether the Trump administration violated federal law by sending National Guard...

China and Japan Commemorate World War II Anniversary on Different Dates

Eighty years after the end of World War II, China and Japan are marking the anniversary with major events...

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

Gold Star Widow Fighting to Be Buried Next to Husband Has New Evidence

A Vietnam War veteran’s widow and her family have uncovered a letter they say provides irrefutable evidence that she had a...

Homeowners Say the Army Corps and its Contractors Mishandled LA Fire Debris Cleanup

More than 800 complaints were submitted to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hotline dedicated to the agency's debris removal...

Navy News

US Naval Academy Gets First Marine Superintendent

Lt. Gen. Michael Borgschulte graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1991.

The USS Essex transits the Gulf of Oman.

San Diego Espionage Trial Begins for Sailor Accused of Spying for His Native China

Jinchao “Patrick” Wei, 25, is accused of seven counts of conspiracy, espionage and charges related to unlawfully sending...

Air Force News

New Air Force Policy Denies Transgender Troops Hearings Before They're Discharged

It is the second policy change the Air Force has taken in recent weeks to crack down on transgender service members.

Federal law enforcement agents question a couple in Washington DC

Man Charged with Assaulting Border Patrol Agent with Sandwich in DC Is an Air Force Veteran

A man accused of throwing a sandwich at an immigration enforcement officer during President Donald Trump's federal takeover...

Space Force News

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Alabama) speaks to the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber.

Alabama Congressman ‘100% Sure’ US Space Command Coming to Huntsville

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Alabama) said he has been assured by President Donald Trump that U.S. Space Command is coming to...

U.S. Space Force Brig. Gen. Brian Denaro, newly appointed U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific commander, gives a speech

First Leader of Space Force Pacific Command Ends Tenure

The first leader of the U.S. Space Force’s Pacific command officially ended his tenure in Hawaii in a change of command...

Marine Corps News