Stew Smith Fitness News — weight training

          As a fitness writer / trainer, I enjoy receiving emails from people asking for help with achieving their goals.  In fact, many of the emails I receive each week give me great ideas to develop into articles, APPs, eBooks, and occasionally a published book.  The primary goal of a fitness writer should be to provide insight and safe methods to assist readers with a path to better themselves physically.  This is a very powerful responsibility to hold, because it is often experienced that through increased physical fitness levels people improve their capabilities in many other...

Many emails ask about the “magic weight loss pills” and diets. Here is an email from a couple who are interested in losing some weight and getting more fit.What about Diet Pills and special supplements? Do they work?If diet pills and “special” weight loss supplements worked, there would be fewer overweight people in America. Weight loss pills and diets for that matter are both ineffective and potentially harmful; long-term health-oriented programs should replace them. The weight loss pills contain ingredients that are not regulated by any scientific research or government department like the Food and Drug Administration. Notice on any...

I have received many emails this week concerning past injuries of Military.com and StewSmith.com readers. According to Navy Bureau of Medicine, the top three sport injury surgeries done on its members are:- Shoulders - Knees - Lower Back For the next three weeks I will focus on exercises to help strengthen these areas in case you are suffering from previous injuries. For those healthy StewSmith.com readers, the exercises discussed in the next three weeks will also help you PREVENT hurting yourself with these most common of injuries.This week my focus is on the number one most injured joint in our...

The other day, I was emailed the following question: I only have about 20-30 minutes a day to exercise. What can I do in that amount of time? Not wanting to limit the answer to - just a few pushups and situps - I set out to prove how much you could do in such a little amount of time. My goal is to prove that you do not need several hours to maintain a fitness program - just minutes a day. Though the transition time may add to the total time invested in your workout, here is a list...

Stew - I have only about 15 minutes in the Am to workout and I want to start mixing in more things into my workout - weights, PT, cardio.  Any tips? Here are some ideas for those of you who only have a few minutes a day to exercise.  Often I tell people if they do not have time to workout - they are doing too much - and that applies to a good majority of people.  However, for those who are burning the candle at both ends it may not be that beneficial to wake up 15-20 minutes earlier...