Leave No Weakness Undeveloped

If you are not willing to do things that you do not like to do (because you suck at them), you are likely doomed to fail. No matter your athletic background, if you seek a challenging future progression that requires you to level up and bring your A-game every day, you will ultimately have to assess / test to determine your competitive strengths and weaknesses. Whether that is from high school to college athletics (or beyond) or choosing to serve your country in some of the toughest jobs in the world - Military Special Operations.
The reason is to build mental toughness and resiliency and forge the never quit attitude you need to make it to the next level of training and competitive selections.
Weaknesses WILL be Exposed
During selection training, weaknesses will be exposed and not having time to fix it is one of the main things all Special Ops Selection programs have in common - they are designed that way, and the ones with the fewest weaknesses will be those who succeed.
However, if you do not do the right amount of preparation and research, your weaknesses will be exposed early in the recruiting process, and you will never get the opportunity even to TRY to go to selection. Weakness exposed during the recruiting process.
Most people think of physical weakness, but there is more to weakness than not being strong or a fast runner. Whether it is an element of fitness that was underprepared or your will to endure the daily grind of a high attrition rate selection program, having durability, the ability to work physically hard all day, then have the ability to recover from doing it again tomorrow, and not quitting because you are tired and in pain is the key to success. Building a strong body and mind that has the work capacity and durability to keep going is what we are talking about when it comes to preparing to turn weaknesses into strengths. To be a complete tactical athlete ready to get TO and THROUGH and become an active duty member of any tactical profession, you need to consider the following diagram as we start this journey with one or more weaknesses on this chart.
The Elements of Fitness

Your Weaknesses Will Be Exposed Daily. Trying To Get Through Selection
If you're one of the special ops candidates who want to know how to graduate special ops selection, then here is a list of common weaknesses you want to avoid. Having an undiscovered weakness will require one of three things: you digging deep to gut-check the event that is testing your abilities, getting injured due to an overuse injury that could have been avoided, or failing out of training because you could not meet the standard. One of these three will happen along your journey, and the fewer times it happens, the better off you are. However, if you train that weakness well before joining, you may be able to avoid one of those three options altogether.
Mission: Helping candidates prepare properly and leave nothing to chance and avoid having weaknesses exposed during selection.
Special ops candidates need to understand that your preparation involves assessing yourself regularly. When you discover a weakness, that last thing you want to do is neglect an important part of your training. You will now need to specifically focus on it. However, every successful student will at some time during selection, be challenged to their core beliefs of why they want to do this profession. This could be a daily occurrence, a weekly event, or just a few times throughout training when you are especially cold, wet, and tired. The fewer of these personal gut checks, the better and you can control this by focusing on any weakness you may have NOW.
Do you even know what your weaknesses are?
ASSESS YOURSELF: Here is a list of common fitness tests and workouts that make each spec ops candidate dig deep to get through it each day or it could end their spec ops dreams because they do not meet the standards required by the course.
What is Your WHY? When the day turns into night and you are cold, wet, sitting is dark water, and appears to be no end to the day in sight, what do you say to yourself? The Moment of Truth - Just You And Your Will
Mental Toughness Articles / Videos - One Stop
Get Good at Everything - Do NOT double down on your strengths leaving a weakness exposed with Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization - Understand It.
If you want to graduate special ops selection, check out all the Special Ops Programs Designed Specifically for YOU to get TO and THROUGH training.
Also "Have You Ever Seen a Spec Ops Candidate Cry?" This article cuts deep and you see when Weaknesses Get Exposed. Check it out.
Your Mission Starts Now
Let today be the day you refuse to quit. Let today be the day you adopt a mindset that transforms setbacks into comebacks. Join the Never Quit Mindset revolution and discover your limitless potential.
Act now—seize your $100 savings and begin the transformation that will last a lifetime.

Buy Now!
Never Quit Mindset Book, eBook, Audio Book, and
Online Video / Audio Course
Transform Your Goals, Overcome Challenges, and
Build Unbreakable Resilience
Discover The Never Quit Mindset by Stew Smith—a transformative personal development resource designed for motivated individuals seeking to break through barriers and achieve lasting success. Whether you're striving for excellence in your career, health, or personal life, this guide provides the tools to develop the discipline needed to conquer obstacles and fulfill your potential.
There is More To StewSmithFitness.com than You May Know
Dive deeper into the world of Tactical Athlete training and mental toughness by exploring Stew Smith Fitness Programming for the Tactical Athlete online store. Uncover the strategies and techniques used by elite forces to push past physical and mental barriers. Visit StewSmithFitness.com now and equip yourself with the tools for success in many special ops-level selection programs in the military and police world.

Here is a list of what we do at StewSmithFitness.com
Who is Stew Smith? Coach, Trainer, Author, Podcaster
I'm the former Navy SEAL that special ops candidates go to for books, ebooks and online coaching to prepare themselves to get to and through intense tactical assessment and selection programs and qualify for service in their chosen tactical profession. See More at StewSmithFitness.com
Core Mission
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Tactical Fitness Training For the Candidate / Recruit: Specializing in preparing individuals for military, special ops, law enforcement, and firefighter selection programs (getting you "TO and THROUGH" training).
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Functional Training for Both Active Duty / Recruits: Utilizing a seasonal tactical fitness periodization system that balances longer workouts of running/rucking, swimming, and calisthenics during the Spring/Summer when days are longer. Then, the focus shifts in the Fall/Winter to lifting (Cals/cardio maintenance) when the days are shorter/colder. This process has 25 years of proven success building tactical athletes who improve in all areas of fitness: strength, power, speed, agility, endurance, muscle stamina, mobility, flexibility, and grip.

- Becoming an Asset for All Types: Even non-tactical athletes want to be of use in situations that require some level of fitness to get through the day. Be an asset, not a liability, in potentially dangerous situations, whether natural or man-made. Fitness can be a common denominator in successfully enduring life-or-death scenarios.
Specific Programs & Courses
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The Ageless Athlete (Fitness Over 50): A 22-week program designed for beginners to advanced trainees looking to regain fitness, flexibility, and energy.
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Tactical Fitness Over 40: After training people for over 25 years now, many who started with me in the early 2000s are now in their 40s and beyond. Learning how to shift training to remain an asset while also offering longevity, flexibility, and mobility is central to this 52-week program. (4-part series)
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Tactical Fitness Course: An 80-minute course on preparing for Spec Ops selection, getting TO and THROUGH the toughest military special ops’ programs using this two-phase system.

Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization - A 25 Year proven system to become a tactical athlete. What is Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization?
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The Never Quit Mindset Book and Course: The "Never Quit Mindset" book and course are a deep dive into building constructive habits that incrementally improve discipline, build mental toughness, and foster a Never Quit Mindset in anything you want to do.
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Specialized Workout Plans: Specific, tailored programs for Navy SEAL (Phases 1-4), SWCC, Army (SF/Ranger/Airborne), USMC MarSOC / (RECON), Air Force (PJ/CCT), Coast Guard, Law Enforcement (FBI/DEA/FLETC), Fire Fighter, and general fitness too for beginners and advanced athletes alike.

Resources and Content
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Extensive Content Library: Over 1,000 free articles, 200+ podcasts, and social media content (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram) featuring Spec Ops swim critiques and LIVE QA sessions.
- FREE Local Training for those preparing to serve! Check out HeroesofTomorrow.org for our location and schedule.

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NEW SKOOL.com Tactical Fitness Community
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Educational Materials: Over 40 options for eBooks, videos, printed books, podcasts (200+), and online video courses.
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Apps: Pushup Push, Pullup Push, FBI workout, and Navy SEAL exercise apps (iPhone/Android).
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LIVE QA Sessions Each Week: Monday and Tuesday, 9 am EST on social media platforms (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook) and Skool.com Tactical Fitness community.
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Online Coaching: Personalized programming based on specific goals, equipment, and your time availability.
- Membership Site: Access to hundreds of weeks of training, unpublished workouts, and exclusive content, weekly newsletter sent to subscribers with the week's latest articles, videos, and workouts (beginner/intermediate, and advanced special ops prep workouts).
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Extensive Content Library: Over 1,000 free articles, 200+ podcasts, and social media content (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram) featuring Spec Ops swim critiques and LIVE QA sessions.
Discover the Secret to Unlocking Your Best Health After 50 (latest program developed)
As you cross the wonderful milestone of 50, you might find that your body doesn’t quite bounce back the way it used to. You’re not alone in this—many men and women in your age group are searching for ways to revive their fitness levels without feeling overwhelmed. That’s where longtime coach and fitness writer Stew Smith’s newest book, "The Ageless Athlete: Fitness Over 50," comes into play. This book may just be the spark you need to ignite your fitness journey.
Truth is, there are people over 60 and 70 doing this workout. Even the advanced section. It works and will help you progress from beginner to intermediate to advanced.

Remember, as you age, your training needs to adapt.
Have you been thinking about getting back in shape but don’t know where to start?
Imagine waking up each day with more energy, flexibility, and the drive to embrace life head-on. Stew Smith, a seasoned fitness expert with 56 years of experience, has crafted a program specifically for guys like you—men who may feel overwhelmed by fitness options or unsure what’s suitable for their age. With his 22-week plan tailored to beginners, intermediates, and advanced practitioners, you will find exactly what you need to suit your current fitness level.
New Tactical Fitness Training Course!
Getting TO the training does not guarantee you get THROUGH the training. Learn about the two phases of tactical fitness you need to develop thoroughly before getting to BUDS. Check out the Online Course - Getting TO and THROUGH Special Ops Selection.
Training is What We Do:
Need Programming for Fitness Tests and Beyond? We are all about getting you TO and THROUGH your future training program. See how that works.
New Tactical Fitness Training Course!
Getting TO the training does not guarantee you get THROUGH the training. Learn about the two phases of tactical fitness you need to develop thoroughly before getting to BUDS. Check out the Online Course - Getting TO and THROUGH Special Ops Selection.
Where to Find More Information About Optimal Performance Training Programs
When you start training again, consider the seasonal tactical fitness model. I call it A WAY to train and obviously not the only way to train. But it offers the opportunity to never neglect your weaknesses, improves flexibility and mobility, and puts you at a level of physical ability where you are happy with your overall ability to do just about anything. We have a system where the seasons dictate our training. When it is nicer outside, we tend to run and do more calisthenics. When it is colder and not so nice, we lift more, run less, and still maintain our outdoor activities with shorter runs and rucks. Check it out: Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization System.
Online Coaching Options
Online Coaching is Available with Stew Smith Fitness - Weekly Workouts created personally for you.
New Members' Only Content / Services Program!
If you want access to years' worth of workouts, many of the top eBOOKs, favorite workouts of the week, a free fitness APP, a closed Facebook Group, a video/picture library of exercises, and more access to LIVE Q/A sessions, check out the Stew Smith Fitness Members Section.
The dashboard below has the links to all the information, archives, videos, and links to workouts, podcasts, live Q and A lessons.
Consider this! - A Membership Program and Gain Access to Exclusive Content
(click for Fitness Club Dashboard - members only)

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