Recovery: Training Systems, Periodization, Rest, De-Stress, Mobility, Nutrition, and Sleep
Recovery: There is more to being well-rested and ready to go than a good night's sleep. That is a big part of recovery for sure, but when you are training hard, you also have to train smart, add rest / easy days, eat well, and relax. In my opinion, recovery is represented well in the unscientific chart below:
Sleep, Rest, Relax 50%
Nutrition 40%
Ice, Heat, Stretching, Mobility 5%
Gear, Massage, other Services 5%
Once You Realize That IT IS ALL ABOUT RECOVERY - You Got It...
Optimal Performance is the Mastery of Recovery
BUT so is...
Longeivty is the Mastery of Recovery
You Have To Master All of the Elements of Recovery
With sleep and nutrition alone, our body is capable of recovering from physical stress to near perfect in a relatively short period of time. Adding in some of the missing 10% options may have some positive effects on recovery and aiding in speed of recovery. BUT the absence or neglect of ANY of these recovery methods and your ability to recover is stunted to a point where the physical stress becomes chronic.
The goal of adding stress to your life is to build a body and mind to bend but not break (aka resilience). To do this is a delicate balance of many elements.
When training hard for an advanced level of fitness or athletics, the risk of over-training is real, but may not come from actually training. Over-training symptoms can occur with a perfect balanced training program, but several days / nights of poor sleep and nutrition can cause many of the symptoms of over-training. Some of the symptoms we are trying to avoid when we actively pursue recovery are listed in the chart below:
Over the years, I have written and made podcasts on the many ways to actively pursue recovery. Besides good food and sleep, the creation of the mobility day has been life changing not only in myself and older athletes like myself, but the younger spec ops candidates as well. See below for a complete list of recovery content that further explains better nutrition, hydration, sleep protocols, training, mobility, de-stressing, and more of the tools and recovery services available to consider:
Recovery Articles
The Balance of Life, Work, Stress, and Training
Plateaus, Slumps, Dealing with Stress and Anxiety
Change Your Life with This ONE Mobility Workout Per Week
Stress Mitigation Recovery Methods (article / video)
Recovery and Building Back a Fitness Program
A Smart Way to Train - But Not the ONLY Way to Train Either
Consider These FOUR Types of Recovery Days (Great Options)
Recovery Week Before You Take the PST
Nutrition - Eat, Sleep, Recover
Beginner Fitness - Don't Overdo It at First - Treat Yourself Like a Beginner
Stressful Week Training Options
Try a System's Check Workout When You Are Not 100%
Fitness in Your 40- and 50s - It Can Get Better But There Are NEW RULES
Adding Mobility to Your Training Week
Importance of Planning Nutrition Week
Recovery from Intensive Training
Hydrating for Life and Performance
How to Combat Stress with Fitness
The Importance of Sleep to Stress Recovery
Working Out Fatigued or Taking a Recovery Day?
Mobility Day - Once again, if you have never listened to anything I have written or said, add this to your life ONCE a week. It is life changing.
Recovery Podcasts
Tactical Fitness Report 183 - Exercise & Stress Recovery for LEO, Medical Pros, First Responders, etc
Tactical Fitness Report 182 - Periodization & Nutrition Discussion with Nick Shaw of RPStrength.com.
Tactical Fitness Report 177 - Common Injuries / Injury Prevention with Dr. Kyle Krupa DPT of AthletixRehab.com
Tactical Fitness Report 174 - Mind Body Connection with BrainSavvy.com
Tactical Fitness Report 168 - Stress Mitigation with BASE-R ® Method
Tactical Fitness Report 164 - Deload Phase
Tactical Fitness Report 136 - What Happens During Recovery with Jeff Nichols
Tactical Fitness Report 135 - Recovery from Challenging Long Ops - Fire Service
Tactical Fitness Report 122 - Recovery Products - Compression Gear
Tactical Fitness Report 121 - Injury Prevention #4 - Post Workout Recovery
Tactical Fitness Report 120 - Injury Prevention #3 - During Workout Phase
Tactical Fitness Report 119 - Injury Prevention #2 - Pre-workout Phase
Tactical Fitness Report 118 - Injury Prevention (Footwear) - How do you prevent injuries? Can you even prove it when you do? Are you just lucky? Jeff Nichols and Stew Smith discuss many ways to avoid and prevent injuries through quality gear, smart training, and knowing your body.
Tactical Fitness Report 117 - Stew Smith and Jeff Nichols discuss preparing for Sleep Deprivation of special ops selection programs. Can you prepare for not sleeping long periods of time? Should you?
Tactical Fitness Report 111 - Stew Smith and Jeff Nichols discuss nutrition and food that fuels for tough workouts, special ops prep, and days in selection.
Tactical Fitness Report 106 - New Rules for Tactical Fitness Over 40! Know these important rules that will help you into the next decade if in the zone!
Tactical Fitness Report 102 - Working the Night Shift - How to maneuver though long days and nights, missed sleep, stress, food intake?
Tactical Fitness Report 79 - Sleep at BUD/S or Selection Programs
Tactical Fitness Report 45 - Tactical Periodization Training - 52 Week Cycles
Tactical Fitness Report 44 - Food - Performance Recommendations With Jeff and Stew
Tactical Fitness Report 37 - Recovery from Injury and Illness
Tactical Fitness Report 35 - Avoid Stress and Over Training with Jeff and Stew
Tactical Fitness Report 34 - OverTraining - Under Recovery. Chronic Levels with Jeff and Stew
Tactical Fitness Report 31 - Recovery at BUD/S - Jeff Nichols and Stew Smith discuss all the details and ways to help you take care of yourself in challenging / stressful selection programs:
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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