Tactical Fitness: Training Because Your Life / Buddy's Life Depends On It

December 16, 2025 • Stew smith

It's Not My Job to Motivate You to Serve Your Country / Community

Quick Video Answering this Question About Lacking Motivation

Tactical Fitness Means Being an Asset in Any Situation

Sticking with a consistent fitness program is a common challenge, especially when immediate consequences aren't visible. For those preparing for military, law enforcement, or other tactical roles, a common piece of advice I share when I hear "I do not have the motivation every day to train. How do you do it?"

My response is a bit of truth that the recruit/candidate needs to understand, but also a bit of reverse psychology, as it typically works. I say: "One day, your fitness level will be the determining factor of life or death in an emergency. This could be your own life, your partners, or someone you are trying to help. And, if that does not motivate you want to train, even when you don't feel like it, you should reconsider joining the military, police, firefighter, or first responder professions."

Your Training Day is Rarely a Perfect Day...

The Ultimate Motivation: Your Life (or Someone Else's) Depends On It

The call to serve in a tactical profession, whether as a soldier, police officer, firefighter, or rescue worker, comes with an implicit contract: to be ready for the worst-case scenario at a moment's notice. While daily training can feel monotonous and the "danger" a distant abstract concept, the motivation and discipline to push through the grind can be found in a stark, simple truth: your physical conditioning is a life-saving tool, not a lifestyle accessory.

The Myth of "Motivation"

Motivation is fantastic, but no one is motivated to train every day, even people like me who has been consistently training now for over 43 years. It's a feeling that comes and goes with mood, energy levels, weather, and schedule. Discipline, however, is a muscle built through routine action. Once you push through the reasons not to train and train anyway, you have now started to add discipline and mental toughness to your day.

The Process Starts with Motivation and Inspiration, But That Must Evolve Quickly

The aspiring candidate who says, "I can't get motivated to train today," is mistakenly relying on emotion rather than commitment. Tactical fitness isn't about looking good in a uniform or passing an annual physical test; it's about building a consistent and reliable physical resilience that functions when the adrenaline runs out, and the emergency situation demands everything you have.

The Scenarios That Define Readiness

Consider the scenarios where a few extra seconds of endurance or a burst of strength mean the difference between tragedy and success:

The Partner: You're clearing a building, and your partner goes down. You need to drag their fully loaded weight to cover while under fire, a feat of strength and stamina you wish you had.
The Civilian: You're the first responder on the scene of a vehicle accident, and a victim is trapped. Moving heavy debris or performing a strenuous rescue operation requires immediate, peak physical output.
Your Own Life: Whether natural or man-made, a high-stress confrontation can be physically grueling; failing to quickly find cover, sprint the final 100 meters, or climb over an obstacle could cost you everything.

In these moments, you don't rise to the level of your hopes; you fall to the level of your training.

The Call to Discipline

Tactical Fitness shifts the focus from vanity to necessity and performance. Every squat, every run, and every swim session is a step toward getting better with "training like your buddy's life depends on it." If you struggle with daily motivation, internalize this message: The potential consequence is failing a fundamental duty of your chosen profession, being physically unable to perform when life is on the line. Train not because you feel like it, but because you must. Build a fitness level today that your future self will need when it is needed.

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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

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Visit https://www.stewsmithfitness.com now and equip yourself with the tools for success for many special ops-level selection programs in the military and police world.

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The FBI Academy Workout | FBI Workout Vol 2
The DEA Workout
The FLETC Workout - Ace the PEB
The PFT Bible: Pushups, Sit-ups, 1.5 Mile Run
The Fire Fighter Workout - Ace the CPAT
Calisthenics and Cardio

Tactical Fitness Over 40 (4 Part Series - 52 Weeks)

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Many people ask me about the difference between the Premium Program and the Online PT CLUB Coaching. The individuals in either program receive personalized training from me, Stew Smith, tailored to best fit their abilities, goals, time available per day, training frequency per week, facilities, and equipment. We communicate regularly about your progress, and your feedback helps me create next week's plan for you. There is no template workout, and see you later. These programs are created one week at a time, with you and me in communication to determine the best approach for the next week.

Tactical Fitness 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.

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