Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Birthday Gifts of Fitness!
ANNOUNCEMENT: New Tactical Fitness Platform SKOOL.com - Stew Smith Tactical Fitness (invite)
Every year, I get questions from supportive parents, family, and friends of their military, police, and firefighter recruits about what to get them for Christmas or birthday gifts. Here is a classic list of fitness gear (and of course, book/coaching options) I would recommend. Most of these can be found a Amazon:
Power Tower - Improve pullups, dips, and knee raises with this home gym MUST HAVE piece of equipment.
Dip Bars - We use this piece of equipment in our group workouts. Highly recommend if you have a built-in pull-up bar and need a set of dip bars that are space-efficient.
While you are at it, get the Calisthenics and Cardio program! And learn how to use these pieces of equipment.
Buy Now
The TRX - Suspension Trainer - This turns a home gym into a room that can do hundreds of exercises. I have been using the TRX for almost 20 years now. This is not a fitness gimmick. It is a piece of equipment that has revolutionized the fitness industry and created a new genre in fitness - "suspension training". Check out the TRX Workout for how we use them in our training routines.
SCUBA Mask, Goggles, Fins, Booties, and Snorkel - You will need to master swimming if considering a diving or rescue swimming program in your future. Start practicing now as my workouts have swimming in them 5 days a week if you're preparing for SEAL, SWCC, EOD/Diver, Rescue Swimmer, SARC/IDC, USMC Recon, Air Force Special Warfare, etc.
SCUBA Mask Goggles Fins Booties (for fins)
The recommendations above on swim gear will be used by all the military swimming and diving courses you need to prepare for in your future.
COOL GOGGLES - If you want to go high-tech, try the Form Goggles with a heads-up display for your pace, distance, and lap times. Never struggle to look at your watch while swimming again. ($199)
MILITARY BOOT OPTIONS:
Navy Special Warfare Boots - It depends on the branch of service you are entering. This link is for the SEAL/SWCC Training program. They will use and issue you the Nike Combat Gen 2 boot upon your arrival. The USMC mainly uses Bates and Bellevue combat boots. The Army and Air Force use multiple companies, such as Bellevue and Garmont, to make Army Combat Boots (ACBs) and their issue boots.
BOOK SPECIFIC TO THE JOB Plus MINDSET TRAINING:
Unlock the Hidden Mental/Physical Toughness
Inside Us All
OPTIONS: Book, eBook, Audio Book, and Video Training Course
Here is a list of what we do 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.
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The Never Quit Mindset Book and Course: The "Never Quit Mindset" book and course is 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.
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.
Learn The Never Quit Mindset Method
The ability to maintain optimism and persistence even in the face of repeated challenges sets them apart. It is a mindset, a Never Quit Mindset.
OPTIONS: Book, eBook, Audio Book, and Video Training Course
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.
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
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, helps with flexibility and mobility, but will also put you at a level of physical abilities where you are happy with your overall ability to 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 PT CLUB - Weekly Workouts created personally for you.
New Member's 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)