Stew Smith Fitness News

Since 9-11, many former military members have asked me about re-joining active units or challenging themselves to try for Special Operations positions after several years out of the military or in reserve units. This week's email comes from a Marine Reservist, who is taking that challenge to go active duty again AND push for Marine RECON units. His email reads:“I am in my late 30's and will be going to the Marine Corp Basic Recon Course (BRC) in a few months. I am pretty solid on my PT, but running and rucking is getting more difficult to improve on. Is...

There are several military swimming related tests most military members must be able to pass. Usually, these tests are either performed at the various military indoctrination training programs throughout the branches or in advanced training such as special forces.However, in the Navy and Coast Guard the swim test is part of the physical testing members receive bi-annually usually 500m or 12:00 swim test. First of all – when swimming – no matter who you are – you should never swim without a lifeguard or swim partner when training in the pool. If you are having a tough time being comfortable...

This week, a few people were curious how quickly they could lose weight and inches around their waistline. It appears the body composition / circumference tape test is coming soon. All services use the body composition test. It requires all military personnel to weigh in and have their height measured. When out of height/weight standards, body fat is measured using the circumference test – measuring the neck and waist. The body composition test is only part of the Air Force PFT that requires all personnel to run 1.5 miles, pushups, and crunches. This is the same test as the Navy...

Since 9-11, many former military members have asked me about re-joining active units or challenging themselves to try for Special Operations positions after several years out of the military or in reserve units. This week's email comes from a Marine Reservist, who is taking that challenge to go active duty again AND push for Marine RECON units. His email reads:“I am in my late 30's and will be going to the Marine Corp Basic Recon Course (BRC) in a few months. I am pretty solid on my PT, but running and rucking is getting more difficult to improve on. Is...

This week I received an email from a young man who says he is a former high school athlete who wanted me to critique his weight lifting routine as he prepares for Boot camp. Being a former weightlifting football player myself, I stepped back into time some eighteen years and saw many of the same things I did to prepare for Plebe Summer at the Naval Academy. The only bad thing about the plan and the way I prepared for USNA is that it was the wrong way to train for the military style fitness. I soon realized when I...