Stew Smith Fitness News

In a fast paced world where the fine line of work and relaxation has been blurred with wireless technology and the development of the home office, workers as well as families have become more and more susceptible to stress-related illnesses. Stress is a natural element of our behavior and our body handles stress by injecting “stress hormones” into our bloodstream when we are feeling the burden of work, financial pains, spousal military deployments, and so many other “stressors” to name. Physiologically, stress wreaks havoc on the body today. The same thing happens to your body when you are stressed at...

This week the question comes from a gentleman who was once fairly active, former military, but has not done anything in about five years other than an occasional weight lifting session at his gym. The question is – “How do I get back into working out again without killing myself after a five year hiatus?”What I recommend for situations like this is to start off easy. So many times I have seen people start off Day One with a 3-4 mile run because “that is what they used to do.” This philosophy can also be seen in the weight room...

This week I received an email from a StewSmith.com website viewer who asked, “What is better – more abdominal exercises faster or fewer stomach exercises slower?”My answer to this question is both - BUT it depends who you are and what your goals are. If you are simply trying to lose weight and inches, doing fewer stomach exercises slower and more deliberately is very effective and safe. In fact, you can drop the number of reps you need to do by a factor of ten, if you hold each crunch for ten seconds. For this type of exercise you want...

Sleep – How important is it to those who exercise often as well as to those who do not? Scientists have been studying sleep patterns for decades, so there is plenty of research on the importance of sleep in our daily lives. Sleep also affects performance in between workouts during high intensity training programs like military and law enforcement training. I guess the old saying – “Well Rested – Well Tested” also applies to taking Physical Fitness Tests.The best training plans will not work if sleep and nutrition are neglected. Without adequate sleep (eight hours a night), there is not...

It seems to me, most New Year’s resolutions are forgotten by February. Most people bite off more than they can chew on New Year’s Eve and start a drastic change of life all in a short period of time.This year – SET A GOAL! But, try not to change too much in your life too quickly. Many people, in their annual search for health make broad resolutions that require several different life style changes. Quitting smoking, starting an exercise program, and dieting all in the same week can be extremely challenging. Tackling any ONE of the above vices is challenging...