Stew Smith Fitness News

The above chart is a twelve week plan to build up to a half-marathon. It is not designed for beginners, but rather intermediate runners who run 10-15 miles a week already.The focus is to run shorter and faster runs in the week and a long slower run at a comfortable pace on the weekend. Eventually the two methods should meet and your longer, slower pace is actually faster than before…Run #1 – Fast paced run – usually 1-4 milesRun #2 – Interval runs -- break up the distance into ¼ mile, ½ mile and 1 mile repeats – your choice...

With battles in an urban environment becoming a part of daily life for both overseas troops and our own police officers here in America, the need to speed programs have never been more applicable to today’s civil servants. There is a need for speed in the military and law enforcement professions. More and more agencies around the United States are adopting the 300m run in addition to the 1.5 mile run as part of testing protocol for candidates as well as maintenance programs for military and law enforcement. For instance the FBI uses the Cooper’s Institute Physical Testing procedures along...

With the long days of summer, there are more daylight hours in which to exercise. Many people focus on running and outdoor activities. These days, though, it may be best to stay indoors and do another type of workout instead of breathing polluted air during strenuous cardio activity.In an email this week, I was asked about running during the summer, specifically during sand / dust storms of Iraq. In a separate email I was also asked the same question about running near the cities of the South East Coast of the United States when the summer days are hazy, hot...

Usually, after 8-9 months of challenging running and calisthenics based workouts (see Solstice Plan), I am ready for a few months of non-impact aerobics of indoor swimming and biking for cardiovascular workout options. However, this year, I have tested out some gear during the 30 degrees days of the past month and feel like pushing it a little during the winter months. During the Holiday seasons of festive foods, endless football, and huge meals even the most avid exerciser can pick up a few pounds. Here are some tips to continue pushing yourself through the winter “hibernation” days. Pace Yourself...

Sometimes we think we are in shape because a “test looks easy” or “you were in shape in high school”, but many people fail to prepare for a fitness test and wind up realizing they need to change their training AND thinking. Check out this email:Stew – I run all the time 4-5 days a week and usually get 25-30 miles a week, so I have a runner’s body. I just tried out for the FBI fitness test for Special Agents and thought that the calisthenics and the run would be a joke. Well, I was wrong. I almost failed...