Stew Smith Fitness News

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...

I have received many emails this week concerning past injuries of Military.com and StewSmithFitness.com readers. According to Navy Bureau of Medicine, the top three sport injury surgeries done on its members are:- Shoulders - Knees - Lower Back This week my focus is on the most injured joint in our bodies - the Shoulder. The shoulder is our most versatile joint. There is no other joint that can lift up, down, forward, backward, rotate left and right, or throw. The only joint in our body built similarly is the hip. But with the shoulder's versatility comes its weakness. It is...

Is your workout program getting old? Tired of the same weight training cycle, circuit routine, or cardio exercise? Many people get into a rut by repeating the same old plan week after week. Your body needs change in order to best stimulate muscle growth and caloric expenditure. So if you are not sure how to change things, here are a few examples of how to change the most common exercise routines. The most common weight lifting plan is a split routine where lifters will complete the following chart week after week. Monday Chest and tri’s Bench press Military press Triceps...

This week an email prompted me to write about one of my favorite and most frequently done exercises in my workouts – the CRUNCH! The question asked was concerning when in your workouts do I like to do abs – in the beginning, after cardio, or in the middle? I have found that I do two types of abs that work very well for me as well as many of the people I train - - I REST WITH CRUNCHES and WARMUP WITH CRUNCHES! Many will say that crunches are in no way a resting exercise, but I disagree. If...