Stew Smith Fitness News

The Key to Getting Tougher:Finding Comfort Doing Uncomfortable Things  Consider that many individuals find themselves trapped in a comfort zone. It is essential to recognize that pushing beyond this zone and engaging in experiences that bring on discomfort—be it mental, physical, or emotional—is crucial for nurturing mental toughness/resilience and pursuing personal growth. As an ambitious individual, you will inevitably encounter challenges that test your limits. Embracing discomfort can significantly enhance your resilience and bolster your confidence and create a tougher mindset for future challenges. First and foremost, acknowledge that discomfort is an inherent aspect of growth. It is common for...

 Laughing In The Face of The Quit Demon Navy UDT / SEAL Museum Inside our heads, we have a voice. This voice is not just a thinking voice but also a survival voice. It urges us to stay alive and focus on our survival as a species. Sometimes, we can hear this voice overthinking and worrying about things beyond our control, and that alone can halt us in our tracks. Similarly, the survival voice in our heads is meant to help us live another day. Experiencing pain, feeling threatened, being uncomfortable, tired, hungry, and cold can cause that internal voice...

Today, we renamed one of the workouts we created in 2010 when Chris Chambers trained with our local Maryland group.  You may know of the workout as The Devil's Mile, but after today, it is now called the Chamber's Mile. At the US Naval Academy, where Chris would join our weekend workouts to prepare for BUD/S, we had a Warrior Wednesday Workout. These are special scheduled workouts where Midshipmen and USNA staff take an hour out of their early morning to honor many of the Fallen. This week, we honored Navy SEAL Chris Chambers, a local Marylander who started his...

Work Hard – Set High Standards BUT Forgive Yourself. When You Make Mistakes or Fail – Learn and Keep Trying In moments of struggle, when the weight of self-doubt and feelings of failure seem overwhelming, it can be easy to lose sight of your potential and why you started a particular journey towards a long term goal. However, overcoming these challenges is not only possible but also the ideal opportunity for true growth. Below are practical strategies to help you keep moving forward, developing discipline, nurturing resilience, and redefining your relationship with setbacks. We all have them, so get better...

Your Daily Grind Matters More Than You Think in Special Ops Are you preparing for the rigorous demands of military special operations or law enforcement SWAT training? If so, you are likely aware that success in this field combines thorough and intense physical preparation and mental resilience. While the journey to getting TO and THROUGH selection is crucial, the day-to-day grind is where your true character will emerge. Discomfort, early mornings, hot and cold environments, and well thought out training plans that embrace all the elements of fitness will get you to where you want to go.  It takes time...