Stew Smith Fitness News

Whether you are a beginning swimmer or an aspiring Navy SEAL, this stroke can really help you efficiently move through the water. Actually, the CSS is a mix of sidestroke, breaststroke, and a little freestyle. The Combat Swimmer stroke is similar to the sidestroke since it is done on your side, however the top arm pulls just like a freestyle stroke but recovers underwater like the breaststroke. If that confused you, maybe it is just best to observe, because a picture is worth 1000 words.When you find yourself in deep water with a lot of distance to cover, the CSS...

This week, a Marine asked about running during the USMC three mile run. Here is his question: “Every time I run hard to get a good score on the three 3 mile PFT, or when I’m training for the test, I get a stomach cramp or side stitch about half way in the three mile timed run. My question is -- what can I do to prevent it and what can I do to stop the pain or lessen it?” Running with stomach cramps is never fun, but there are ways to lessen or work through the pain -- or...

Many emails ask about the “magic weight loss pills” and diets. Here is an email from a couple who are interested in losing some weight and getting more fit.What about Diet Pills and special supplements? Do they work?If diet pills and “special” weight loss supplements worked, there would be fewer overweight people in America. Weight loss pills and diets for that matter are both ineffective and potentially harmful; long-term health-oriented programs should replace them. The weight loss pills contain ingredients that are not regulated by any scientific research or government department like the Food and Drug Administration. Notice on any...

This week a young man asked me, "Does water affect weight?" After some digging, I realized he has been observing his mother use one of the 45 Day Plans to lose weight / get fit and this program requires the user to drink more water than they normally would - up to 3-4 quarts a day!! Most people do not drink enough water in a day PERIOD. The Mayo Clinic states, "Water is your body's principal chemical component, making up, on average, 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes...

In light of a recent incident, in which a radio show contestant died from water intoxication after taking part in a contest to see how much water one could drink without going to the bathroom, I thought there should be clarity on what happened. Drinking water is essential to living, but there are ways that you can die from drinking too much water. A concerned reader wrote:Perhaps you might consider updating your excellent article about drinking water in light of the death today of a young mother of three who induced hyponatremia by drinking water for a radio station contest.I...