For Time: 1,000 Box Step-Ups (20 in) wearing a ruck or weight vest (45/35 lb). Performed every Veterans Day in honor of Navy SEAL Chad Wilkinson.
Primary movement: Box Step-Ups
Chad honors Navy SEAL Chad Wilkinson, who died by suicide in 2018 as a result of his service; the workout raises awareness for veteran suicide prevention. One thousand weighted box step-ups - that's the whole workout, and that's the point: an hour or more alone with a repetitive task, learning what his family called 'embracing the suck'. It has become a global Veterans Day tradition. Physically it's a leg endurance monolith; mentally it's unlike anything else in CrossFit.
| Level (Time) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | 90:00+ (no vest) | 95:00+ (no vest) |
| intermediate | 72:00 | 77:00 |
| advanced | 58:00 | 63:00 |
| elite | sub 48:00 | sub 52:00 |
Standards assume the 45/35 lb ruck or vest.
Alternate legs every rep or every 10 - decide before you start and stay consistent. Pace by hundreds: note your time at 100 and hold that split; most athletes land between 5:30-7:00 per hundred. Switch your lead leg when one quad starts winning the complaint contest. Music, a friend, or a count-down system (10 sets of 100) keeps the mind in the game. Hydrate beforehand; with a vest this is a 60-90 minute effort. Step fully to lockout at the top - partial reps catch up with your knees.
Scaled: 1,000 unweighted step-ups, or 500 with the vest. Beginner: 250-500 unweighted on a lower box. Teams often split it 2-4 ways on Veterans Day - fully in the spirit of the workout.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.