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.
Where does your Chad land?
Log it once and the app places you on this table automatically, then tracks the trend.
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.
Free on iOS and Android. No account needed to start.