“One step at a time”—that’s the mantra of CHAD1000X, a test of physical endurance and mental resilience that aims to bring awareness to the heavy weight that our military veterans carry throughout active duty and long after their service has ended. Inspired by the life and death of Chad Wilkinson, a U.S. Navy Seal who had served 21 years active duty with multiple combat deployments, CHAD1000X has become a nationally recognized WOD on Veteran’s Day. It’s more than just a workout, it’s a rallying cry to hold space for conversations and offer more support for veterans during and after their service. 

Wilkinson took his own life after experiencing numerous deployments, blast wave injuries, traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress—injuries that are becoming more and more frequent in military veterans. In the wake of tragedy, Wilkinson’s wife Sara launched The Step-Up Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to support veterans and active service members—specifically in the areas where her husband struggled. 

The Step Up Foundation runs several mission-related campaigns, including CHAD1000X, which has gained momentum in the CrossFit community as a Veteran’s Day WOD. The workout is inspired by the real-life training that Wilkinson did to prepare for his climbing expeditions, consisting of 1,000 box step-ups carrying a 45-pound weight. The workout is symbolic of the invisible weight that military personnel often carry. Participants can choose between a variety of options to scale up or down, including choosing to do the exercise with or without weights.

All proceeds of the CHAD 1000X fundraiser will go to support veteran mental health initiatives through The Step Up Foundation which, in conjunction with Sara Wilkinson, will provide financial support to other non-profits dedicated to Veteran Mental Health Initiatives.

Gyms can rally their communities for the cause and register for Chad1000x at https://www.roguefitness.com/chad1000x. If you run the workout at your gym, tag @wodify in your Instagram stories so we can repost!

Want access to other pre-programmed workouts that you can implement into your programming? Visit https://www.wodify.com/workout-marketplace.