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How Gyms can Help Veterans: A WarriorWOD veteran training at a partner gym

For gym owners and operators

How Gyms Can Help Veterans Recover From PTSD

Give a veteran in WarriorWOD's six-month recovery program a membership, a coaching staff, and a class that expects them. We bring the screening, the mentorship, the nutrition coaching, and the measurement.

Become a partner Find a partner gym
501(c)(3) · EIN 87-1065126 Independently evaluated by the College of Charleston 38+ states · 12 Warrior Classes
24 weeks
a fixed Warrior Class with a start and end date, so your commitment has a finish line
265
veterans have completed the full six-month program
38.25%
average drop in PTSD symptom severity across program completers
38+
states served across 12 Warrior Classes since 2021

The answer

How gyms can help veterans: five ways that work

Gyms help veterans by giving them a fixed training schedule, coaches who know them by name, and a community that notices when they miss a session. Routine, accountability, and physical exertion are what a clinic can't supply on its own. Below is what your gym does, and what WarriorWOD handles around it.

  1. 01

    Sponsor or discount a membership

    A six-month membership is the single largest cost in a veteran's recovery program. Covering all or part of it puts a veteran on your floor.

    WarriorWOD handles: screening, enrollment, and a listing for your gym on the partner map. You pick the tier.

  2. 02

    Give them a schedule and a coaching staff

    Veterans do best with structure they recognize: a set start date, set training days, and a coaching staff they can depend on.

    WarriorWOD handles: the 24-week Warrior Class. Veterans start, train, and graduate together.

  3. 03

    Know the warning signs (optional)

    Coaches see veterans more often than most clinicians do. A short course, such as PsychArmor or VA S.A.V.E., helps staff recognize warning signs and respond. It is optional, and we encourage it.

    WarriorWOD handles: a written emergency protocol and links to recommended PsychArmor and VA S.A.V.E. courses.

  4. 04

    We pair them with a peer who was there

    Veterans don't distrust treatment. They distrust people who weren't there. WarriorWOD assigns every Warrior a Battle Buddy, so your gym doesn't have to.

    WarriorWOD handles: all of it. Every Warrior gets a Battle Buddy. Many Battle Buddies are program graduates, and all are VA S.A.V.E.-certified.

  5. 05

    Back the training with nutrition and data

    Training works better when it's paired with nutrition coaching and when progress is measured on a regular schedule.

    WarriorWOD handles: nutrition coaching, InBody assessments, and monthly PCL-5 and C-SSRS screening.

  6. Why exercise

    Aerobic training regulates the body's stress-response (HPA) axis, increases BDNF, and reduces hyperarousal. Those mechanisms drive most PTSD symptom clusters, which is why WarriorWOD treats the gym as a primary part of recovery.

    See the veteran PTSD recovery program research

Your gym provides the training. WarriorWOD handles everything else.

Become a partner gym
Andres Rosario, Warrior Class 04-23, with Soldier City Fitness owner Andrew Maragh and a fellow veteran at Soldier City Fitness in St. Cloud, Florida

▸ Warrior Class 04-23 · St. Cloud, FL

STORY DETAILS PENDING

Andres Rosario trained at Soldier City Fitness for 24 weeks.

Coach Andrew Maragh remembers his first few weeks: "Andres was eager to learn and expand his knowledge of functional fitness while improving his overall fitness. He was dedicated, motivated, and open to coaching. His willingness to challenge himself and keep growing stood out every time he walked into Soldier City Fitness!"

[What Andres was dealing with before the Warrior Class, in his own words. Branch and rank.]

[What changed by graduation. One specific outcome marker, plus where Andres trains today.]

Andrew Maragh, owner of Soldier City Fitness in St. Cloud, Florida, a WarriorWOD Preferred Partner Gym
"Our coaches are great at adapting workouts to meet people wherever they are in their fitness journey, and they stepped up again with this opportunity. Supporting an athlete goes beyond physical modifications. It also means being mindful of those living with PTSD and adjusting our approach, communication, or environment to help them feel comfortable and supported. This partnership reinforced how much thoughtful, individualized coaching matters."
Andrew Maragh, Owner/Veteran · Soldier City Fitness, St. Cloud, FL

To other gym owners

"Do it!! This partnership motivates the athlete, the coaches, and the members around them. It's an opportunity to support veterans through fitness while strengthening the sense of community within your gym."

Andrew Maragh, Owner/Veteran, Soldier City Fitness

Partner with WarriorWOD

Why partner

Your gym gives a membership. Here is what it gets back.

Most ways your gym can support veterans start with a discount and stop there. A WarriorWOD partnership returns three things to your business: a committed member, a visible place in your community, and a program you don’t have to build or run.

01Your floor

A member with a reason to show up

Warriors commit to a 24-week class that starts and finishes together. A Battle Buddy contacts each Warrior every week, so someone besides your coaches keeps them accountable to your schedule.

  • ▸24-week Warrior Class on a fixed schedule
  • ▸Weekly Battle Buddy check-ins
  • ▸Class times set in your off-peak blocks
02Your community

A gym your town knows stands for something

Partnership gives your gym a story members repeat and local press will cover. WarriorWOD supplies the assets, so the visibility costs your staff very little time.

  • ▸Co-branded social, email, and in-gym assets
  • ▸Donation WOD and graduation event templates
  • ▸Press angles for launches and graduations
  • ▸Listing and backlink on the partner gym map
03Your time

A complete program you don’t have to build

Your coaches coach. WarriorWOD handles everything around the workout, from screening each veteran to measuring PTSD symptoms every month.

  • ▸No curriculum, intake, or case management
  • ▸Written emergency protocol and staff training
  • ▸Tax documentation for donated membership value

Your gym provides

Four things

  • ▸A spot in a class you already run
  • ▸A coaching staff the Warrior can depend on
  • ▸A welcoming floor
  • ▸A short staff training course (VA S.A.V.E - optional)

WarriorWOD provides

Everything else

  • ▸Screened, enrolled Warriors
  • ▸A Battle Buddy for every Warrior
  • ▸Nutrition coaching
  • ▸InBody assessments
  • ▸Monthly PCL-5 and C-SSRS screening
  • ▸Emergency protocol
  • ▸Co-branded marketing kit
  • ▸Event templates
  • ▸Tax documentation

Built for your kind of gym

Your box already runs on what veterans need most: a group that shows up together.

WarriorWOD started in CrossFit. Warriors fit into class programming and scale like any new athlete. A Donation WOD with our templates lets your members train and raise money alongside them.

What matters most for you

Donation WOD kitRecognition at graduationBattle Buddy accountability

Good fit: Preferred Partner Gym. A box with open spots in class can fully sponsor a Warrior at little added cost.

A local story your territory competitors can’t copy.

Orangetheory, F45, and other franchise locations partner as individual studios. The co-branded assets are built to run past brand review. Check your franchise agreement before choosing a discount tier.

What matters most for you

Co-branded marketingEarned mediaLocal differentiation

Good fit: Partner Gym, or Preferred if your agreement allows a full sponsorship.

Small classes are where coaches learn names.

Boutique studios give the attention that keeps a Warrior coming back. One or two Warriors in an off-peak class adds members without crowding your prime slots.

What matters most for you

Fills off-peak classesMembers through missionPress for your launch

Good fit: Preferred Partner Gym for one or two Warriors per class.

Floor space and hours you already have, put to work.

Big-box gyms have capacity to spare. Sponsoring several Warriors uses it, earns local press, and gives managers a community program to report up the chain. WarriorWOD supplies the structure your staff doesn’t have time to build.

What matters most for you

No program to buildEarned mediaImpact you can report

Good fit: Partner Gym across several Warriors, with room to move to Preferred.

The neighborhood gym is the one people remember.

Independent gyms compete on relationships. A partnership backed by a program that measures PTSD symptoms monthly sets you apart from the chain down the road and gives families in your area a reason to know your name.

What matters most for you

Local differentiationCo-branded marketingDirectory and backlink

Good fit: Any tier. Start as a Supporter Gym and move up as you see the fit.

Ready to compare commitments? See the tiers or start now.

Become a partner

The results

What partner gyms help veterans achieve

WarriorWOD measures PTSD symptoms with the PCL-5 and suicide risk with the C-SSRS at intake and every month through the program.

38.25%
Drop in overall PTSD symptom severity
265 program completers, PCL-5 matched pre/post. Source: WarriorWOD IMP-001
14.42
Point PCL-5 reduction
p < .001, Cohen's d = 1.33, n = 21. Source: College of Charleston, Trejo Tello, 2025
9 of 9
Veterans with prior suicidal ideation remain alive
C-SSRS tracked monthly. Source: WarriorWOD program data
15%
Reduction in substance use
Source: WarriorWOD program data

Independent study: veterans entered above the PTSD threshold and left below it

Mean PCL-5 score. Probable PTSD threshold is 31 to 33.

Threshold 31–33
43.37
Intake
28.95
Post-program

Dr. Katie Trejo Tello, College of Charleston, grant SCTR CES-P UM1TR005294. Not funded or reviewed by WarriorWOD before release. Peer review pending.

Every DSM-5 symptom cluster improved

Severity reduction by cluster, 265 completers. Source: WarriorWOD IMP-001

Negative alterations in cognition40.38%
Hyperarousal39.66%
Intrusive re-experiencing36.33%
Avoidance35.39%

Bar scale: 0 to 50%.

PLACEHOLDER · REAL QUOTE REQUIRED
Gym owner quote goes here. Ask: what changed in your gym after your first Warrior Class?
Owner name · Gym name, City, ST · Franchise studio
PLACEHOLDER · REAL QUOTE REQUIRED
Second gym owner quote goes here, ideally from a big-box or independent gym. Ask: what did your members say?
Owner name · Gym name, City, ST · Big-box or independent gym

Partnership tiers

Choose how your gym leads

Each tier is defined by what your gym gives and what it gets back. Preferred Partner Gyms receive the most visibility in the network. To be clear about what you're joining: this is not a free gym pass. Your gym becomes one part of a structured program with screening, mentorship, nutrition, and monthly measurement behind every Warrior.

Start with one Warrior.

Your first commitment can be a single membership for 24 weeks. Add Warriors when you're ready. Your gym sets the number, and WarriorWOD never sends more than you agree to.

How Warriors find your gym

Veterans choose where they train. Partner gyms appear on the WarriorWOD map, and we recommend them to Warriors nearby. A Warrior joins your gym when one in your area picks it.

Strongest recognition

Preferred Partner Gym

100% of membership sponsored

Your gym covers the full six-month membership for one or more Warriors. The veteran pays nothing.

  • ▸Listed first on the partner gym map, with a featured pin
  • ▸Your gym recognized at the Warrior Class graduation (held online)
  • ▸Press release announcing your partnership
  • ▸Co-host a Donation WOD with WarriorWOD
  • ▸Annual impact report on your Warriors, aggregate PCL-5 change
  • ▸Your logo on Warrior Class gear
  • ▸Your logo on warriorwod.org
  • ▸Tax documentation for the full donated value
Start as a Preferred Partner Gym

Mission and margin

Partner Gym

50%+ membership discount

You discount the membership by half or more. WarriorWOD donors fund the balance.

  • ▸Pin on the partner gym map
  • ▸Co-branded social announcement
  • ▸Donation WOD event kit
  • ▸Tax documentation for the discounted value
Start as a Partner Gym

A place to start

Supporter Gym

Modest discount

You accept WarriorWOD-funded Warriors at a reduced rate and grow into deeper sponsorship over time.

  • ▸Pin on the partner gym map
  • ▸Partner badge for your site and front desk
  • ▸Access to event templates
Start as a Supporter Gym

Why sponsor the first six months

The sponsorship matches the program. Six months is the full Warrior Class, so your commitment has a start date and an end date.

In practice, your cost is an open spot in a class you already run. The tax documentation reflects the full retail value of that membership.

What you get back is a member who has trained in your gym for 24 straight weeks, with coaches and a class that know them.

What happens after six months

WarriorWOD funding ends when the Warrior Class graduates at week 24. From that point, the Warrior is your member, and your gym sets their membership going forward.

Your partnership continues with the next class. Each time a new Warrior Class starts, your gym can take on a new group of Warriors.

Impact calculator: turn goodwill into measurable impact

See how your gym's contribution translates into program cost reduction and additional veterans served.

Program length is fixed at 6 months. Donated membership value may qualify as an in-kind charitable contribution. Please consult your tax professional.

Total in-kind support
$900
over 6 months for 1 veteran
WarriorWOD direct cost reduction
$900
Approx. additional veterans funded
1
based on $900 avg. avoided membership cost per veteran
Sponsor at this level

Preferred Partner Gym network

Find a veteran friendly gym near you

Every pin is a gym that has signed on to train Warriors. Search by city, state, zip code, or gym name, or use your location to see distance.

25 partner gyms·8 states·1 Preferred·2 Warriors trained

0 gyms shown

Preferred Partner Supporter Not yet partnered

Don't see your gym?

Tell us where you want to train. WarriorWOD will reach out to the gym and invite them to partner.

Browse all partner gyms by state

California

Florida

Georgia

Michigan

New Jersey

Oklahoma

South Carolina

Virginia

Recognition

Partner gyms are recognized from day one

Every partner gym gets a public marker of the commitment and a seat at the table with other owners doing the same work.

Partner window decal photo

At signing

Partner window decal

Members and passersby see that your gym trains Warriors. The decal goes up the week you sign.

Graduation plaque photo

At graduation

Graduation plaque

When your first Warrior graduates, WarriorWOD presents a plaque at your gym, in front of your members.

WarriorWOD Gym Council photo

Ongoing

WarriorWOD Gym Council

A quarterly call for partner gym owners and a shared playbook with programming notes, event templates, marketing assets, and what is working at other gyms.

How it works

From application to first class

  1. 1

    Apply in five minutes

    Tell us about your gym and the tier you're considering.

  2. 2

    Intro call within two business days

    We walk through the program, your schedule, and class timing.

  3. 3

    Sign the agreements

    The Partnership Agreement and the Emergency Protocol Agreement. A short staff course is optional and encouraged. Your window decal ships the same week.

  4. 4

    A Warrior near you chooses your gym

    Veterans pick where they train, and WarriorWOD recommends partner gyms on the map. Each Warrior Class runs 24 weeks with 15 to 30 Warriors, and WarriorWOD runs 4 to 6 classes a year.

What we ask of partner gyms

  • ▸Complete and sign the WarriorWOD Partnership Agreement
  • ▸Sign the WarriorWOD Emergency Protocol Agreement
  • ▸Optional and encouraged: staff take a short PsychArmor or VA S.A.V.E. course
  • ▸Provide gym EIN for tax documentation
  • ▸Agree to mutual promotion and co-branded marketing
  • ▸Maintain a supportive, welcoming environment for all Warriors
  • ▸One-year partnership with month-to-month Warrior memberships. If a Warrior leaves the program, that membership ends.

Start with one Warrior. We’ll walk you through the agreements on an intro call.

Start the partnership

Gym owner questions

Questions about how gyms can help veterans

How can my gym help veterans with PTSD?+

Your gym can help by sponsoring or discounting a membership for a veteran enrolled in WarriorWOD's six-month recovery program. WarriorWOD screens the veteran and assigns a Battle Buddy mentor, nutrition coaching, and monthly PTSD measurement. Your gym provides the training, the schedule, and the community.

Is this just a free gym pass for veterans?+

No. The membership is one part of a six-month PTSD recovery program, and the goal is a veteran's life back: sleep, work, family, and people who expect them. Each Warrior is enrolled in a 24-week Warrior Class with a Battle Buddy mentor who has been there, nutrition coaching, InBody assessments, and monthly PCL-5 and C-SSRS screening. Of 265 program completers, 90.4% saw their PTSD symptoms go down. In an independent College of Charleston review, PCL-5 scores fell 14.42 points on average, from 43.37 to 28.95, below the clinical threshold. Your gym is where Warriors show up for that work every week.

What does partnering cost my gym?+

The cost is the membership value you choose to give. Preferred Partner Gyms sponsor 100% of a six-month membership, Partner Gyms discount it by 50% or more, and Supporter Gyms offer a modest discount. There are no fees to join the network.

Is my gym guaranteed a Warrior?+

No. Veterans choose where they train. Partner gyms are listed on the WarriorWOD map and recommended to Warriors nearby, so your gym receives a Warrior when one in your area picks it.

How many Warriors will my gym get?+

Your gym sets the number. WarriorWOD never sends more Warriors than you agree to, and you can change the number before each new Warrior Class.

Who handles waivers?+

Each Warrior signs your gym's standard waiver and a WarriorWOD waiver before training.

What if a Warrior stops showing up?+

The Warrior's Battle Buddy follows up directly, and your gym keeps the spot. Tell WarriorWOD if attendance drops so the Battle Buddy can reach out quickly.

What is the WarriorWOD Gym Council?+

The WarriorWOD Gym Council is the network of partner gym owners. It meets on a quarterly call and shares a playbook of programming notes, event templates, and marketing assets.

Why does the sponsorship cover six months?+

The sponsorship covers six months because that is the length of the Warrior Class. WarriorWOD measures PTSD symptoms monthly across those 24 weeks, so the gym's commitment lines up with the full program.

What happens when the six months end?+

WarriorWOD funding ends when the Warrior Class graduates at week 24. After that, the Warrior is a member of your gym, and your gym sets their membership going forward.

Do my coaches need clinical training?+

No. WarriorWOD is a non-clinical program, and clinical care stays with licensed providers. A short PsychArmor or VA S.A.V.E. course on recognizing warning signs is optional, and we encourage it. The emergency protocol tells staff who to call.

Is the donated membership tax-deductible?+

WarriorWOD Foundation is a 501(c)(3), EIN 87-1065126, and documents the donated membership value for every partner gym. How you can deduct it depends on your business structure, so confirm with your tax advisor.

What happens if a veteran is in crisis at my gym?+

Staff follow the WarriorWOD Emergency Protocol you sign at onboarding, which includes calling the Veterans Crisis Line (dial 988, press 1) and notifying WarriorWOD. Each Warrior's Battle Buddy and program staff are part of the response.

Can a franchise location partner?+

Yes. Individual franchise locations, including Orangetheory and F45 studios, can partner on their own. Check your franchise agreement on discounts and co-branding before choosing a tier.

How long is the commitment?+

The partnership is a one-year agreement. Your gym keeps a standing Warrior rate for the year, and WarriorWOD lists your gym on the map and recommends it to Warriors nearby. Each Warrior's membership runs month to month for up to six months. Veterans sometimes leave the program for work, family, or a move, and when that happens their membership ends with no balance owed.

More on the six-month veteran PTSD program and the veteran-led nonprofit behind it.

Still have questions? Tell us about your gym and we’ll set up a call.

Talk to our team

Before you apply

What your gym is and isn't responsible for

Your gym is responsible for what it already provides every member: a welcoming floor, safe equipment, and standard coaching. Clinical assessment, mental health treatment, and outcomes stay with WarriorWOD program staff, each Warrior's Battle Buddy, and licensed providers WarriorWOD refers to.

Not clinical care

WarriorWOD is a non-clinical, structured peer-recovery program. Partner gyms are not asked to provide therapy or medical care. WarriorWOD handles intake screening, mentorship, and clinical referrals. In a crisis, staff follow the Emergency Protocol and call the Veterans Crisis Line, and WarriorWOD takes over from there.

No guaranteed outcomes

Results on this page are measured changes in self-reported symptoms among program participants, independently evaluated by the College of Charleston. Individual results vary. Nothing on this page is a clinical claim, diagnosis, or guarantee.

In-kind giving

Donated or discounted membership value may qualify as an in-kind charitable contribution. WarriorWOD provides documentation. Your tax professional determines the final tax treatment.

Every partnership is governed by a written Partnership Agreement and Emergency Protocol Agreement, signed before a Warrior trains at your gym.

Become a partner

They served. Your gym serves them back.

Two short steps. We'll follow up within two business days to set up an intro call.

WarriorWOD Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 87-1065126). This page is informational and does not constitute legal, medical, or tax advice. WarriorWOD does not diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition.

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