Murph is a CrossFit Hero WOD typically done by CrossFit athletes all over the world on Memorial Day.
The Workout
“Murph”
For Time:
(*while wearing a weighted vest – 20/14 lb)
1 mile Run
100 Pull-Ups
200 Push-Ups
300 Air Squats
1 mile Run
While wearing a weighted vest (20 lbs for men, 14 lbs for women), Murph begins with a one-mile run followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups and 300 air squats. This WOD finishes with another one-mile run. Your score is your total time.
The History
Murph first showed up on the CrossFit main site in August 2005 as a hero WOD. Hero WODs honor our fallen heroes, and Murph is arguably the most well-known hero workouts in the CrossFit community.
Today, Murph is done every Memorial Day weekend to honor Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy. Lt. Murphy was a Navy SEAL who was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 28th, 2005.
Strategy and Scaling
Murph is no doubt a test of endurance. And the high volume of reps can easily expose you to potential injury. So strategy and pacing are important. You’ll likely see these instructions accompanying this WOD:
Partition the pull-ups, push-ups and squats as needed.
Be smart about how you approach this workout. Break up the reps, scale the movements and complete a total number of repetitions to suit your current fitness level.
For example:
- Complete the WOD as programmed, but drop the weight vest.
- Or, cut the running and reps in half, and swap out the pull-ups for ring rows:
Run 800m
50 Ring Rows
50 Push-Ups
50 Air Squats
Run 800m
The next time you take on this benchmark WOD, remember that Murph is not just another workout where you try to PR. This is a chance to pay tribute to Lieutenant Murphy and all the other heroes who have died for our freedom. Be smart in your approach and celebrate those who have served our great country!
To learn more about Rhapsody Fitness in Charleston and our range of programs, get in touch with Team Rhapsody today.
