What is Murph?

2023 CrossFit Open Week 3 Recap
March 8, 2023
2024 CrossFit Open Week 1 Recap
March 4, 2024
In case you’re unfamiliar, “Murph” is a classic CrossFit workout known as a Hero WOD. Hero WOD’s are made by CrossFit to honor the men and women that have fallen in the line of duty. This one is specifically to honor Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 28th, 2005.

Murph
1 mile Run
100 Pull-Ups
200 Push-Ups
300 Air Squats
1 mile Run
*With a 20 lb Vest or Body Armor

This workout itself was Michael’s favorite workout to do, which at the time referred to it as “Body Armor”, hence the 20 lb vest or body armor as part of the workout prescription. So, every year, CrossFitters synonymously around the world pay special tribute to Lieutenant Murphy by joining together and suffering through this workout.

HOW DIFFICULT IS MURPH?
On paper, it might not look TOO bad. It might take most people awhile to finish, but it can slowly be chipped away at compared to a workout with ridiculously heavy weights, complicated skill required movements, etc. “

First, there’s two methods of finishing Murph. While you have to start and finish with a 1 mile run, the 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 air squats can either be done in order, or partitioned. The most common strategy is to partition the reps into 20 rounds of “Cindy” or 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 air squats. If you’re really trying to maximize your time and don’t think you can do 20 rounds of 10 push-ups unbroken, you can split the push-ups around the air squats. So you would do 20 rounds of: 5 pull-ups, 5 push-ups, 15 air squats, 5 push-ups. Performing “Murph” in the un-partitioned manner is the more difficult of the strategies, as the push-ups will be the part that will have lots of rest in between sets. The partitioned way lets you chip away at the other movements while your push-ups take a break.

The other variation about Murph is that it’s performed either with a weight vest, or without. The prescription hints to use one if you have one, but, if you don’t have one, then you don’t have a choice. There’s a ton of variation in completion time between the two options. Below is roughly the average time of completion without a weight vest. The average time being around 48 minutes for Men and 52 minutes for Women.

Our 2021 version will have athletes partner up and take on “Murph” as a team with a kicker. In addition to the weighted vests, each team will have a burden to carry. A weighted object that can not be set down for the entire duration of the workout. So while 1 partner works, the other “rests” while carrying the burden. For those traditionalists, you can tackle Murph solo as intended.