What is “Murph”? It’s a hero workout but if you haven’t done it in the past here is a little back story.
Lt. Michael Murphy was a Navy Seal that was killed on a mission while in Afghanistan. His position and that of his three other teammates was compromised by several goat herders. In the ensuing gun battle with the Taliban, Lt. Murphy, or Murph, knew his and his team’s situation was dire so he decided to move to an open position under heavy gun fire, knowing the probable outcome, to make an emergency call from his satellite phone. During the phone call Murph was killed. You may remember this story if you’ve read Marcus Luttrell’s book, “Lone Survivor,” or seen the movie adaptation. Murph was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military honor.
Each Memorial Day, Apache, along with many other CrossFit gyms, honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice with a workout.
The workout is:
For time:
1 mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 mile Run
*Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats as needed. Start and finish with a mile run.
It was one of Lt. Murphy’s favorite workouts so it was named in his honor.
First off, it is not an easy workout so of course we can scale it to your ability. It’s not uncommon to see some people doing ring rows, push ups on a box, shortening the run distance, etc. This is totally normal and acceptable. If you have questions about scaling, just ask. Second, this is a hero workout and we tend to dig deeper for those. With that being said, please be smart and have a plan.
What do we mean by a plan? Well, you don’t have to do the workout exactly as it’s listed so you can break up the reps however you’d like. Try to come up with something that will allow you to maintain your form and allows you to finish the workout! If you’re not sure, try to keep your reps low. Singles, doubles, triples. Here are some common rep partition strategies:
20 Rounds
5 Pull-Ups
10 Push-Ups
15 Air Squats
20 Rounds
5 Pull-Ups
5 Push-Ups
15 Air Squats
5 Push-Ups
25 Rounds
4 Pull-Ups
4 Push-Ups
12 Air Squats
4 Push-Ups
25 Rounds
4 Pull-Ups
8 Push-Ups
12 Air Squats
Etc.
Worried about it? Don’t be. It’s a CrossFit workout, something you do all the time, and as I said it can be scaled. Your workouts in class are helping prepare you for this workout. (and tons of other awesome stuff) Of course, people always ask if they can do more. You should be good but if you want get a few more runs in you can run a 1/2 mile or a mile before or after class. Or do it on a rest day. I’m sure someone will join you too.
What else can you do to prepare? Make it your job each day leading up to “Murph” (and every other day of your life) to consume enough water so you’re ready to go on Memorial Day. Get some sleep! Make sure you’re getting enough sleep each night as we approach the workout. It will aid with recovery and help you perform better in all of your workouts, including “Murph.”
By the way, you’ll sign up for Murph just like you would a regular class so it will be open a week before 5/28.
Dropping in while on vacation? Just send us an email to let us know. Usually do “Murph” at home by yourself? Give us a call and come do it with a great group of people.
Looking forward to seeing everyone there!
Coach Mike N
Currently breaking up his reps and making sure he’s well hydrated.
