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CROSSFIT WOD MURPH
If you do CrossFit, odds are that you've heard of Murph.
It’s one of, if not the most, famous CrossFit WODs out there, and for good reason.
It combines physical fitness and mental toughness while building up and connecting the CrossFit community, all in the name of a great cause.
See, Murph is more than just another WOD. It’s an integral part of CrossFit.
Let’s get into it.
What Is Murph?
Murph is basically a CrossFit holiday.
Named after Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who was an early adopter of CrossFit-style workouts and commonly created his own while all over the world, Murph is a CrossFit workout that is done in nearly every CrossFit gym across the world on Memorial Day, which is on May 31, 2021 in the US.
How Do I Do Murph?
Murph is fairly simple and requires nothing other than a pull-up bar and a little bit of space to run.
It was made to be able to be done just about anywhere and anytime, no matter where you find yourself.
It starts off with a one mile run.
Then you do 100 pull-ups.
200 pushups.
300 bodyweight squats.
Then it is all finished off with one more mile of running.
It’s the circle of life - or at least the circle of CrossFit.
Sounds simple enough, right? In terms of exercises, it is an incredible WOD because it is all simple movements done at bodyweight, so it is perfect for both beginners and masters, as the skill level required is low.
As with any WOD, it can be scaled to be easier or harder, with people new to exercise and CrossFit perhaps reducing their number of reps, and CrossFit Games performers adding weight and trying to get the best times possible.
Why Do I Do Murph?
Like we have hinted at earlier in this article, Murph is very important to a lot of CrossFitters because of why Murph came about.
Along with that significance, there are of course the classic mental and physical bonuses that come with any CrossFit workouts.
So without further ado, let’s get into why we do Murph:
1. Murph Is For A Great Cause
As we mentioned above, Murph is named after Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who was an amazing person and a true CrossFit pioneer.
Nicknamed “The Protector” growing up, Murphy rejected law school offers in order to accept a commission in the United States Navy and became a SEAL in July 2002.
In early 2005, he was assigned as an officer and deployed to Afghanistan. In June of that year, he led a reconnaissance team in Kunar, where he was in action while saving the rest of his platoon from enemy forces.
Every Memorial Day, Murph is done in memory of Michael Murphy and the other brave men and women who gave their lives in the line of duty so that people around the world can live in safety, with the freedom to do what they please.
So yeah, I guess you could say Murph has a good story and is done for a great cause.
2. Building Mental Muscles
There’s an old saying that “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
While scientifically that isn’t quite true, there are lots of things that can not kill you but also make you weaker, like mercury poisoning or quitting halfway through a CrossFit WOD, Murph definitely does make you stronger.
Pushing ourselves is a great way to build mental strength, and Murph is, at times, a slog. 100 pull-ups, 200 pushups, and 300 squats is a combined 600 reps.
That’s an insane amount of repetitions doing the same exercise over and over.
Oh, and you have to run a mile after finishing 300 air squats.
To make matters worse, Murph is another one of those pesky CrossFit WODs that give you the freedom to choose how many and how long your breaks are.
You can do sets of two pull-ups and take a minute break between each set if you want, but that wouldn’t exactly be “pushing yourself” most likely.
When we have the freedom to make things easier on ourselves, that is when mental toughness is truly built.
Push yourself.
3. Increasing Cardiovascular Endurance
Two miles by itself is a long run. Add 600 reps of pull-ups, pushups, and bodyweight squats and you are looking at a long, grueling workout.
There is no heavy lifting in Murph. Instead, it is mainly a cardiovascular workout. It is a huge number of continuous reps, culminating in a very tired body and lungs that are on fire.
Working the muscles and lungs for long periods is a great way to increase your cardiovascular endurance.
The Movements Involved In Murph
The layout of Murph is very simple, as it was built to be able to be done by anyone, anywhere.
Let’s go through the 4 movements quickly:
1 Mile Run
We are going to assume you have at least a passing knowledge of how to run, so we are not going to go through the mechanics of running.
An important thing to keep in mind is that Murph is a marathon, not a sprint.
If you exert all your energy in the first mile run, odds are the rest of the WOD is going to be pretty rough.
100 Pull Ups
Pull ups primarily engage the back, with the biceps and core also getting a good workout. If you have somehow never heard of them, they basically involve you pulling your chin up above a bar by engaging the back.
The pull up can be broken down into 4 steps.
- Stand directly below the pull up bar. Place hands in an overhand grip slightly farther apart than the body.
- Lift your feet off the floor. Engage the core and back so that your shoulders are pulled back and down.
- Pull through your back and arms until your chin is over the bar. To make this movement easier to imagine, think about bringing your elbows to your hips.
- Drop back down to the starting position. Reset for next rep.
200 Push Ups
Pushups primarily work the chest and triceps, although they are another great bodyweight exercise that does a good job of engaging the core and working the entire body.
It can be broken down into 3 easy steps:
- Start lying on your chest with your hands shoulder width apart and slightly below shoulder level on the ground. Keep your core tight throughout the movement.
- Move into a straight-armed plank, then use a controlled drop until your chest almost touches the ground.
- Push through your hands until you are back at a starting position in a straight-armed plank. Repeat.
300 Air Squats
That is a lot of squats. Luckily, they’re bodyweight, but still.
The squat is one one of the best leg-dominant exercises out there, focusing on the quads and glutes, but also hitting the hamstrings and even the soleus and gastrocnemius that make up the calf.
It can be broken down into 3 easy steps:
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your toes slightly turned out.
- Drop your butt back down in a controlled motion. Keep the small curve in your back. Your knees should not go over your toes by very much.
- Push through your feet and return to a standing position, squeezing the glutes at the top. Repeat for reps.
1 Mile Run
See the first mile run for what to do here.
Keep in mind that you just finished 300 squats before getting back on the running track, so if you thought that first mile was tough, just keep thinking about how you’re almost done!
Various Ways To Do Murph
As CrossFit is an inclusive sport, CrossFit coaches have created two separate ways to complete the WOD:
The first is the classic, badass way, which Michael Murphy himself was known for doing.
That is to do the exercises in order, and to not move onto the next exercise until every rep of the previous exercise is completed.
You start with the 1 mile run, move onto 100 pull-ups, then 200 pushups, then 300 squats, and finally another mile once your body feels like it cannot go on any more.
This way is meant to make Murph as mentally taxing as possible, as there are no breaks for a muscle group until all of the exercise’s reps are completed.
The second way Murph can be done is by partitioning the workout into a circuit.
You still start with a mile, but then you break it up in a manner like CrossFit Cindy, meaning you'll do 20 rounds of 5 pullups, 10 pushups, and 15 air squats.
Then you finish that all off with - you guessed it - a mile run.
While this isn’t how Murph was originally envisioned, it is becoming more popular in CrossFit boxes because it is tailored more towards average CrossFitters who would not physically be able to complete the WOD in a reasonable amount of time.
Switching between exercises gives both muscle groups and the brain a bit more of a break, so this version is definitely a bit easier to complete.
Whatever way you or your box decide on, the important thing is you push yourself to finish the WOD to the best of your abilities.
What To Aim For
There is no getting around the fact that Murph is a grind.
And like any other CrossFit WOD out there, it is important for you to remember that CrossFit - for most of us at least - is about self improvement, not looking over at the person next to you to judge your worth.
So while these times we’re about to give you are a great measuring stick, the most important measurement is that you are trying to be better than you were before.
For a beginner, Murph usually takes 50 to 60 minutes. Even then, it can be a slog both mentally and physically, as the huge number of reps combined with relatively long runs is tough.
For an experienced athlete, aim for around 40 to 50 minutes.
Even the top CrossFitters in the world struggle to get under 30 minutes, with advanced athletes commonly finishing around 35 minutes, although some CrossFit Games competitors have been known to finish in under 25 minutes.
2 miles and 600 reps in under 25 minutes is amazing.
But so is 2 miles and 600 reps in under an hour.
Or over an hour.
It really doesn’t matter, what matters is that you push yourself and are proud of yourself at the end of it.
Wrapping Up Murph
Murph is one of the most famous CrossFit workouts, known throughout every CrossFit gym the world over.
And with good reason.
The WOD is a great reminder that while CrossFit is a great way to grow physically, mentally, and communally, it is not the be-all and end-all.
By and large, our lives are pretty special, and we have to thank the brave men and women who give their lives for us for creating the great world we live in.
So this Memorial Day, whether or not you crush a Murph, make sure you take the time to be thankful for everything you have.
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WOD RECOVERY © 2020 | 428 Gaslamp, Inc.
Disclaimer: All hemp-derived products contain 0.0% THC
The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of these products has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from health care practitioners. Please consult your health care professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act require this notice.
WOD RECOVERY RX © 2020
428 Gaslamp, Inc.
Disclaimer:
All hemp-derived products
contain 0.0% THC
The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of these products has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from health care practitioners. Please consult your health care professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act require this notice.