Murph Strategies

The CrossFit benchmark workout ‘Murph’ can be very intimidating for both the new and the seasoned CrossFitter. While hero workouts are made to challenge you, they are not made to break you – rather to build you up to be stronger everyday while we honor our fallen heros. Murph is in honor of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 28th, 2005. The operation on which Mike Murphy died (Operation Read Wings) is written about extensively in Marcus Luttrell’s book, “Lone Survivor” which was turned into a movie by the same name. Luttrell recounts in sobering detail the final desperate acts by Murphy to save his team (thank you Bill Gross for the name of the book/movie!). Infact, all three of the original CrossFit “Hero” workouts were in honor of members of that team, who were killed on that mission. “Murph” was actually the third of those workouts. The first one was “JT”, in honor Petty Officer 1st Class Jeff Taylor, which first appeared on CrossFit.com on July 6, 2005. The second workout was “Michael”, in honor of Navy Lieutenant Michael McGreevy, posted on July 15, 2005. “Murph” made its debut on August 18, 2005.

Along with hundreds if not thousands of CrossFit boxes around the country and world, we will be crushing this workout on Memorial Day. There are many different ways you can attack the WOD – so here’s some ideas for strategies to help you though!

Murph
1 mile run
100 Pullups
200 Pushups
300 Air Squats
1 mile run
*Wear a 20# weight vest or body armor

NOTES ON SOME SCALES AND SUBSTITUTIONS:
1 mile runs can be substituted with a 2k row or a 3 mile assult bike
Pullups can be substituted with jumping pullups, banded pullups, or ring rows
Pushups can modified by preforming on your knees, to a partial depth, or to a box
Squats can be modified to box or shallower depth if needed
Talk with your coach if you need a different modification or advice to on what may be best for you.