Murph is the best-known Hero workout in CrossFit and one of the longest benchmark workouts most people will ever do. It is a serious test of endurance and patience, and a good plan makes the difference between a satisfying hour and a miserable one. This guide covers what the workout is, where it comes from, how to break it up and how to scale it so that it suits your current fitness.
What is the Murph workout?
As published by CrossFit (crossfit.com), Murph is, for time:
- 1-mile run (about 1.6 km)
- 100 pull-ups
- 200 push-ups
- 300 air squats
- 1-mile run
The prescribed version is done wearing a 20 lb (about 9 kg) weighted vest or body armour. The pull-ups, push-ups and squats in the middle can be partitioned, meaning broken into any combination of sets, as long as you start and finish with the full run.
Who was Murph?
The workout is named after US Navy Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, a SEAL who was killed in action in Afghanistan in June 2005 and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. He reportedly called this workout "Body Armor". Like other Hero workouts, it is meant to be done with respect, and many gyms around the world, including in Ireland, programme it on or around the US Memorial Day weekend at the end of May.
How to partition Murph
Doing 100 pull-ups, then 200 push-ups, then 300 squats in strict order is possible, but very few people do it that way. Push-ups are usually the limiting factor, and once your chest and triceps fail, every remaining rep becomes slow. Partitioning spreads the fatigue.
The 5-10-15 (Cindy) method
Twenty rounds of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups and 15 squats. This is the most popular approach because every round is short and the push-ups are broken into small sets. Think of it as 20 rounds of the benchmark workout Cindy.
The 5-5-15-5 method
Twenty rounds of 5 pull-ups, 5 push-ups, 15 squats, 5 push-ups. Splitting the push-ups with squats gives the chest more recovery and suits people whose push-ups fail first.
The 10-round method
Ten rounds of 10 pull-ups, 20 push-ups and 30 squats. Fewer transitions, but bigger sets. Better for people with strong gymnastics who want to minimise time spent walking between stations.
Pacing Murph
The most common mistake is running the first mile too fast. Treat the opening run as a warm-up: a pace you could hold while talking in short sentences. You will make far more time in the middle section by staying composed than you will ever gain by sprinting the first mile.
In the middle section, aim for consistent rounds rather than fast ones. If you are using the 20-round method, note your time for round 1 and try to keep the rest within 10 to 20 seconds of it. Break sets before you fail: three sets of three push-ups with short pauses is faster than five push-ups followed by a long rest.
The final run will feel hard regardless. Shorten your stride, keep your arms relaxed and focus on the next lamp post rather than the whole distance.
How to scale Murph
For most people, the RX version with a vest is a long-term goal rather than a starting point. A well-scaled Murph should still take a long time, but you should be able to move well throughout. Use the levers described in our guide to scaling CrossFit workouts.
Half Murph
800 m run, 50 pull-ups, 100 push-ups, 150 squats, 800 m run. A great first attempt, and still a big workout.
Movement substitutions
- Pull-ups: ring rows or banded pull-ups.
- Push-ups: hands on a box or bench. Elevating the hands is better than doing push-ups from the knees because it keeps the whole body working.
- Squats: squat to a box if depth or knee comfort is an issue.
- Running: row 2,000 m or bike for a similar time if running is not an option.
Skip the vest
Do the workout without a vest until you can complete the full volume comfortably. Adding 9 kg to 600 reps and two miles of running changes the workout dramatically, and it is the part most likely to cause overuse injuries.
Preparing for Murph
- Build push-up volume gradually in the weeks beforehand, for example a few sets in most of your sessions rather than one huge day.
- Do a shorter practice run such as 10 rounds of Cindy, to learn your round times.
- Eat and drink normally the day before, and have a light meal two to three hours before starting.
- Plan for the weather. Irish summers can still be wet and windy, so check the route for the runs and wear shoes with grip.
- Keep water at your station and sip between rounds.
After Murph
Expect sore chest, shoulders and legs for a couple of days. Go easy for 48 hours: walking, light rowing or cycling, and mobility work. Very dark urine, extreme muscle pain or swelling after a high-volume workout can be a sign of rhabdomyolysis and needs urgent medical attention.
What is a good Murph time?
There is no single answer, because scaling, vest and partition all change the time. Many people finishing their first scaled Murph take somewhere around an hour, and that is a completely respectable result. What matters is that your next attempt is better than your last.
Murph is often a community event, and it is more enjoyable with other people. If you want to try it with coaching and company, ask a CrossFit gym in Athlone whether they programme it. New to CrossFit? Read CrossFit for beginners and learn the formats in CrossFit terms explained first.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Murph workout?
- Murph is a CrossFit Hero workout: a 1-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats and another 1-mile run, done for time, with a 20 lb (about 9 kg) vest in the prescribed version.
- Can you break up the reps in Murph?
- Yes. The pull-ups, push-ups and squats can be partitioned in any way, as long as you start and finish with the full run. Twenty rounds of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups and 15 squats is the most common split.
- How do beginners scale Murph?
- Try Half Murph (800 m runs and half the reps), use ring rows and raised push-ups, and leave out the weighted vest.
- How long does Murph take?
- It varies widely. Many people take around an hour for a first scaled attempt; experienced athletes doing the full RX version may finish well under that.