Each year around the end of May, you're probably used to seeing your social media blow up with pictures and comments about a workout called "The Murph." You've probably wondered to yourself, "What is The Murph Challenge, and why is it so popular?"
In this article, I'll share more the history of The Murph workout along with a 4-week training plan to get you ready to perform The Murph Challenge, whether you're a beginner or an experienced athlete who needs a training program.
The Murph workout happens to be my favorite workout, and I’m excited to share this training program with you!
What Is The Murph Challenge?
About LT Michael P. Murphy
On June 28th, 2005, LT Michael P. Murphy, a U.S. Navy SEAL, tragically lost his life in Afghanistan while serving in action. His name may be familiar to you from the movie Lone Survivor, which depicts the mission of his SEAL team. Murphy's selfless act of sacrificing his life to save others led to his posthumous recognition with the Congressional Medal of Honor in October 2007.
In order to honor his legacy, Murphy's family established the LT Michael P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation. Recognizing the importance of education, Murphy, an avid reader, believed in its transformative power and often emphasized the phrase, "Education will set you free." The Foundation now grants 27 annual scholarships to deserving individuals.
The History of The Murph Challenge
One notable tribute to LT Murphy is The Murph Challenge, a hero workout that is frequently performed on Memorial Day. CrossFit, a fitness regimen, features a series of hero WODs (workout of the day) dedicated to fallen men and women in the line of duty. While The Murph is commonly associated with CrossFit, anyone is welcome to undertake this workout. As it primarily consists of bodyweight exercises, the only equipment needed is a pull-up bar, and it is not uncommon to witness groups participating in The Murph at public parks.
Originally known as "Body Armor," LT Murphy's favorite workout has been renamed "The Murph" as a heartfelt tribute. Below is the complete workout for those who choose to take on the challenge.
The Murph Workout:
The workout consists of:
- 1-mile run
- 100 pull-ups
- 200 push-ups
- 300 squats
- 1-mile run
Some advanced athletes will perform The Murph Challenge with a 20 lb vest for men and a 15 lb vest for women.
Now, before you stop reading this article because you can't do pull-ups or run further than a quarter mile without stopping: it's okay. I've laid out a plan for how you can train to do the complete Murph Challenge or partition it so that you can successfully participate in The Murph Challenge as a newbie!
Training for The Murph Challenge
There Are 2 Ways to Complete The Murph Workout
Option 1: You do it all as-is.
After running one mile, you do 100 pull-ups, then 200 push-ups, followed by 300 squats, and another 1-mile run, with or without the vest.
Adding the vest is called the RX version, AKA the most challenging version. Many cannot perform their first Murph this way, and that’s ok. But if you want to use the vest, be sure to train with it rather than waiting until the day of the challenge to add it in.
Option 2: You can partition the workout.
When you partition The Murph workout, you can do the following:
- 1-mile run
- 20 sets of
- 5 pull-ups,
- 10 push-ups,
- 15 squats,
- Finish with a 1-mile run, with or without a vest.
However, if you know you can’t easily do 10 push-ups in a row, you can partition it like this:
- 1-mile run
- 20 sets of
- 5 pull-ups,
- 5 push-ups,
- 15 squats,
- 5 push-ups,
- 1-mile run
If you’ve never completed The Murph workout before, I highly recommend starting by partitioning it and not wearing a vest.
Training for Volume With The Murph Workout
If you're an advanced athlete and can easily do sets of 10 pull-ups or over 20 push-ups at once, you might consider a vest, but it's essential to think through how much volume you typically do. The Murph is a long workout, so it quickly adds up, which will change the feel of those movements when you do all of it at once. I would still recommend The Murph without the vest if it's your first go.
The biggest challenge with The Murph workout is understanding how much volume there is. It's a long, endurance-based workout. The Murph takes the average athlete a minimum of 50 minutes to upwards of 1.5 hours. It's a common mistake to think, "Oh, I can run, do some pull-ups, push-ups, and squats."
As you'll see below, I designed my 4-week training program to slowly increase the volume over the days and weeks. A slow progression helps you build up to and adapt to the volume.
4 Week Training Program for The Murph Challenge
The most common way to train for The Murph is to partition with 20 rounds of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 squats. That's the format this training program follows. If you're training to perform The Murph on Memorial Day 2022, start this training program before May 2nd, 2022.
The Murph is about muscular and cardiovascular endurance, so starting your training more than 4 weeks out isn't a bad idea. Here are some modifications to consider:
- If you're new to running and cardio, you likely want to incorporate running into your routine about 8 weeks out. Whether you sprint or do an endurance run a few times each week, the goal is to get your body prepared to run.
- If you struggle to keep proper form when doing push-ups, you may want to train to improve your push-up performance about 6 weeks out.
- Poor grip strength will affect your ability to complete 100 pull-ups, even if you’re partitioning. Add grip strength exercises to your workout regimen about 6 to 8 weeks out to improve your pull-up performance.
This is a very challenging training program and you'll need your body to be at your best. To prepare, we recommend trying some workout classes at the TRX Training Club to see how prepared you are before going full-sprint into the Murph challenge:
Week 1:
Day 1 and Day 2:
- Run for 5 minutes
- 5 sets of:
- 5 pull-ups (assisted, banded, kipping, or strict)
- 5 push-ups (modify as knee push-ups if needed)
- 15 air squats
- 5 push-ups
Rest as needed
Day 3:
- Run for 8 minutes
- 8 sets of:
- 5 pull-ups (modify as needed)
- 5 push-ups (modify as needed)
- 15 air squats
- 5 push-ups
Rest as needed
Pro Tip:
If you can do all 10 push-ups at once, do so and skip the last round of push-ups.
Week 2:
Day 1 and Day 2:
- Run for 5 minutes
- 8 sets of:
- 5 pull-ups (modify as needed)
- 10 push-ups (modify as needed)
- 15 air squats
- Run for 5 minutes
Rest as needed
Day 3:
- Run for 8 minutes
- 10 sets of:
- 5 pull-ups (modify as needed)
- 10 push-ups (modify as needed)
- 15 air squats
- Run for 8 minutes
Rest as needed
Week 3:
Day 1 and Day 2:
- Run for 5 minutes
- 12 sets of:
- 5 pull-ups (modify as needed)
- 10 push-ups (modify as needed)
- 15 air squats
- Run for 8 minutes
Rest as needed
Day 3:
- Run 1 mile
- 12 sets of:
- 5 pull-ups (modify as needed)
- 10 push-ups (modify as needed)
- 15 air squats
- Run for 10 minutes or 1 mile, whichever comes first
Rest as needed
Pro Tip:
Since The Murph is a timed workout, it helps to pace your sets. Time your average pace set of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 squats in Week 3. See if you can sustain that in your actual Murph.
Week 4:
Day 1:
- Run 1 mile
- 15 sets of:
- 5 pull-ups (modify as needed)
- 10 push-ups (modify as needed)
- 15 air squats
- Run for 10 minutes or 1 mile, whichever comes first
Rest as needed
Pro Tip:
Pace yourself — it's very common to run a 9 or 12-minute mile as a first-timer. Think of the first 1-mile run as your warm-up. You'll still want to pace yourself for the second mile, but this is where you can turn up the pace.
Day 2:
- Run 0.7 miles for speed
- 10 sets of:
- 5 pull-ups (modify as needed)
- 10 push-ups (modify as needed)
- 15 air squats
- Run 0.7 miles
Rest as needed
Day 3: Recovery Day!
A light running is okay. However, focus on muscle recovery for your body to prepare for the entire workout. Try foam rolling, stretching, or other similar mobility movements. You could also get a massage or spend some time in the sauna.
I'd recommend these recovery practices throughout this 4-week training program. However, the few days leading up to a full workout are essential for recovery. Be sure to consume some electrolytes and get a good night's sleep the few nights before The Murph.
Additional Pro Tips for Training for The Murph Challenge
You can always increase the challenge year by year. Perhaps next year you'll work on reducing your time. Maybe the year after that, you can do the layout of a 1-mile run followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 squats. Then, progress to the vest and choose which path you want to train from there.
You can also train and perform The Murph whenever you'd like! Perhaps you train for it 2 or 3 times a year, which will likely improve your success and growth year by year.
Murph training is common for those with a strength training history of over 2 years. This is important from a joint, tendon, and ligament health standpoint. If you're new to strength training altogether, I'd recommend building strength training into your weekly routine, working your way up to 3 or 4 times a week.
Completing The Murph Challenge is a huge feat! One that is most definitely possible but will need some specific, focused training to get there. Remember this as you grind your way through on Memory Day: a fallen soldier was willing to selflessly sacrifice his life for ours. In a way, this is an easy day for us to pay tribute.
