Do you know how to do a Murph Workout? It has been popularized by the CrossFit community but has its origins in the military. Let’s talk about this workout, where it came from and how (and why you should) you can incorporate it into your fitness plan.
In 2001, CrossFit founder Greg Glassman took the memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who was killed in Afghanistan, and created the Murph workout in his honor.
What Is The Murph Workout?
In addition to having an empowering story behind it, The Murph Workout also has many health benefits. If you’re looking for a new way to get in shape or increase your fitness level, this is a great option. The goal of this workout is that each time you do it, you’ll complete it in less time than it’s taken you previously.
The Murph Workout begins and ends the same way – with a one mile run. Between your runs, you’re going to complete the following exercises. Now, you can complete these in any order you prefer. You might do them in rounds, or you might complete each exercise before moving on to the next. All that matters is that you complete each exercise and rep.
100 Pull-Ups
200 Push-Ups
300 Air Squats
So, you might complete them exactly as listed, or you might do something that looks like this instead:
25 Pull-Ups
25 Push-Ups
25 Air Squats
25 Pull-Ups
25 Push-Ups
25 Airs Squats … etc. until all reps are completed.
And if you’re unable to do a pull up, modify the exercise until you can. So maybe you replace pull-ups with TRX pull-ups or maybe the push-ups become modified push-ups until you build the upper body strength to do traditional push-ups.
And once you’ve mastered the workout, there are ways to continue scaling up, too. Consider adding weighted vests to increase the challenge!
Keep In Mind
This workout offers a lot of benefits and doesn’t require any equipment. Because you can do this workout anywhere with virtually no equipment, the Murph Workout is a great addition to your fitness routine. But there are some considerations to make before you get started.
Make sure you have lots of water on hand and you stay hydrated during and after the workout.
Be prepared to modify as you go. Especially since you’re going for time – you may find that you fatigue quickly and need to modify some exercises so that you don’t injure yourself in the process of completing the workout.
Use a timer or clock to track your results- remember, this workout is done for time meaning the faster you can complete the workout, the better. And the more you do the workout, your goal is to get faster and faster.
Benefits of the Murph Workout
There are plenty of benefits to this great workout. You’ll burn a ton of calories, work the major muscle groups and rev up your metabolism (which is great if you’re doing the workout on Memorial Day and heading to a barbeque later!). Additionally, you’re building endurance and power.
Incorporating this workout into your fitness plan will give you better mental and physical endurance, increased muscle strength and tone, and a feeling of self-accomplishment.
