You've probably seen it on social media every Memorial Day. Thousands of people are posting sweaty selfies with captions like "Murph done!" or "Never again... until next year."

Maybe you've wondered what the heck a "Murph" is and why people voluntarily torture themselves with it.

Here's what you need to know: Murph is one of the most challenging, rewarding, and meaningful workouts in the fitness world. It's a tribute to a fallen hero, a test of mental and physical toughness, and a benchmark that reveals exactly where your fitness stands.

It's also completely scalable for beginners.

I'm going to walk you through everything you need to know about the Murph workout—what it is, why it matters, how to do it as a complete beginner, and how to train so you can actually finish it without crawling to the finish line.

Murph is a CrossFit Hero WOD (Workout of the Day). Hero WODs are intense workouts named after military service members, police officers, and firefighters who died in the line of duty.

This particular workout honors Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2005 during Operation Red Wings. Lt. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery.

The workout was his favorite. He called it "Body Armor" because he often did it while wearing a 20-pound vest.

The Official Murph Workout:

For Time:

• 1 mile run
• 100 pull-ups
• 200 push-ups
• 300 air squats
• 1 mile run

All while wearing a 20-pound vest (14 pounds for women) if you're experienced.

Yeah, it's brutal.

The average person takes 45-75 minutes to complete Murph. Elite athletes finish in under 30 minutes. Beginners might take 90+ minutes, and that's completely fine.

Let's look at each component and what makes it so challenging.

This run sets the tone. You're fresh, excited, and probably running too fast.

The trap: Going out too hard. You burn your legs before the real work begins.

The strategy: Run at a conversational pace. You should be able to talk in short sentences. Save your energy—you've got 600 reps waiting for you.

For most beginners, this is the killer. One hundred pull-ups is an absolutely massive volume, even for people who can bang out sets of 10.

Why it's hard: Your grip fails before your back does. Your hands tear. Your lats cramp. Pull-ups are the limiting factor for most people.

Reality check: If you can't do 10 strict pull-ups in a row, you're not ready for standard Murph. You'll need to scale (more on that below).

Two hundred push-ups sounds insane. And it is. But it's more doable than you'd think with the right strategy.

Why it's hard: Your chest and triceps fatigue quickly. Your form breaks down. You start doing half-reps or worming your way up.

The key: Small sets with short rest. Don't do sets of 20. Do sets of 5-10 consistently.

This should be the "easiest" part since most people can do bodyweight squats. But by this point, you're already wrecked.

Why it's hard: You're exhausted. Your legs are already fried from the run and all those push-ups (yes, push-ups work your legs too). Three hundred reps of anything is mental torture.

The surprise: Your lungs might give out before your legs. High-rep squats are cardio in disguise.

This is where legends are made or broken. You're completely spent, and you have to run another mile.

Why it's hard: Everything hurts. Your legs feel like concrete. Your mind is begging you to walk.

The truth: Most people slow down significantly on this second run. That's expected. Just keep moving forward.

Murph is a true full-body workout.

• Back (pull-ups)
• Chest (push-ups)
• Shoulders
• Arms

• Quadriceps
• Glutes
• Hamstrings

• Abs
• Obliques
• Lower back stabilizers

Few workouts train the entire body this effectively using only bodyweight.

Let's be realistic: if you've never done a pull-up, can't run a mile without stopping, or struggle with 20 push-ups, you're not doing the full Murph. Not yet.

And that's totally fine.

Here are scaled versions that let beginners participate while building toward the full workout.

For Time:

• 0.5-mile run
• 50 pull-ups (or scaled variation)
• 100 push-ups (or scaled variation)
• 150 air squats
• 0.5-mile run

This cuts everything in half. It's still challenging but actually achievable for beginners who've been training for a few months.

Time expectation: 30-50 minutes for beginners

For Time:

• 0.25 mile run (quarter mile)
• 25 jumping pull-ups or ring rows
• 50 push-ups (can be incline or knee push-ups)
• 75 air squats
• 0.25-mile run

This is your entry point if you're new to fitness entirely.

Time expectation: 15-25 minutes

Here's the secret that makes Murph possible: you don't have to do all 100 pull-ups, then all 200 push-ups, then all 300 squats.

You can partition the reps into smaller, manageable rounds.

Most popular partition: "Cindy" style (20 rounds)

• 5 pull-ups
• 10 push-ups
• 15 squats
• Repeat 20 times

This breaks the massive volume into bite-sized chunks. Instead of thinking "I need to do 100 pull-ups," you think "I need to do 5 pull-ups, 20 times."

Other partition options:

You don't just wake up one day and do Murph. You build up to it. Here's a simple 8-week plan.

Take an extra rest day before your Murph attempt. You want to be fresh, not tired.

What happens: You crush the first run and the first few rounds, then completely blow up halfway through. You spend the last 30 minutes suffering.

The fix: Start slower than you think you need to. Aim for negative splits (faster second half). Your first mile should feel easy. Your first few rounds should feel almost boring.

What happens: You bang out a set of 15 pull-ups because you can. Then you can only do 8. Then 5. Then 3. Then singles. You've nuked your muscles.

The fix: Leave reps in the tank. If you can do 10 pull-ups, do sets of 5-6. Stop before you're close to failure. Consistency beats heroics.

What happens: You just start doing reps randomly. You lose count. You have no rhythm. You waste mental energy figuring out what to do next.

The fix: Decide your partition before you start. Write it down. Stick to it religiously. Don't change strategies mid-workout.

What happens: You jump straight into running and pulling with cold muscles. Hello, injury risk.

The fix: Spend 10 minutes warming up. Light jog, arm circles, practice pull-ups, push-ups, and squats with low reps. Get your body ready.

What happens: You see someone finishing in 35 minutes and feel inadequate about your 75-minute time. You quit or get discouraged.

The fix: Your only competition is yourself. Finishing is the goal. Time is secondary. Lt. Murphy would be proud of anyone who completes the workout, regardless of time.

What happens: You do Murph fasted or without water. You bonk hard, get dizzy, or cramp up.

The fix: Eat a light meal 2-3 hours before. Have water available during the workout (especially if it takes 60+ minutes). Sip between rounds.

What happens: Your hands tear open during pull-ups. You have to stop because your palms are bleeding.

The fix: Use gymnastics grips, gloves, or tape your hands if you're prone to tearing. File down calluses before the workout. If you feel a hot spot developing, stop and adjust.

The beauty of Murph is its simplicity. You don't need much equipment.

Essential:

• Pull-up bar (doorway mount, wall-mounted, or outdoor bar)
• Space to run (neighborhood, track, treadmill, or even 50-meter shuttle runs)
• Open floor space for push-ups and squats

Optional but helpful:

• Weighted vest (only if you're experienced)
• Gymnastics grips or gloves
• Timer or watch
• Water bottle
• Towel

For scaled versions:

• Resistance bands for assisted pull-ups
• TRX or rings for rows
• Box or bench for incline push-ups

That's it. Murph is beautifully minimalist.

Everyone wants to know: what's a respectable time?

Your first Murph will be your slowest. That's your baseline. Every year after, you try to beat it.

Real talk: If you finish, you've succeeded. The time is just a number. Completing 600+ reps and 2 miles of running is an achievement regardless of the clock.

You will be sore. Very sore. Plan accordingly.

Immediately after:

• Walk for 10 minutes (don't just collapse)
• Stretch all major muscle groups
• Drink water and eat protein

Next 24-48 hours:

• Expect serious soreness (especially lats, chest, and legs)
• Do light movement (walking, easy cycling)
• Foam roll and stretch
• Sleep extra if possible
• Consider ice baths or contrast showers

Don't train hard for 2-3 days. Give your body time to recover. Murph destroys muscle tissue. Recovery is when you actually get stronger.

Murph is more than a workout. It's a challenge, a memorial, and a measuring stick all in one.

You don't need to be an elite athlete to participate. You just need to:

• Start with a scaled version that matches your fitness level
• Train consistently for 6-8 weeks before attempting it
• Use smart partitioning strategies
• Leave your ego at the door
• Remember why you're doing it

Your first Murph will be hard. Really hard. You'll question your life choices around rep 250.

But when you cross that finish line—whether it takes you 40 minutes or 90 minutes—you'll have accomplished something significant. You'll have pushed through discomfort, honored a hero, and proven to yourself that you're capable of more than you thought.

Next Memorial Day, thousands of people will do Murph. Now you can be one of them.

Start training today. In 8 weeks, you'll be ready to tackle one of the most challenging and meaningful workouts in fitness.

Murph awaits. Are you ready?