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Everything you need to know about the MURPH WOD

The Murph is one of the original CrossFit Hero workouts that is also considered one of the toughest.

Don't be fooled by its simplicity - It's a tough way to get in shape.

In this blog post, we'll discuss everything you need to know about the Murph workout, including preparation, the workout itself, and recovery.

Are you ready to take on the Murph? Let's start!

WHAT IS MURPH TRAINING?

Before we dive into training, let's talk a bit about the history of the Murph.

All CrossFit Hero workouts are named after those who served in the armed forces and gave their lives.

The Murph is named after Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who was killed in action in Afghanistan during Operation Red Wings.

Lt. Murphy sacrificed himself to call in reinforcements while buying his men time and distracting the enemy.

Although he was shot, he continued to fight until he finally succumbed to his wounds.

On October 27, 2007, the Congressional Medal of Honor was posthumously awarded to Lt. Murphy.

If you've ever researched CrossFit, you might have heard of Lt. Murphy's story. What you might not realize, according to Navy.com, is that Lt. Murphy is the third serviceman to receive the highest national honor since President Bush deployed US troops to Afghanistan in 2001.

He is also the first Navy soldier to receive this award since the Vietnam War.

The Murph workout is a CrossFit classic that consists of the following elements:

  • One mile run
  • 100 pull-ups
  • 200 push-ups
  • 300 squats
  • One mile run

PREPARE FOR MURPH WORKOUT

On paper, the Murph looks pretty straightforward. There's no need to get a barbell, kettlebell, rings, or any of the usual CrossFit equipment.

Everything is based on your own body weight. All because this is calisthenics training , it can be easy to think, "Hey, let's dive in."

But as we mentioned above, this workout is no joke. There's a reason it's considered one of the toughest workouts to pull off, especially if you're trying to stick to a certain amount of time.

For example, a complete beginner with little or no fitness experience should complete this in 70 minutes, which seems like a long time until you realize that a one-mile run can take up to 13 to 15 minutes if you've never done it before. .

As a result, you have much less time AND you still have a kilometer to run at the end!

That said, prep work is essential for Murph training.

You want to prepare your body while decreasing your risk of muscle strain or injury. Here's how to do just that.

NUTRITION AND HYDRATION

Preparation for the Murph workout begins hours before the warm-up. It all starts with proper nutrition and hydration.

MURPH NUTRITION

This is a long endurance based workout. You have to make sure you have the right fuel to get through.

You want to eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbs several hours before your workout.

Here are some examples of meal planning:

  • Chicken breast and two cups of brown rice
  • Grass-fed beef with two cups of quinoa
  • Three eggs with three tablespoons of egg whites and a cup of oats overnight

MOISTURIZER FOR TRAINING

You should also make sure you are well hydrated before the Murph.

How much water should you drink? The answer is probably more than you think.

A general rule of thumb is to drink half your bodyweight in ounces, but for longer endurance training like Murph, you should aim for closer to three-quarters of your bodyweight in ounces.

For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should drink at least 80 ounces of water daily.

But for the Murph workout, try to drink at least 120 ounces of water each day before this one.

SHOULD YOU USE SUPPLEMENTS?

Although supplements are not necessary, they can certainly help you prepare for training.

Here are a few :

Electrolytes: If you drink plain water without electrolytes, you could be in trouble. You want to stay hydrated and that means water AND electrolytes need to be present. Consider adding an electrolyte supplement to your water before, during, and definitely after your workout.

Creatine: This one is a great supplement to take because it directly delivers energy to your cells in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which can help fuel you through the Murph workout.

Beta-Alanine: This is another supplement that can improve your performance by reducing muscle fatigue. Beta-Alanine has also been shown to directly support strength levels during resistance training.

Glutamine: This is an amino acid that helps with muscle recovery and can also help reduce post-workout soreness.

Caffeine: This is a personal preference, but if you normally drink coffee or caffeinated pre-workout supplements, there is no need to stop before the Murph workout. Caffeine has been shown in countless studies to support athletic performance both physically and mentally.

WARMING UP FOR THE MURPH

You would never lift weights without going through a warm-up first, and the Murph is no different.

Warming up helps prepare your muscles for the work they're about to do and get your heart rate up so you don't shock your system when you start running.

A good warm-up will also help improve your range of motion, making the Murph much easier (or at least feel like it).

So what should a Murph warm-up look like? We recommend that you perform exercises that mimic what you are about to do.

DYNAMIC EXERCISES

For this dynamic warm-up, we recommend slow movements with a full range of motion. Here are some exercises you can do:

  • From knee to chest
  • Butt Kicks
  • toy soldiers
  • crawling bear
  • Inchworms

From there, you can do a light jog to get your heart rate up.

You don't want to use the same intensity or distance that you would for the Murph workout. Instead, jog for about a minute, then walk for a minute. Repeat this for several minutes.

IMITATE THE TRAINING

From there, you'll be doing the same exercises you're about to do, but only at half the range of motion.

Here is an example of a warm-up you can do:

Perform 10 reps of squats, but only go down halfway down.

For pull-ups, substitute another movement that isn't as demanding, like strip rows. Perform 10 repetitions.

For push-ups, do them against a wall or on your knees. Perform 10 repetitions.

Repeat this list once or twice more.

ELONGATION

Take the same approach to your stretches: move the body through dynamic stretches or active movements instead of focusing on static stretches.

Here are some dynamic stretches you can do:

  • arm circles
  • Trunk twists
  • hip circles
  • Slot and scope
  • walking lunges

Remember to focus on your breathing with each movement.

You want to be able to breathe steadily throughout the Murph workout, so it's important to practice this now.

THE MURPH CROSSFIT WORKOUT

Now that you're all warmed up, let's get into practice. As we outlined above, the Murph workout includes the following elements:

  • One mile run
  • 100 pull-ups
  • 200 push-ups
  • 300 squats
  • One mile run

Right off the bat, some of you might be intimidated by this, but the trick is to break it down into manageable sections. By looking at the workout in chunks, it becomes more accessible in your mind.

While some hardcore CrossFitters swear to do this workout from cover to cover, you don't have to.

Your first option is to simply split the workout into two:

  • 1 mile run
  • 50 pull-ups
  • 100 push-ups
  • 150 squats
  • 50 pull-ups
  • 100 push-ups
  • 150 squats
  • 1 mile run

You can also break this workout down into what is more like a traditional calisthenics workout using sets and reps.

  • 1 mile run
  • 20 sets of 5 pull-ups
  • 20 sets of 10 push-ups
  • 20 sets of 15 squats
  • 1 mile run

In this version, running would be like doing cardio, then you would use a three-set method to complete the exercises until the next run.

In other words, do the run, then do 5 pull-ups immediately followed by 10 push-ups and go straight to 15 squats. Pause only if you need to, then continue from the top with 5 pull-ups. Do this until all reps are complete, then complete the final run.

Play around with the training division until you find the one that's right for you.

AVERAGE TIMES BASED ON FITNESS LEVEL

According to WODTimeCalculator.com, these are the average times to beat based on your fitness level and experience.

  • 70 min 07 sec – Fitness Level 0 – Beginner Athlete
  • 63 min 45 sec – Fitness Level 25 – Beginner Athlete
  • 57 min 17 sec – Fitness Level 50 – Average Athlete
  • 47 min 01 sec – Fitness Level 75 – Average Athlete
  • 40 min 37 sec – Fitness Level 90 – Advanced Athlete
  • 36 min 45 sec – Fitness Level 95 – Advanced Athlete
  • 32 min 34 sec – Fitness Level 98 – Elite Athlete
  • 28 min 35 sec – Fitness Level 100 – Regional Athlete

Keep in mind these are suggested times. We can't stress this enough: use it as a recommended guide, NOT as a required time to beat.

These times give you an idea of ​​what people at your fitness level are doing, but the only person you should really be competing against is yourself.

RECOVERY AFTER TRAINING

You have passed this grueling training. Now is the time to take care of yourself to avoid the worst of the pain while ensuring your performance improves for next time.

POST-WORKOUT NUTRITION

What's the first place you should go after training? Outside of the shower, you want to put your butt in a kitchen.

Your body is going to be in desperate need of muscle recovery nutrition, so you'll want to focus on healthy sources of protein and simple and complex carbohydrates.

Dietary fat is also essential, but we recommend saving the higher fat meals after your first post-workout meal.

For protein, you have several options depending on how much time you have.

If you need to move, you can stick to the following options:

  • Two cups of chocolate milk and a banana
  • Two protein scoops with instant oats and a serving of candy (not a candy bar)

Both of these options contain carbs that will be used immediately (simple) and will be broken down over time (complex).

If you're not pressed for time and want to enjoy a home-cooked meal, here are some great post-workout meals to prepare:

  • Protein pancakes with eggs, Greek yogurt, berries and honey
  • Slow Cooker Pulled Pork with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Sautéed Kale
  • Stir-fried with chicken, brown rice and vegetables
  • Roasted salmon with quinoa and steamed broccoli

HYDRATION

While preparing your recovery meal, you need to hydrate. As we have already discussed, this means ingesting plenty of water and electrolytes.

If you're a fan of low-sugar sports drinks, now would be a great time to drink one.

You can also make your own electrolyte drink by adding a pinch of Himalayan salt, a tablespoon of honey and the juice of half a lemon to a glass of water.

ICE BATH / COLD SHOWER

One of the most popular trends in the CrossFit community is getting used to taking cold showers and/or jumping in an ice bath after training .

The idea behind this is that cold water will help your muscles recover faster by reducing inflammation from micro tears.

While there isn't a ton of scientific research to back this up, many people within CrossFit swear by it.

MASSAGE ROLLER

Foam rolling is a self-massage technique that can help improve blood circulation, break up knots, and reduce pain.

The idea is to lie on a foam roller and roll back and forth in small sections that cover a few inches of your body. Do this for up to one minute. Once the minute is up, you would move on to the next section.

For example, if you roll your hamstrings, you'll start just below the glutes for a minute, then move to the middle of your hamstrings and finish above the knee.

GET A SPORTS / DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE

If you're really looking to reduce pain and promote muscle repair, you can get a sports or deep tissue massage.

Both types of massages are designed to focus on muscle recovery by breaking up knots and increasing blood circulation.

A sports massage focuses on specific areas that may be causing pain or discomfort. It combines both massage and static stretching. The stretches are held in place by the therapist. They will move the affected muscle deeper into the stretch with each pass.

A deep tissue massage focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissue. Sure, this one can be painful at times, but the benefits are worth it. Over time, you will adapt to the occasional discomfort. In the worst case, you can ask the therapist to use lighter pressure.

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