Murph: Prep, Strategy & How to PR
Murph: Prep,
Strategy & How to PR
Everything you need to know to approach Murph smart — and honor the hero it was named for.
Before we get into strategy, let's talk about why we do this at all. Every time the Prototype community lines up for Murph — whether it's Memorial Day or Thanksgiving — we're not just doing a workout. We're honoring a man whose story deserves to be told and retold.
Everything below is designed to help you approach Murph with a smart strategy — so you can honor the workout, finish strong, and maybe even PR. Let's get into it.
🇺🇸 Lieutenant (SEAL) Michael P. Murphy
On June 28, 2005, U.S. Navy SEAL Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy was killed in action during Operation Red Wings in the Hindu-Kush mountains of Afghanistan. He was 29 years old. Murphy was leading a four-man reconnaissance team when they were ambushed by a large Taliban force. Outnumbered and taking fire, with their communications compromised by the rugged terrain, Murphy made a decision that would cost him his life.
He deliberately moved out of cover and into an open clearing — fully exposed to enemy fire — to get a clear satellite signal. Despite being wounded, he completed the call, relayed his team's position, and requested rescue. He was shot and killed before help could arrive. Three of the four team members were killed that day. Hospital Corpsman Marcus Luttrell was the sole survivor. Their story was told in the book and film Lone Survivor.
The Act
Murphy moved into an open clearing under fire to gain satellite reception, completed a distress call to relay his team's position, and was killed before rescue arrived.
Medal of Honor
Awarded October 22, 2007 — the first recipient for actions in Afghanistan, and the first Navy member to receive the honor since the Vietnam War.
The Workout
Murphy's favorite workout was called "Body Armor." After his death, CrossFit founder Greg Glassman posted it as a Hero WOD and renamed it "Murph" in his honor.
Legacy
His story was told in Marcus Luttrell's book and the 2013 film Lone Survivor. A U.S. Navy destroyer, the USS Michael Murphy, bears his name.
We Do Murph Twice a Year — Every Year
Since the early days of CrossFit — well before Prototype opened our doors in 2012 — affiliates around the world made Murph a Memorial Day tradition. It was a way for the community to come together, put in hard work, and honor Lieutenant Murphy's sacrifice through shared effort. Over the years, many affiliates have let that tradition fade. We haven't.
At Prototype, we program Murph in our adult group classes twice a year — on Memorial Day and on Thanksgiving — and we've done it every single year since we opened in 2012. Two dates. Two chances to gather as a community, dig deep, and remember what the workout stands for.
Memorial Day
Honor & Remember
Thanksgiving
Community & Gratitude
Every Year Since 2012
Without Exception
🏅 "Murph" — For Time
For Time:
🏃 1 Mile Run
💪 100 Pull-ups
🔥 200 Push-ups
🦵 300 Air Squats
🏃 1 Mile Run
*Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats as needed. Start and finish with a mile run. If you've got a twenty pound vest or body armor, wear it.
*Timeframe: 30 – 60 minutes
The reality of this workout is that it is a grind no matter how you break it up — but there are several strategies you might want to consider. The bulk of your time will be spent on the pull-ups, push-ups, and air squats. Fortunately, you have the option to partition the reps however you need. Below are the most common approaches and what each one gets you.
⚡ How to Partition the Work
No matter which scheme you choose, you're completing the same total volume. The question is: which one lets you keep moving ?
Option 1 — 20 Rounds ("Cindy" Style)
5 Pull-ups | 10 Push-ups | 15 Air Squats × 20 Rounds
✅ Pros: Simple to track. Easy on transitions.
⚠️ Cons: Risk of push-up fatigue. 20 rounds can be mentally taxing.
Option 2 — 20 Rounds (Split Push-ups)
5 Push-ups | 5 Pull-ups | 5 Push-ups | 15 Air Squats × 20 Rounds
✅ Pros: Better pace maintenance. Push-up sets of 5 are much more sustainable.
⚠️ Cons: Slightly harder to count. More transitions.
Option 3 — 20 Rounds (Pull-up / Push-up Split)
5 Pull-ups | 5 Push-ups | 15 Air Squats | 5 Push-ups × 20 Rounds
✅ Pros: Consistent pacing. Push-up fatigue distributed evenly.
⚠️ Cons: More transitions. Tracking requires focus.
Option 4 — 10 Rounds (Higher Volume)
10 Pull-ups | 20 Push-ups | 30 Air Squats × 10 Rounds
✅ Pros: Fewer rounds = easier to track mentally. Less transition time.
⚠️ Cons: High risk of muscle fatigue. Requires strong capacity to sustain sets of 20 push-ups.
Option 5 — Unpartitioned (The Hard Way)
100 Pull-ups → 200 Push-ups → 300 Air Squats (straight through)
✅ Pros: If you're looking for the hardest variation, this is it.
⚠️ Cons: Everything.
Coach Mike's Recommendation
Options 2 or 3 are your best bet. Splitting the push-ups into sets of 5 vs. 10 dramatically reduces fatigue accumulation, and I've personally gotten my fastest Murph times using these schemes. You keep moving, you keep breathing, and you never fully redline on any single movement.
💡 Pull-up / Push-up / Squat Strategy
Once you've locked in your scheme, here's how to manage your energy through the middle portion:
🫁 Control Your Breathing
Breathe as much as possible. Don't get in the habit of overstraining and holding your breath — that only accelerates fatigue. Stay relaxed between reps.
⛔ Don't Hit Max Failure
Stop each set at around 70% fatigue — never go to failure. Once you do, your body takes a long time to recover and you'll bleed time on every subsequent set.
🤲 Use Your Squat Time
Shake your arms out during air squats. Drink water, apply chalk, adjust your headphones. Your 15 squats take ~15–30 seconds — use every second of that recovery window.
⏩ Don't Dawdle on Transitions
Avoid wasting time between movements. Even if your pace slows, just keep moving. Transitions are silent time killers across 20 rounds.
🏋️ Singles Are Fine
Don't be afraid to do single pull-ups if small sets will burn you out. Use a bar that's easy to jump to and just keep tapping reps out. Moving > resting.
🏃 The "Bread" of Murph
Most people fixate on the pull-ups and push-ups, but the running is where races are won or lost. Here's how to be smart about both miles:
Mile 1 — Don't Go Out Too Hot
Resist the urge to keep up with the fast crowd on mile one. If you burn matches here, you'll spend the next 45 minutes in recovery mode before you even start the volume work.
Vest Tip — Loosen on the Run
If you're wearing a vest, loosen it slightly during the runs to breathe more freely. Tighten it back up for pull-ups so it doesn't flop around.
Mile 2 — Shake Your Arms Out
After all that upper body work you'll notice how much your arms contribute to your running stride. Use the early part of mile 2 as a recovery reset, then press the pace as you approach the finish.
Finish Strong. Always.
Sprint to the finish. When your legs want to quit and your arms feel like they're dragging, remember why you're doing this. That's the whole point.
📋 Murph Is For Everyone
A common misconception about Murph — and any Hero WOD — is that modifying defeats the purpose. We'd push back on that. The goal is for you to work in the right intensity range and finish feeling like you gave everything. If this workout will take you north of 90 minutes unscaled, the work-to-rest ratio breaks down and can actually become counterproductive. We scale to keep your intensity in the right window — not to make it easy.
The recommended timeframe is 30–60 minutes. Here's how we scale at Prototype:
⚫ Black Band
Rx — No Vest
Perform as written, no weight vest.
🟠 Orange Band
Banded Pull-ups
Perform as written, no vest; use a band for pull-ups.
🟢 Green Band
Ring Rows + Box Push-ups
Run 1 Mile (or 2000m row), then 10 rounds: 5 Ring Rows / 10 Box Push-ups / 15 Air Squats, then run 1 Mile (or row 2000m).
⚪ White Band
Half Distance + Incline
Run 800m (or row 1000m), then 10 rounds: 5 Ring Rows / 10 Incline Push-ups / 15 Air Squats or Box Squats, then run 800m (or row 1000m).
"Keep Moving."
The significance behind this workout — and all Hero WODs — goes much deeper than another long, grueling training session. It's meant to celebrate Lt. Michael Murphy and every hero who gave their life. Remember that on the second mile. Remember it when you think you should give up. Press ahead. You've got this.
— Coach Mike
This post was originally authored by Coach Mike and has been updated and reformatted with the assistance of AI tools as part of Prototype's ongoing effort to resurface valuable content and improve the member experience. The strategy, coaching cues, scaling options, and traditions shared here are all Mike's — we just gave it a refresh and brought it back where it belongs.
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