Every Memorial Day, CrossFit Coordinate runs the most meaningful CrossFit workout of the year: Murph. The numbers look scary on paper, but here's the truth — Murph is for everyone in this gym. Here's how to scale it, how to break up the reps, and why we do it every May.

The CrossFit Murph Workout

Murph is a CrossFit hero WOD — a workout named in tribute to a fallen service member. The prescribed version, done for time:

Rx = a 20-pound vest (14 lb for women), runs included. For most members, Rx is a goal, not a starting point — and that's completely fine.

Scaling the CrossFit Murph Workout

The point of Murph isn't to survive a specific number — it's to show up and finish the day with the community. Here are the scaling options on the whiteboard Memorial Day.

Modifying the Movements

Mix and match freely — the goal is to move well for 30-plus minutes, not blow up in the first ten.

"The best Murph is the one you actually finish — in a way that has you back in the gym on Tuesday." — Every coach on the floor, always

How to Break Up the Reps in CrossFit Murph

The secret of Murph is in the middle 600 — and the secret of the middle 600 is the partition. Pick one before you start; don't figure it out mid-workout.

Overcoming the Fear of CrossFit Murph

Fear is not a reason to skip Murph — fear is the reason to show up. Nobody finishes this workout unaffected, Rx athletes included. That's the point: a little sweat, a little discomfort, in exchange for remembering somebody who gave a whole lot more. Nervous? Tell your coach before Memorial Day. We'll help you pick a partition and a scale.

Why We Do This

Murph is named for Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, a Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient who was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005. "Murph" was his favorite personal workout — he called it "Body Armor." Every Memorial Day we do it in his memory, and in memory of every service member who has fallen. Read more about Lt. Michael P. Murphy →