The Murph workout is one of the most well-known fitness challenges in the world. Named after Navy SEAL Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2005, it is performed every Memorial Day by hundreds of thousands of people as a tribute.

It is also brutally hard. A 1-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, and another 1-mile run — ideally done in a weighted vest. Most people who attempt it without preparation do not finish. Most people who prepare properly surprise themselves.

This guide covers everything you need to know: what the Murph workout is, how to scale it, how to train for it, and the strategy that makes it survivable.

What Is the Murph Workout?

The Murph WOD (Workout of the Day) as prescribed is:

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

All of this is done for time, wearing a 20lb vest (14lb for women) if you are doing it as prescribed. The movements can be partitioned — broken up into sets — or done in any order after the opening run and before the closing run.

Lieutenant Murphy used to do this workout without partitioning — all 100 pull-ups, then all 200 push-ups, then all 300 squats. That version, called “Body Armor,” is significantly harder and reserved for elite athletes. Most people partition the reps.

How Long Does the Murph Workout Take?

Completion times vary enormously based on fitness level:

• Elite athletes (with vest): Under 40 minutes
• Fit athletes (with vest): 45-60 minutes
• Average fitness (no vest): 60-90 minutes
• Beginners (scaled): 45-75 minutes depending on the scale

DataForSEO data shows “murph workout” gets 40,500 monthly searches at KD 2 — most people searching this are curious about the workout before attempting it. If you are in that category, be honest with yourself about your current fitness level and choose the right version.

How to Scale the Murph Workout

Scaling the Murph is not cheating. It is smart programming. Here are the most common scaled versions:

Half Murph

• 800m run (half mile)
• 50 pull-ups
• 100 push-ups
• 150 air squats
• 800m run

This is the most common scale and still an extremely demanding workout. It is appropriate for people who can run a mile without stopping, do at least 5 strict pull-ups, and have some base fitness.

Quarter Murph

• 400m run
• 25 pull-ups
• 50 push-ups
• 75 air squats
• 400m run

For beginners or those returning from injury. Still meaningful. Still hard.

No pull-up bar version

Replace pull-ups with ring rows, TRX rows, or dumbbell rows. The pulling pattern is what matters. If you cannot do a single pull-up, do not skip this — substitute and build the strength over time.

No vest version

The vest adds roughly 20-30% more difficulty. Most people doing Murph for the first time should skip the vest entirely. There is no shame in this — the bodyweight version is already formidable.

The Best Strategy for Completing Murph

The most common mistake in Murph is going too hard on the first run and the first sets of pull-ups. By the time you hit the 50th pull-up, your arms are cooked and the workout falls apart.

The 5-10-15 partition strategy

This is the most widely recommended approach for completing Murph efficiently:

• 20 rounds of: 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 air squats

20 rounds x 5 pull-ups = 100. 20 rounds x 10 push-ups = 200. 20 rounds x 15 squats = 300. The math adds up perfectly, and the partition keeps each movement manageable throughout.

The key is choosing a pace you can maintain for all 20 rounds without stopping early. If your first round takes 90 seconds and your 10th takes 4 minutes, your partitioning strategy is wrong — you went out too hard.

Pacing the runs

Run the first mile at a conversational pace — slower than you think you need to. You have 300+ reps of bodyweight work ahead of you. The second mile will feel entirely different; your legs will be heavy and your upper body exhausted. Budget for that.

A common pace for the first mile is 9-10 minutes for average fitness. Do not try to run a 7-minute mile at the start of Murph.

Rest strategically, not randomly

Decide before you start how long you will rest between rounds. 30 seconds? 45 seconds? Stick to it. Resting by feel leads to progressively longer rest periods that blow up your total time. A clock-based approach keeps you honest.

How to Train for the Murph Workout

If you want to complete Murph well rather than just surviving it, spend 4-6 weeks building the specific fitness it demands.

Build your pull-up base

If you cannot do 10 consecutive pull-ups, Murph will be very hard. Spend time training pull-ups 3x per week — not to failure every session, but with volume. Grease the groove: do 3-5 pull-ups every time you walk past a pull-up bar throughout the day. This builds pull-up endurance faster than most structured programs.

Practice the partition

Train the 5-10-15 format directly. Start with 5 rounds, then 8, then 12, then the full 20. This gives you a realistic sense of how long each round takes and what pacing you can sustain.

Run consistently

Run at least 2-3 times per week in the build-up to Murph. Include at least one run per week of 1.5-2 miles to build the aerobic base you need. The running in Murph is not technically difficult — it is the accumulated fatigue that makes it hard.

Practice in a vest early (if going RX)

If you plan to do Murph in a vest, wear it in training at least 2-3 times before the event. The weight changes the feel of every movement — pull-ups especially. Do not put on a 20lb vest for the first time on the day of Murph.

Why People Do the Murph Workout

The Murph challenge started as a CrossFit Hero WOD — workouts named after fallen military and first responders. Lieutenant Michael Murphy submitted this workout to CrossFit under the name “Body Armor” before his final deployment. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.

Every Memorial Day, the Murph Challenge raises money for the Lt. Michael P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation. In 2023, the challenge raised over $2.5 million. Participating is not just a fitness goal — it is a form of acknowledgment.

Key Takeaways

• The Murph workout is 1 mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats, 1 mile run — ideally in a weighted vest
• The 5-10-15 partition (20 rounds of 5/10/15) is the most effective strategy for most people
• Scale the workout — half Murph, quarter Murph, no vest — based on your actual fitness level
• Pace the first run conservatively. Going out too hard destroys the rest of the workout
• Train specifically for Murph: build pull-up volume, practice the partition, run consistently
• The workout honors Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy, killed in action in 2005

Preparing your body for Murph? Make sure your nutrition and training are aligned. Read our guides on healthy fast food options and the best triceps exercises to build the upper body strength Murph demands.