What Is The Murph Workout And Its Benefits
In the search for routines to maintain a good physical shape or lose the extra pounds, many turn to CrossFit and the most demanding Wods. The Murph workout is one of them, very intense and for an advanced level (if you want to finish it). Although there is an average time depending on the capacity of each one, you can make it more intense by carrying a weighted vest.
The Story Behind The CrossFit HERO
Murph is a Hero WOD honoring US Navy Lt. Michael Murphy, who was killed at 29 in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005. The military man was awarded a medal of honor after his death.
This workout first appeared on the CrossFit website on August 18, 2005, and was one of Michael’s favorites. At that time, he called it body armor.
Michael’s favorite workout became a Hero WOD. CrossFit created these types of wods in honor of the men and women who fell in defense of their country.
What Is The Murph Workout?
This workout is a favorite among CrossFit enthusiasts, formerly called “Body Armor.” In honor of the American military, you will feel the sensation of being on the edge of life and taking your body to the extreme.
Just four exercises to do at least in 30 minutes:
- 1 mile Run – 1600 meters
- 100 Pull-Ups
- 200 Push-Ups
- 300 Air Squats
- 1 mile Run – 1600 meters
What Day Is The Murph Done?
Every year on Memorial Day (Last Monday in May each year), CrossFitters worldwide do the Hero “Murph” workout. It’s a workout that’s become synonymous with CrossFit, not just for its brutal toughness but for what it stands for.
They do this honor and remember the men and women of the US military who have lost their lives defending American freedoms and ideals.
How To Manage And Scale The Wod?
First of all, the vest is within reach of only a few. From the elite athletes and perhaps some of the best crossfitters in our box, most people do this wod without ballast because it has a very high volume of work.
And then, remember for more cases, that Hero Wods are always difficult wods. In this case, the difficulty does not come from the execution of the exercises themselves. They make up the basis of the training but from the large volume of repetitions.
If you need to scale the wod, you have many versions. For example, you can do smaller series keeping the same volume of work :
Scaled Version
- 1600 meters
- 20 rounds of 5 pull-ups + 10 push-ups + 15 air squats
- 1600 meters
- Or if push-ups resist you, there are still more versions
- 1600 meters
- 20 rounds of: 5 pull-ups + 5 push-ups + 15 air squats + 5 push-ups
- 1600 meters
This way, you can give your muscles some rest by changing exercises in small series. The feeling is quite different from doing 100 – 200 – 300 reps, respectively.
From here, it can also scale it :
- 3/4 of Murph
- 1200 m running
- 75 pull-
- ups 150 push-ups
- 225 squats
- 1200 m running
And can perform each of the exercises with all the relevant modifications: rubber chin-ups, ring rows, knee bends, squats to a box. Once again, the spirit of the community seeks to bring together as many people as possible. So there are endless options to make it as inclusive as possible.
Confined Murph
Someone shared a version of this workout without running and without pull-ups:
- 1000 skipping run ahead
- 100 double dumbbell bent-over row
- 200 push-ups
- 300 squats
- 1000 skipping run behind
The time limit is always recommended to you, around 60 minutes. That is why it is interesting to scale the wod to the fitness level of each CrossFit player so that a demanding wod ends up being a result for everyone, but that ends around that cap.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Murph Workout?
This type of workouts has many advantages, which go beyond getting in shape and losing the extra pounds. Take advantage of its effects on the body to feel better and more energetic.
Improves Cardiovascular Fitness
Although you could spend hours running at a steady pace in the hopes of improving your cardiovascular endurance, research shows. It is not the most effective way to improve overall aerobic fitness.
A small November 2013 study led by researchers on Exercise examined the effects of two different CrossFit workouts on a group of men and women. After collecting and analyzing data on heart rate, VO2 max, maximum heart rate, calories burned, and other variables. The researchers concluded that CrossFit performs better than traditional workouts due to higher demands on energy systems. Aerobic and anaerobic.
Build Physical And Mental Confidence
Challenging yourself day after day in the gym and beating your previous personal records gives you a great sense of accomplishment that can improve your feelings about yourself. Experienced CrossFit athletes often remember with great pride the first time they could perform certain challenging movements.
For people who have never been able to do a pull-up, it’s exciting when they get the first one. It is an excellent time for people. This kind of positive reinforcement of your abilities and strength naturally makes you feel more self-confident. That can carry with you into other areas of your life.
Improves Muscular Endurance
Muscular endurance is the ability of your muscles to function for an extended period without becoming fatigued. It is crucial for participants in endurance sports like running and cycling. Still, it is an integral part of performing well in any activity in your daily life.
A study published in the Journal of Sport and Human Performance looked at the effects of two different exercise modalities, CrossFit and a traditional training program, on muscular endurance. The researchers found that CrossFit participants increased muscular endurance by 22 percent and their aerobic capacity by 6 percent.
Common Mistakes In Murph Workout
You want to avoid making some mistakes when doing training like this, especially if you want to protect yourself from injury.
You Do It Too Fast
The biggest and most common mistake people make when doing these types of routines is going too fast at the beginning of the workout. With a long, high-volume workout like Murph’s, you’ll need to control your pace. Starting too fast will make it difficult to get to the end without stopping numerous times.
It helps to know your average time in a kilometer or if you have tracked your heart rate before trying. If you don’t know your kilometer time or heart rate, try running the first kilometer at a pace that makes you gasp for breath, but not at a pace that makes you gasp for breath.
If you notice that you were too slow initially, you can always speed up towards the middle and end of the workout.
Wearing A Weight Vest Without An Adequate Force
Although the prescribed version of the Murph workout includes a 10-pound vest or body armor, don’t use it if you haven’t developed a solid foundation of cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance. If you can’t complete an entire workout in less than an hour without a vest, this is not a good time to start wearing it. Over the weeks, you can get to that.
