“Murph” Is For Everyone
By Chris Fox
Hero WODs are usually longer, harder, and heavier—more grueling than your average WOD. “Murph” is no exception. But “Murph” is also for every CFSBKer who wants to do it. As always, we have a scaling option that is appropriate for wherever you’re at on your fitness journey. Whether you’re going to do a full “Murph” or not, you can choose to perform one of the following options:
“Murph”
1 Mile Run
100 Pull-Ups
200 Push-Ups
300 Squats
1 Mile Run
Partition the Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, and Squats however desired. The classic and most often-chosen version is “Cindy” style: 20 rounds of 5 Pull-Ups, 10 Push-Ups, 15 Squats. Many folks choose to split the Push-Ups up and instead do 20 rounds of 5 Push-Ups, 5 Pull-Ups, 5 Push-Ups, 15 Squats. If your Pull-Ups and Push-Ups are pretty strong, you might consider doing 10 rounds of 10 Pull-Ups, 20 Push-Ups, and 30 Squats (less to count!). Of course, you can also choose to perform the reps “Angie” style and do “Murph” as a chipper… or as Rx’d and wear a 20/14lb vest for the whole shebang.
Our standard movement scaling options are…
Run: Row or Bike
Pull-Ups: Ring Rows
Push-Ups: Knee Push-Ups
Squats: Squats!
We know that many of you can perform the movements as prescribed but may need to scale the total volume a bit. To this end, here are some scaling options:
1/3 “Murph”
33 Pull-Ups
66 Push-Ups
99 Squats
11 sets of 3/6/9
1/2 “Murph”
50 Pull-Ups
100 Push-Ups
150 Squats
10 Sets of 5/10/15 or 5/5/5/15
3/4 “Murph”
75 Pull-Ups
150 Push-Ups
200 Squats
15 Sets of 5/10/15, or 5/5/5/15
We encourage everyone to complete both 1 mile runs, unless an injury precludes you from running. It’s generally the large volume of bodyweight movements that need scaling.
How have you approached “Murph” in the past, and how will you approach it this year? Tell us in the comments!
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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Push Press | Single-Unders, Row, Handstand Walk
Press Handstands with Katrin Davidsdottir Power Monkey
Why Exercise Is the Best Medicine for Your Brain LA Times
The Ultimate List of Wonderfully Specific Museums Atlas Obscura
Wednesday's Programming
Back Rack Reverse Lunges
(De-Load)
3 x 6e
Use the same load as Week 1's 3 x 12. Perform 6 reps on one leg, rack the bar, then perform 6 reps on the other.
Post loads to comments.
Exposure 5 of 8
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5 Rounds:
12 Kettlebell Swings 24/16kg
10 Thrusters 75/55
8 Burpees
Rest 2 minutes
Aim to score consistent time for each round. The Swings and the Thrusters should be light and unbroken.
Post times and Rx to comments.
AG
A.
Handstand Walk Practice
B.
2 rounds @85% SH effort
30 KB goblet squats, 32/24kg
30 C2B pull ups
550m run
rest/walk/correctives 12-20 min
Fantastic video of Power Monkey Dave Durante!! Perhaps you can see why I have a man-crush on him. Try the very first pike/straddle exercise that he demos for Katrin. It will show you where your hip flexors are in case you are wondering.
Can't recommend Dave's Power Monkey fitness camp enough. The coaching is fantastic and like everything we do at CFSBK, movement/instruction is geared towards your level so you don't have to be the Fittest Woman on Earth to attend or benefit. That said, if you are good at certain movements, they'll help you get better. Check out their website also, they have a lot of great movement videos.
All and all they are good people and the camp is a fun experience if you have the time/resources and appropriate level of insanity of for it. Next one is in October. I know some folks are trying to gather up 5 CFSBKers to go in order to get a 10% discount.
I am happy to share my experience offline w anyone and I am not getting paid for this plug.
Lunges: 85 x 6 x 3
WOD: 1:02, 1:02, :59, 1:02, 1:01
Enjoyed this one – short enough reps that you could really push the pace, but still trying not to blow up.
After class decided to take advantage of the nice weather and do a mile (little check in for Murph). Finished just under 8 min.
Last year I did a 60 strict pull-ups version as follows:
20 rounds of:
5 push-ups; 3 pull-ups; 5 push-ups; 15 squats
It took me about 48-49 minutes.
8am with Jess and McDowell (Gave a horrible answer for the Question of the Day )
Did Wednesday's workout
Back Rack Reverse Lunges:
95 x 6 x x3
WOD: 1:32, 1:26, 1:32, 1:34, 1:45
Plenty of rest between the rounds. Burpees slowed me down a bit, but overall it felt good.
After a LONG week in Albany and a very successful East Regional I'm so excited to be back to CFSBK! I'm excited for Murph next week and still deciding which version I'll do. I've done Murph maybe 10-15 times in my life and have done every common combination of rep schemes, rowing, with and without vest.
Part of me wants to do it "Angie style" which means doing all the 100-200-300 chipper format with a vest. But maybe I'm just being a dingus. ahh I love Murph!!
After skipping Murph last year (and doing it each of the three previous years) … this year I decided to get back on the Murph horse and really focus on doing as well as I can with it.
I haven't been around CFSBK since the Open, focusing more on interval running in Prospect Park — setting PRs in 5Ks — and also working on Murph practice on my own, with a countdown to Memorial Day.
For six weeks now since the Open, I've done at least a half-Murph, twice a week. Surprise, surprise, focused practicing helps!
April 7: 10 rounds Cindy in 20+ minutes
Now: 10 rounds Cindy in 13+ minutes
(no vest)
After Memorial Day — back to the variety of CSFBK programming, hooray.
I've never been *quite* able to do it Rx. In my first couple of years I did it at half volume with ring rows instead of pushups. Then a couple of times I've done it with 50 strict chinups in lieu of 100 kipping, but everything else full volume. That's pretty rough (and I admit to walking the second mile whenever I don't see anyone else around, #crossfitconfessions).
Last year I was in the full throes of de Quervain's, so I swapped in sit-ups for push-ups. I thought about doing pushups to DBs but was concerned that any sort of high volume push on the wrist would be bad. Sit-ups make Murph a HELL of a lot easier!
This year, I will be approaching Murph by taking a (literal) hike. Hubs and I are planning a multi-day hike as our fall vacation so we're going to use Memorial Day to get some practice!
6am with Jess
75# on the push press felt really light. I guess that's the point. ha
Metcon was fun. 100 unbroken single unders are hard after working so hard to achieve and own double unders. Wall walks were hard but running on a beautiful morning is nice.
Full murph last year was a huge achievement, but after a recent hiatus, I'm certain I couldn't do a full this year. Maybe a half or 3/4? …
6am with McD
Did the lunges at 95 – nice and easy
Metcon rounds were all right around 1:00 – fun racing James
SO MUCH UPSIDE DOWN.
6:30pm w/Whitney doing Monday
Push press: 45#x6, 65#x6x3, 45#x6. Nice little de-load.
NFR work:
100 singles, played around with speed and alternating feet. Left foot is wayyyy clumsy.
Rows, aimed for consistency, felt good
Wall walks!! Good practice. Did a few shoulder taps from a wall walk position in the last round.
AG!!!
More handstand practice, partnered with Allie who's totally one her way to handstand walks!! Got a few free standing kick ups that felt ok!! Seeing so many folks with handstand walks was super inspiring.
AG WOD was fun but hard. 4:48 in the first round, 4:49 in the second. Made way better time on the squats in the second round but burnt out on ring rows 🙁 Felt like I went too far beyond 85%. I really like the intervals approach though. Need to make more time for AG!!
Wednesday: Lunges 75# 6×3
WOD RX
1:06, 1:05, 1:09, 1:07, 1:08
Fun to do stuff RX and be successful at it! Some subtle tricks from KHarpz about pulling the bell down and pulling the thruster bar down instead of letting it passively fall–> took a LOT of work for that measly little second in round two… then didn't cover enough for round 2.
AG: Kate is legit a natural at handstands. It took me months to hold a handstand and take a few walks! Was fun to get to practice these more.
Round 1: 4:23
Goblet Squats 16kg: appropriate for 30 fast unbroken
8-6 pullups. I think I wimped out? Was trying to do 10-10.
Run happened
Round 2: 4:00
Gobz Squatz unbroken, faster
8-3-3…,maybe was the appropriate choice then. I am much better at smaller fast sets than big chunks.
Run: faster. MORE LACTIC ACID. MOOOOORE lol Then get rid of it!!!
Hmph.
Now I'm scared for Murph. This was hard.
Oh! As for Murph:
Year 1 of crossfit: 1/2 murph and very slow
Year 2: Full Murph 37:00? Lots of improvement!
Year 3: I'm hoping to get between 30-35.
Anyway, the point is… YES! EVERYONE should do Murph. Just do a version of it! 1/4, 1/2, etc. No one's counting your reps and it's a really fun way to spend your Memorial Day. DO ITTTT. We all start somewhere!
Kate Tk you are just making me crave Season 2 of Stranger Things.
8:30 class, Wednesday's work
Reverse lunges with Gabby again! Stuck to 43lbs across. Strength wise it feels easy but I'm still very uneven from leg to leg. I also am pretty wobbly and inconsistent in general. Gotta keep at it.
For the wod, my brain somehow checked out on this one. First I forgot we were doing thrusters and did some squats during the first round, then I lost track of time for a moment during the third round and forgot what clock we were looking at. I guess this is why I don't usually go to 8:30 classes. My brain is already asleep. Anyway got progressively faster each round. Started at 2 min 3 seconds, last round was 1min 49 seconds with a total of 17:35. Had a thruster weight of 35lbs which were doable unbroken but a little tough towards the end.
Cool to read about scaling options for murph! Is it chill to alternate running/walking the mile(s)? Pretty sure I can only make it around the block once before having to switching back to walking. 🙁
Lol, so chill, Sarah! A lot of people do that ; P there's also so many heats going on it all overlaps and barely anyone is paying attention anyway
I am always paying attention.