Rx, scaled, half, quarter, and no-pull-up-bar versions — plus partition strategy, time benchmarks, and recovery. One page, everything you need.
Navy Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy was killed in action in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005. He was 29. During Operation Red Wings, pinned down with his SEAL team and taking fire, Murphy moved into the open — exposing himself to enemy gunfire — to get a clear signal and call for help for his men. He was shot and killed while on the radio. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
This workout — which Murphy called “Body Armor” and did with his weighted plate carrier — was his favorite. CrossFit named it Murph in his honor. Every Memorial Day, hundreds of thousands of athletes around the world do this workout together. It’s not just a fitness test. It’s a tribute.
Do it however you can. Scale it, modify it, finish it. The point is to show up.
Murph is designed to be hard. It should take most people between 45 minutes and 90 minutes. If you’re going to blow past 90 minutes — or spend the whole time resting — scale down. A shorter, harder workout is more valuable than grinding through something you’re not ready for. Here’s how to pick your version:
The rule on the vest: if adding a vest is going to push you past 90 minutes, drop it. A strong no-vest performance is always better than a slog with weight. Save the vest for when you’re ready — there’s no honor in the gear if the workout falls apart.
Pick your version and follow it as written. All versions start and finish with a run — that’s non-negotiable. The middle is where you adapt.
Not having a pull-up bar is the most common reason people skip Murph. Don’t. The pulling stimulus can be replicated with almost anything — and for most people, the push-ups and squats are the real limiter anyway. Here’s what to substitute based on what you actually have:
| Equipment you have | Pull-up substitute | Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gymnastic rings or TRX | Ring rows | 100 | Feet on floor, body straight. The closer to horizontal, the harder. |
| Barbell + squat rack | Barbell rows (rack pull height) | 100 | Set bar at hip height. Hang from bar, heels on floor. |
| Resistance bands | Banded rows | 100 | Anchor at foot level, pull to chest. Pause at top. |
| Dumbbells only | Dumbbell bent-over rows | 200 (double reps) | Double the reps to compensate for reduced stimulus per rep. |
| Table or sturdy surface | Table rows / inverted rows | 100 | Lie under table, grip edge, pull chest to surface. Feet flat on floor. |
| Doorframe + towel | Towel rows | 100 | Loop towel around door handle. Lean back, pull. Tougher than it looks. |
| Nothing / outdoors | Jumping pull-ups on a tree branch or swing set | 100 | Use the jump to assist. Focus on controlled lowering. |
Run substitutions — if you can’t run (treadmill, weather, injury), use these conversions:
| Machine | 1 mile equivalent |
|---|---|
| Rowing machine | 2,000m |
| Assault / Echo bike | 4–5km or ~8 minutes |
| Ski Erg | 2,000m |
| Jump rope | 8 minutes at moderate pace |
| Treadmill | 1 mile at any pace |
The middle section — 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats — can be completed in any order, any partition. Almost nobody should go straight through. The exceptions are elite athletes who finish the whole workout in under 35 minutes. For everyone else, partition.
Pace the first run. The most common Murph mistake is going out hard on mile one. You have 600 reps waiting. Start at a pace that feels almost too easy — you’ll be grateful for it around push-up number 150.
The honest answer: a good time for Murph is one that improves on your last time. Use these as reference points, not finish lines. The world record with a vest is 34:38 (Rich Froning). Without a vest, 28:45 (Josh Bridges). Both are in a category of their own.
| Level | With vest (20/14 lb) | Without vest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elite | < 35 min | < 30 min | Unpartitioned or near. Continuous movement throughout. |
| Experienced | 45–60 min | 35–50 min | Cindy style partition. Minimal rest on squats. |
| Intermediate | 60–75 min | 50–65 min | Expect some rest on push-ups. That’s normal. |
| Beginner / first time | Not recommended | < 90 min | If you’re approaching 90 minutes, scale the reps. Finishing matters more than Rx. |
Log your time every year. Murph is one of the best progress benchmarks in CrossFit because it’s the same workout every Memorial Day. A 5-minute improvement year-over-year is a meaningful signal that your fitness is moving in the right direction.
Murph is 600 reps plus two miles of running. Your upper body and legs will be sore for 2–3 days regardless of how well you executed it. This is normal. What you do in the next 24 hours determines how quickly you bounce back.
FITL builds your version based on your equipment, your experience level, and your goals — then gives you a new WOD every day so you’re ready for it next Memorial Day.