Memorial Day 'Murph' Challenge: Test Your Strength with This Iconic Military Fitness Workout

Each year on Memorial Day, Americans pause to remember those who have laid down their lives in service to the nation. Among the many tributes held across the country, a demanding fitness challenge known as "the Murph" has become an increasingly popular way for people to honor fallen military members—especially Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy, the man behind the workout’s name.

The Murph consists of:

• A one-mile run
• 100 pull-ups
• 200 push-ups
• 300 air squats
• Another one-mile run

These exercises can be performed in order or partitioned into smaller sets. As an optional twist, participants often don a 20-pound weighted vest or body armor, just as Murphy did himself when he created the routine during his days as a Navy SEAL.

*“Murph and I would often run to the pull-up bars and then do this workout ... The total run was about a mile to the pull-up bars and a mile back, and this became one of Murph’s favorite workouts,”* recalled Kaj Larsen, Murphy’s former SEAL roommate. Now, tens of thousands tackle “the Murph” each Memorial Day, enduring sweat and exhaustion as a physical tribute to sacrifice.

For those new to the challenge, modifications are not only allowed, but encouraged. The pull-ups can be swapped for jumping or assisted versions, and the running portions may be walked. The aim, Larsen emphasizes, is not perfection, but rather taking on something difficult as a form of remembrance: “The point is to do something hard that challenges yourself in recognition and honor of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.”

Lt. Michael Murphy, a native of Long Island and the son of a New York firefighter, joined the Navy SEALs in 2001. He quickly established himself as a leader specializing in long-distance reconnaissance and special operations. In 2005, Murphy was deployed to Afghanistan and participated in Operation Red Wings—a mission that would become one of the most significant losses in Naval Special Warfare history.

During that fateful mission, Murphy and his team were ambushed by superior enemy forces. In a desperate attempt to call for help, Murphy left cover, intentionally exposing himself to enemy fire so he could transmit his team's location. This heroic act enabled the rescue of Marcus Luttrell, the operation’s sole survivor, but cost Murphy his own life. He was killed on June 28, 2005, and later awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery. Notably, he was found wearing an FDNY T-shirt under his uniform—an homage to his father’s career.

Today, Murphy’s legacy endures not just in military history but in the growing community that participates in the Murph Challenge every Memorial Day. After Murphy's death, the CrossFit community embraced the workout, transforming it into a national—and even global—movement.

Larsen reflected, *“It’s a really beautiful way to honor him ... He loved working out. And I think he's smiling down on us as he sees us all doing one of his favorite workouts.”*

Memorials to Murphy include a museum in his hometown and a U.S. Navy destroyer bearing his name—the USS Michael Murphy. His story is further commemorated in books and the Hollywood film "Lone Survivor."

On this Memorial Day, as thousands endure the Murph’s grueling test, they do so with the purpose of remembering Murphy and all those who have died while serving. Their sweat and determination serve as a living tribute, ensuring these heroes are never forgotten.