Murph honors Lt. Michael Murphy

Memorial Day “Murph” workouts are scheduled across the United States for Monday, May 25, 2026, as gyms, CrossFit affiliates and community groups mark the holiday with a tribute to Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy. The workout has become one of the most visible Memorial Day fitness traditions in the country, with official hosts and local gyms promoting versions for both experienced athletes and first-timers. CrossFit says thousands of its gyms program Murph each year on Memorial Day, while the official Murph Challenge says the event is the annual fundraiser for the Lt. Michael P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation. ### Who was Lt. Michael Murphy, and why is the workout named for him? Lt. Michael P. Murphy was a U.S. Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005, during Operation Red Wings, according to the official Murph Challenge and other Memorial Day event materials. Organizers say the workout is named for Murphy and is performed as a tribute to his service and sacrifice. (crossfit.com) CrossFit says the workout entered its community after Murphy’s death and has been observed by CrossFit athletes and a broader global fitness community since 2005. The official Murph Challenge says the event later became the only official annual fundraiser for the Murphy scholarship foundation, a role it has held since 2014. ### What is the full Murph workout people do on Memorial Day? (themurphchallenge.com) The standard Murph workout is a 1-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats and another 1-mile run. The official challenge and CrossFit both describe that sequence as the benchmark version most people recognize. A weighted vest is part of the best-known version, but it is not required for everyone. (crossfit.com) Training guides tied to the official event say participants often complete it with a 20-pound vest for men or a 14-pound vest for women, while many community events offer unweighted or modified options. ### Do people have to do it exactly as prescribed? (themurphchallenge.com) Community hosts and gym organizers regularly offer scaled formats, especially for newer participants. Recent event pages and training guides describe “Lite,” “Classic,” partner and partitioned versions that break the repetitions into smaller sets rather than requiring all pull-ups, then all push-ups, then all squats. (stridefitness.com) CrossFit and trainers quoted in recent coverage say the event is widely treated as a remembrance workout rather than a test that must be done one way. Men’s Journal, citing CrossFit chief marketing officer Jenna Hauca, reported that “community and remembrance matter most,” with beginners encouraged to modify movements and volume. (hewfitness.com) ### Why is Murph tied so closely to Memorial Day? Memorial Day is the date when most Murph events are held because the workout is framed by organizers as a tribute to fallen service members, with Murphy as its namesake. The official Murph Challenge says its 2026 event will take place nationwide on May 25, while CrossFit describes Memorial Day programming as a long-standing annual tradition. (mensjournal.com) FOX television coverage published Sunday also described Murph as a national Memorial Day tribute workout honoring Murphy, reflecting how the event is now observed beyond CrossFit-only settings. ### Where are people actually finding Murph events this year? The official Murph Challenge site says hosts can register and post official events, and local organizations have already published May 25 schedules. (themurphchallenge.com) The Greater Wichita YMCA, for example, lists a 2026 Murph Challenge for Memorial Day at its Northwest YMCA, while other gyms and nonprofits are advertising in-person and virtual versions. (fox13news.com) Monday, May 25, 2026, is the main date to watch. Participants can find official hosts through the Murph Challenge website, and CrossFit affiliates are also posting their own Memorial Day Murph schedules and scaling options for local members. (themurphchallenge.com)