Murph Memorial Day workout details

Memorial Day weekend has again put the Murph workout at the center of gym events, charity challenges and military tributes across the United States. FOX local outlets said the workout honors Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2005 and later awarded the Medal of Honor. CrossFit affiliates and event organizers published the same core format ahead of Monday’s holiday, while local stations reported that several Murph events were also raising money for veterans and related causes. ### What exactly is the Murph workout people do on Memorial Day? CrossFit Mt. Juliet posted the workout for May 23 as: a 1-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats and a final 1-mile run. The gym said athletes can wear a 20-pound vest or body armor if they have one. CrossFit’s own Murph page lists the same sequence and says athletes may partition the pull-ups, push-ups and squats as desired. (foxla.com) CrossFit also lists scaled versions, including an intermediate option with half the repetitions. Event listings in Vermont and other local postings said athletes could choose full, half or quarter versions, with modifications encouraged so more people can take part. ### Who was Lt. Michael P. Murphy? FOX Local said the workout is named for Lt. Michael Murphy, a Navy SEAL from Patchogue, New York. CrossFit Mt. (crossfitmtjuliet.com) Juliet said Murphy was 29 when he was killed in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005. FOX said he died after exposing himself to enemy fire to call for help during combat and was later awarded the Medal of Honor. The official Murph Challenge site says host packages for 2026 support the Lt. (crossfit.com) Michael P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation. The Lt. Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum also listed itself as an official host for a May 23 event. ### Why are local gyms treating it as more than a workout? WDBJ reported that Fit Body Boot Camp Blacksburg was using its Murph event to collect $5 donations from participants after already donating $250 to the Murph Foundation. (foxla.com) The station said proceeds from that event were set to go to the WWII Museum of the New River Valley. Central Illinois Proud reported that The Resilience Project hosted its fourth annual Murph Challenge in Peoria, Illinois, with proceeds going back into programs that support local veterans. (themurphchallenge.com) The Resilience Project describes itself as a nonprofit that helps veterans transition to civilian life through education, resources and community support. ### Do people have to do the workout exactly as written? (wdbj7.com) CrossFit’s Murph page says the workout can be partitioned, and several local organizers promoted modified formats. CrossFit New Hampshire told participants to partition the middle exercises as needed, while community event pages in Vermont advertised scaled distances and repetition targets. The official challenge site and local event pages show Murph programming continuing through Memorial Day on Monday, May 25, 2026, with some organizations accepting times or hosting events through May 26 and one Eventbrite listing asking participants to submit results by May 30. (yahoo.com) (themurphchallenge.com) (crossfit.com)