What is a 'Good' MURPH Time? What's considered a good time is relative to the exerciser. If you're a beginner, less than 60 minutes is considered a good finish time. For exercisers who are advanced, you'll want to complete it in less than 45 minutes, and for elite athletes, less than 35 minutes.
The good Murph times by age group 40-44 are: 43:16 for “Advanced” athletes, 35:31 for “Competitor” athletes, and 34:48 for “Elite” athletes. The good Murph times by age group 45-50 are: 44:09 for “Advanced” athletes, 39:04 for “Competitor” athletes, and 36:09 for “Elite” athletes.
The workout is typically done for time, and there is a 60-minute time cap. The Murph is a grueling workout that requires a lot of strength, endurance, and mental toughness. It takes place on Memorial Day, May, 29th.
Doing the workout “unpartitioned” requires you to complete all 100 pull-ups before moving on to the push-ups, then all 200 push-ups before moving on to the squats. Prior to my 32:41 on June 18th, 2021, Hunter McIntyre held the record for the fastest known weighted & unpartitioned Murph with a time of 34:13.
What is a 'Good' MURPH Time? What's considered a good time is relative to the exerciser. If you're a beginner, less than 60 minutes is considered a good finish time. For exercisers who are advanced, you'll want to complete it in less than 45 minutes, and for elite athletes, less than 35 minutes.
What's the hardest part of Murph? The toughest part of the "CrossFit® Murph Challenge" is the mental and physical endurance it demands. This workout is designed to push you to your absolute limits. The mix of running, pull-ups, push-ups, and squats is no joke—especially when you throw on a weighted vest.
What types of pull ups are in Murph? Any pull-up variation is acceptable; providing you begin (or pass through) under the bar with straight arms and finish the rep with your chin above the bar. This can be achieved with strict pull-ups, kipping pull-ups or butterfly pull-ups.
Plus the work is bodyweight exercise which isn't going to be as much as moving barbells full of plates. Due to the duration of Murph it's likely that you aren't going as hard as on shorter WOD's either. Assuming a 200 pound athlete, I'd estimate you're in the 600-700 calorie range if you did Murph in 45 minutes.
In Murph, while the run portions must be done as a sandwich around the reps, athletes may break up the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats however they'd like. Spending a bit of time thinking through your rep scheme can help both the newbie and veteran athlete succeed in this workout.
A popular mini Murph is a 1 mile run followed by 25 pullups, 50 pushups, and 100 squats. To complete the workout, run 1 mile again. A mini Murph is a great way to practice for the real thing. Here's another you might try: 2 mile ruck, 30 pullups, 60 pushups, 120 squats, 1 mile run.
Josh Bridges holds the record at 28 minutes and 45 seconds, set back in 2014.
Experienced: This strategy includes 5 rounds of 20 pull-ups, 40 push-ups, and 60 air squats and is required for athletes competing in the Crossfit Games. Expert: This strategy is Murph Workout Rx. 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 air squats without partitioning or breaks in between.
The added weight increases the workload on your muscles and cardiovascular system, making it more challenging to maintain your pace and breathe efficiently. The amount of added difficulty will depend on the weight of the vest you're wearing and your fitness level.
A difficult workout
The Murph workout is challenging because it stresses most major muscle groups: the back and shoulder muscles with the pull ups, the chest with the push ups, and the legs and torso with the squats.
Every single day for 362 days straight (as of publication), Jim Lubonski has put on a 20-pound weighted vest. Then he runs one mile, does 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 squats, and follows that with another one mile run. If he's still feeling good, he finishes up by doing his own workout as well.
In general, the average Murph time for beginners is 63-80 minutes, so any Murph finish time that's an hour or less would be good for beginners. The average Murph WOD time for intermediates is 50-58 minutes, so a good time for an athlete with a year or two of training experience would be under 50 minutes.
Because the Murph workout hits all areas of the body, resistance training must work these same areas. Incorporate upper body exercises to build strength in the arms, chest, shoulders, and upper back. Do lower body movements to develop the legs, glutes, and hips.
Carbohydrates will be your friend before starting. Carbohydrates are our body's preferred fuel source. Before exercising, we want to prioritize simple carbohydrate intake. Fruits, dairy, white breads, white rice, and table sugar are all examples of foods that contain simple carbohydrates.
'Murph' World Record Holder Hunter McIntyre Shared How He Trains for the CrossFit Workout. McIntyre breaks down his best advice on how to prepare for the infamously tough CrossFit workout.
An overhand grip pull-up is the hardest to do, because it places more of the workload on your lats. The wider your grip, the less help your lats get from other muscles, making a rep harder.
In Murph, while the run portions must be done as a sandwich around the reps, athletes may break up the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats however they'd like.
As prescribed, Murph is performed for time. It starts with a 1-mile run, followed by a grueling sequence of 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 air squats. The workout concludes with another 1-mile run.