Murph WOD

Are you "prepping" for Murph? Are you "avoiding" the signups for Murph? Or do you have no idea who Murph is or what a WOD is?

Let's start with the basics. A WOD is the Workout Of the Day. This is a term Crossfitters use to label the workout that they will be doing for that day. This specific workout usually takes place Memorial Day or sometime on Memorial Day Weekend.

One thing that Crossfit has done is create Hero WODs in honor of fallen first responders or members of the military who have died in the line of duty. This is a way to honor them and attempt to unite ourselves in the hard work they put forth, never give up mentality, and embrace life to the fullest. Not only will hundreds of boxes being joining together for Murph but some boxes, like ours, will be donating half of the proceeds to the official Michael P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation. This foundation awards 18 scholarships to a variety of schools.

So who is Murph? Murph is the WOD created "in memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005.This workout was one of Mike's favorites and he'd named it "Body Armor". From here on it will be referred to as "Murph" in honor of the focused warrior and great American who wanted nothing more in life than to serve this great country and the beautiful people who make it what it is." (Taken from Crossfit.com).

The workout is as follows:

For time: 1 mile Run 100 Pull-ups 200 Push-ups 300 Squats 1 mile Run

Now if you already knew what the workout is I understand why you might be scared and possibly avoiding the commitment. But have you forgotten that Crossfit is for EVERYONE! That means HERO WODS are for EVERYONE too! As with every workout in Crossfit it can be modified! There are tons of ways to modify this workout so that you can participate. Remember, the point of the WOD isn't so much what you do, what time you finish, or whether you wear a vest or not. The point is to honor Lieutenant Murphy by getting out of your comfort zone, accepting the challenge, and joining your community in something that's more than a workout.

If you have been "prepping" for Murph that's great but don't loose out on the main point of completing the Murph WOD. It's about more. It's not just about how well you do but more about with what heart and passion you do it. Remember, ultimately its about gathering together the community and getting out of our comfort zones to honor Lieutenant Murphy. Also, trust the programing your box has been giving you to help you improve your Murph time. Have you asked your head coach what to do to prepare? I don't believe killing yourself with extra running, pull-ups, push-ups, and air squats is the answer. Working on the form of those is honestly probably what's best.

Are you still thinking the workout is too difficult and not possible for you to do? I promise there is a way to modify it that works for you! One super popular way to modify is break up the pull-ups, push-ups, and air squats by doing 20 rounds of Cindy. That means 20 rounds of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 air squats. You can also grab a partner and split it up. If you can't run than walk or choose a distance that works for you! If you can't do pull ups use a band or do ring rows. Are push ups a challenge for you? Grab some mats, a box, or a wall! Air squats too difficult? Drop the number or squat to a box instead. I promise whatever you think the coaches will help come up with something appropriate for YOU! I will hopefully be a week-ish postpartum. And I will be participating...whether that's just walking the mile with a friend and cheering people on or making sure the food is ready! So don't be scared, join the fun, and do something you don't think you can. It's time to accept the challenge!

If you live in Aberdeen or near by and want to join Crossfit Rails for Murph here is our information! After the workout we'll be celebrating with friends and family by hanging out and eating some delicious food!