Hero WOD: Murph

There are a few special sub sets of WODs (Work Out of the Day), and at the top are the Hero WODs.  These workouts are done in memory of a fallen soldier.  They are tough, and force you to push yourself harder than a typical WOD or even Benchmark WOD.  These are the most intense workouts most of us will ever do.

Hero WODs are one of those elements of CrossFit that remind you that you are part of a community.  This whole experience is much larger than you or me.  When you are participating in CrossFit, you are part of a team.  You care for your teammates, whether they are 5 feet or 5 time zones away, we are all in this together.

We are also afforded the luxury of being reminded of those teammates who gave it all for us.  My gym, HyperFit USA, does a “Murph” WOD every Memorial Day and Labor Day.  It consists of:

1 Mile Run
100 Pull-Ups
200 Push-Ups
300 Air Squats
1 Mile Run

It is every bit as hard as it sounds.  But when you think about it as a way to pay tribute and celebrate a teammate who gave it all, it’s extremely motivating, and a touch more rewarding.

Here’s a bit of the story behind Murph, for more info and videos visit: http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/pg.html

Lt. Michael P. Murphy
Navy SEAL (Sea, Air, Land) Lt. Michael P. Murphy, 29, from Patchogue, NY. Murphy was killed by enemy forces during a reconnaissance mission, Operation Redwing, June 28, 2005. Murphy lead a four-man team tasked with finding a key Taliban leader in the mountainous terrain near Asadabad, Afghanistan, when they came under fire from a much larger enemy force with superior tactical position. Mortally wounded while exposing himself to enemy fire, Murphy knowingly left his position of cover to get a clear signal in order to communicate with his headquarters. While being shot at repeatedly, Murphy calmly provided his unit’s location and requested immediate support for his element. He returned to his cover position to continue the fight until finally succumbing to his wounds.