Workout guide

The Murph Workout: The Rules, 9 Versions and What Counts as a Good Time

27 October 2026 · 4 min read

A mile, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats, another mile. Here's how to get through it, whichever version you pick.

A man pulling his chin over the bar, one of Murph's 100 pull-ups

You're allowed to split the Murph workout's reps. CrossFit's original 2005 post says to partition the pull-ups, push-ups and squats as needed, and splitting still counts as Rx. So the real questions are how you split them, whether to wear the vest, and what time to aim for.

CrossFit's Rx target is 36 to 46 minutes, and under 35 is elite. If you expect to be slower than 46, start with one of the scaled versions below and work up.

The Murph workout as written

CrossFit posted it on 18 August 2005. The post said to split the reps as you need to: "Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats as needed." The runs come first and last. It named one vest weight, 20 lb, and only if you had one.

CrossFit now lists the vest as 14 lb for women and 20 lb for men. Doing all 100 pull-ups, then all 200 push-ups, then all 300 squats with a vest is what CrossFit calls the maximum challenge. Splitting the reps still counts as Rx.

9 ways to do the Murph workout

Nine versions, roughly from full volume down to the gentlest. Half Murph, Ten rounds and Smart sets are popular community versions rather than CrossFit's own. Each one has its own button: tap it to copy the workout, then paste it into sweatcue.

Version	Runs	Middle	Vest
Rx	1 mile each	100 / 200 / 300, split as you like	20 lb men, 14 lb women
Unpartitioned	1 mile each	All pull-ups, then push-ups, then squats	Yes
Cindy split	1 mile each	20 rounds of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 squats	Optional
2016 Games	1 mile each	5 rounds of 20 pull-ups, 40 push-ups, 60 squats	20 / 14 lb, 55 min cap
Ten rounds	1 mile each	10 rounds of 10 pull-ups, 20 push-ups, 30 squats	Optional
Smart sets	1 mile each	20 rounds of 5 pull-ups, 5 push-ups, 15 squats, 5 push-ups	Optional
Intermediate	1 mile each	50 / 100 / 150. Start the second run by 25:00	Optional
Half Murph	800 m each	10 rounds of 5 / 10 / 15	Optional
Beginner	800 m each	10 rounds of 5 ring rows, 10 push-ups on knees or a box, 15 squats. Start the second run by 20:00	Optional

How to split Murph's reps

Cindy split (5/10/15): short sets you can keep unbroken. CrossFit suggests finishing the 20 rounds in 20 minutes or less.
Ten rounds (10/20/30): fewer, bigger sets. Good if your pull-ups are strong.
Smart sets: splits the push-ups around the squats, which helps when push-ups slow you down.
2016 Games (20/40/60): big sets. For people who can do 20 pull-ups without stopping.
Unpartitioned: the hardest version.

What is a good Murph time?

Level	CrossFit's target
Elite Rx	under 35 min
Rx	36-46 min
Intermediate version (shorter)	32-40 min
Beginner version (shorter)	25-30 min

If you expect to take more than 46 minutes on Rx, CrossFit suggests the intermediate or beginner version.

At the 2015 CrossFit Games, with vests, Björgvin Karl Guðmundsson won in 38:36 and Sam Briggs in 39:10. In 2016, with the 5-round split, Josh Bridges won in 34:38 and Kari Pearce in 36:42. In a 2020 study, 11 trained men without vests averaged 43.4 minutes.

How to train for Murph in 6 weeks

CrossFit publishes a free 6-week plan: five training days a week, a lighter sixth week, and Murph in week 7. Start in mid-April to do it on Memorial Day. The plan includes sessions like:

4 x 400 m run and 40 squats
4 rounds of 20 pull-ups, 30 push-ups, 40 sit-ups and 50 squats, with 3 minutes rest
1,600 m run for time
5 x 600 m run with 3 minutes rest

Wear a vest only if you've done Murph before or already train in one.

Who was Lt. Michael Murphy?

Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy was killed on 28 June 2005 in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, during Operation Red Wings. He was 29. He left cover to get a signal and call for help for his four-man team, and kept fighting until he died. He received the Medal of Honor after his death, on 22 October 2007. It was the first awarded for service in Afghanistan.

He called the workout "Body Armor". CrossFit renamed it Murph in his honor.

The Murph Challenge

Gyms around the world do Murph on Memorial Day. The Murph Challenge has been the official fundraiser of the LT. Michael P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation since 2014, and has raised more than $2.25 million. It has a worldwide leaderboard, and a second date on 28 June, the anniversary of Operation Red Wings.

How to do Murph safely in the heat

At the 2015 Games, two elite athletes got heat stroke doing Murph in vests on a hot afternoon. Memorial Day is often hot. Drink before you start, start early in the day, and cut the volume before you add a vest.