Murph Workout: Order, Partitioning, and Modifications Explained

Can you do Murph in any order?

While the traditional Murph workout prescribes a specific order of movements (run, bodyweight exercises, run), the internal bodyweight portion is commonly partitioned into smaller sets for manageability. However, altering the overall structure, especially moving the runs, significantly changes the workout's physiological demands and deviates from its intended challenge.

Understanding the Murph Workout

"Murph" is a hero WOD (Workout of the Day) in CrossFit, named after Navy Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2005. It's a grueling test of endurance and strength, performed with a 20lb weight vest (for men) or 14lb (for women), though often done without. The prescribed movements are:

• 1-mile run
• 100 pull-ups
• 200 push-ups
• 300 air squats
• 1-mile run

The challenge lies not just in the volume of repetitions but in the cumulative fatigue of performing the bodyweight exercises between two taxing runs.

The Prescribed Order: Why It Matters

The original structure of Murph is deliberate and plays a crucial role in its physiological impact and mental challenge:

• Pre-Fatigue: Starting with a 1-mile run pre-fatigues the cardiovascular system and major leg muscles, making the subsequent bodyweight movements more challenging. Your heart rate is already elevated, and your legs are heavier before you even begin the squats.
• Cumulative Fatigue: Performing 600 bodyweight repetitions (100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats) in sequence, or even partitioned, between runs creates significant muscular fatigue. The second 1-mile run then becomes a formidable test of endurance against already tired muscles, particularly the legs and core.
• Metabolic Stress: This sequence maximizes metabolic stress, pushing your body to adapt to sustained effort under duress. Glycogen stores are depleted, and lactate accumulation is significant, demanding high levels of cardiovascular and muscular endurance.
• Mental Fortitude: The original order forces athletes to confront discomfort and push through fatigue, embodying the spirit of a hero workout.

The "Partitioned" Murph: An Accepted Alternative

While the runs are almost universally performed at the beginning and end, the internal bodyweight movements (pull-ups, push-ups, squats) are often "partitioned" into smaller sets. This is the most common and widely accepted modification to the original Murph.

• Benefits of Partitioning:
  • Improved Form: Breaking down the repetitions into smaller sets helps maintain better form throughout the workout, reducing the risk of injury from compromised mechanics due to fatigue.
  • Reduced Muscle Failure: Instead of hitting muscle failure quickly on large sets, partitioning allows for more consistent work and can lead to faster overall times for many athletes.
  • Strategic Recovery: Shorter sets allow for brief, active recovery periods, enabling athletes to sustain effort over a longer duration.
• Common Partitioning Strategies: The most popular method is to perform 20 rounds of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 air squats (5-10-15). Other strategies include 10 rounds of 10-20-30, or even "super sets" focusing on one movement at a time (e.g., 20 pull-ups, 40 push-ups, 60 squats, repeated 5 times).
• Is it "Murph"? While technically a modification, partitioning the internal movements is so common that it's widely accepted as a valid way to approach Murph, especially for those aiming for performance or needing to manage the volume. The key is that the total reps remain the same, and the runs still bookend the workout.

Can You Do Murph in Any Order?

Strictly speaking, you can perform the movements of Murph in any sequence you choose. However, doing so fundamentally changes the workout and, in most contexts, would no longer be considered "Murph."

• Moving the Runs: If you were to, for example, do all the bodyweight movements first, then the two runs, or intersperse the runs throughout the bodyweight exercises, you would create a distinctly different physiological stimulus.
  • Bodyweight first, then runs: This would test your muscular endurance and strength first, followed by a cardiovascular challenge with fresh legs (initially). The second run would then be more taxing.
  • Intersperse runs: Running short distances between each set of bodyweight exercises would turn it into a highly metabolic interval workout, rather than a sustained test of endurance and cumulative fatigue.
• Impact on Performance and Safety: Arbitrarily changing the order can lead to:
  • Increased injury risk: If you're not accustomed to a certain sequence, you might push fatigued muscles in ways they're not prepared for.
  • Diminished performance: A haphazard approach is unlikely to yield optimal results compared to the traditional or partitioned methods.
  • Different training stimulus: The physiological adaptations from an altered Murph would be different from those gained from the original.

Considerations for Modifying Murph's Order

If you are considering altering the Murph workout beyond partitioning the internal reps, reflect on your goals:

• Fitness Level: Beginners might need to scale the workout significantly, which could involve reducing reps, using assisted pull-ups, or even breaking up the runs.
• Training Goals: Are you training for pure endurance, strength, or a combination? The order directly impacts which physiological systems are challenged most.
• Injury Prevention: If you have specific musculoskeletal limitations, modifying the order or scaling movements might be necessary to ensure safety.
• Time Constraints: While Murph is a long workout, altering the order won't necessarily make it shorter, but it might change how your body tolerates the duration.

The Verdict: Sticking to the Spirit

For most athletes, especially those participating in a Murph event or aiming to benchmark their fitness against the hero WOD, it is highly recommended to:

1. Perform the 1-mile run first.
2. Complete all 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 air squats. This internal section can and often should be partitioned (e.g., 20 rounds of 5-10-15).
3. Finish with the final 1-mile run.

This approach preserves the integrity and unique challenge of Murph, allowing for a true comparison of effort and fitness. While you can do the movements in "any order," doing so fundamentally changes the workout, and it would no longer truly be "Murph" as intended by its namesake and the CrossFit community.