Memorial Day: Murph and Morrison
Stephanie Nickitas • May 22, 2025
Memorial Day Hero Workouts: Murph and Morrison
Memorial Day is around the corner and as you know we have been doing a lot of training to get you ready for the Hero workout, "Murph". But just a reminder, you'll also have the option of doing a different Hero workout called "Morrison". You can choose one or the other.
There will be ONE class at 9:30am and it's usually a packed house. It's a really fun day and we hope to see many of you there. If you plan in coming, please RESERVE your spot in class now! And if you can't make it, please remember to cancel your reservation as well.
If you have friends with CrossFit experience that want to drop-in, please make sure they reserve a spot ahead of time with this LINK.
Your safety is always a priority, so I want to take a moment to talk about the difficulty level of these two workouts and how they should not be taken lightly. It's already extremely hot and humid and these workouts are very long and very high in volume. Make sure you are well hydrated with water and electrolytes and definitely consume some calories before the workout. Fasting is not advised and could be dangerous!
Think about how you want to tackle the workout and have a game plan before class. You are welcome to find a partner and make it a team workout. Or, you can do 1/2 or 1/4 on your own. It's YOUR workout, so find a version that works for you and have some fun.
Also, some of you may be considering wearing a vest, aka "body armor" during Murph. You should NOT be wearing a vest or scaling "up" on Murph if you can't complete it in less than 40 minutes at your own bodyweight- This is a gym rule.
If your previous Murph time exceeds 40 minutes, then you should not be adding any weight. Your focus should be going faster! And, this should go without saying, but if it's your first Murph, then absolutely no vest.
All of this is entirely for your safety. We want you to be SMART and not do something that'll put you out for a week or more. It's not worth it.
Movement standards and counting reps:
Why is this important? Well, there are a multitude of reasons that I could write in a whole separate email. But to sum it up, you should be completing full range of motion and counting reps properly out of respect for yourself, your fellow members, and the Hero that you are honoring. Don't be that person that doesn't quite get their chest to the ground on push-ups or doesn't hit full extension on push-ups and air squats. And don't be that person that shaves reps here and there just to post a better score. We notice, your peers notice, and it's not worth it.
As in years past, we will be moving the rings and racks to the office side of the gym for pull-up modifications. No banded pull-ups on the rigs.
Please hydrate and eat properly over the weekend! See you in class!
"Murph"
1 Mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 Mile Run
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.
Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats as needed. Start and finish with a mile run.
"Morrison"
50-40-30-20-10
Wall Balls 20/14
Box Jumps 24/14
Kettlebell Swings 53/53
U.S. Army Specialist Scott Morrison, 23, of Blue Ash, Ohio, assigned to 584th Mobility Augmentation Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, based out of Fort Hood, Texas, died on September 26, 2010, from injuries suffered on September 25 when insurgents in Kandahar, Afghanistan attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He is survived by his father Donald, mother Susan, brother Gary, and sister Katie.
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