Why We Do Murph on Memorial Day

🇺🇸 Why We Do Murph on Memorial Day

Posted by Starr Village CrossFit – Athens, TN

Every year on Memorial Day, CrossFit gyms across the country—and around the world—come together to do one workout:

MURPH

🏃 1-mile run
💪 100 pull-ups
💪 200 push-ups
💪 300 air squats
🏃 1-mile run
(🎽 With a 20 lb weight vest, if you have one)

But Why This Workout? Why This Day?

At Starr Village CrossFit, Murph isn’t just a workout—it’s a tribute.
It’s how we use fitness to honor courage, sacrifice, and service.
It’s about something bigger than reps, scores, or time caps.

👤 Who Was Lt. Michael P. Murphy?

Lt. Michael P. Murphy was a U.S. Navy SEAL, killed in action in Afghanistan in 2005 during Operation Red Wings.

He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest military decoration, for his extraordinary heroism.

💥 This workout was originally part of his own training routine, which he called “Body Armor.”
After his death, it was renamed "Murph" in his memory.

🇺🇸 Why It Matters

Memorial Day is often seen as a three-day weekend or summer kickoff.
But its true purpose is to honor the men and women who died in service to our country.

Murph is how we pause, reflect, and pay respect.

It’s how we put ourselves in a place of discomfort—because they gave everything.

🤝 It's Bigger Than Just You

Yes, Murph is a personal challenge.

But it’s also a community effort.

Whether you’re:

• A first-timer scaling the reps
• A seasoned athlete going RX+
• Or someone just showing up to try

We’re all here with the same purpose:

• To remember
• To respect
• To push through—because they did

You’ll see high-fives, tears, grit, and pride.
You’ll leave stronger—physically and emotionally.

💪 Everyone Can Do Murph

Don’t let the numbers scare you.

Murph is infinitely scalable.
We’ll help you modify reps and movements so it’s safe, meaningful, and challenging at your level.

Whether it’s your first time or your tenth, what matters most is why you show up—not how fast you finish.

🙌 Join Us This Memorial Day

At Starr Village CrossFit, Murph is one of our most meaningful events of the year.

We’ll gather as a gym, a community, and a family to honor the fallen.

• We’ll suffer together.
• Sweat together.
• And remember together.

We don’t do Murph for ourselves — we do it for them.

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