Murph - Having the mental toughness to take on the challenge.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about what makes the CrossFit community different; in that blog, I wrote about how the act of struggling together through adversity binds people closer together. Hero WODs are another example of this CrossFit community spirit. In struggling together through the notoriously tough Hero WODs, the CrossFit community honours good people who have been lost serving their country. The tradition of doing these WODs (without complaint) is the CrossFit way of paying respects to fallen heroes.

Hero WODs are never easy  They test both your physical and mental strength. The hero WODs which take place at the same time each year can be a test of your progress and allow you to set new goals.

CrossFit.com defines hero WODs as follows:

Military, law enforcement and first responder communities were amongst the earliest proponents of CrossFit. Their intensity matched with the fitness CrossFit provides is a match made in heaven. When a service member dies in the line of duty, a CrossFit Hero workout is created in their name. Hero WODs are an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices of the fallen  to speak their names and honour their memories.

In two weeks time on May 29^th which is Memorial Day  Cross Fitters in CrossFit affiliates all over the world will complete Murph: In memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005. CrossFit.com tells us this workout was one of Mike's favourites and he named it "Body Armor".  The name was changed to "Murph" in honour of the focused warrior and great American who wanted nothing more in life than to serve his country and the beautiful people who make it what it is.

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So, what is the actual workout?

Running a one-mile (1.6K)

100 pull-ups

200 push-ups

300 bodyweight squats

Another one-mile run (1.6k)

You do all this while wearing a weighted vest if you want.

Just as in all WODs, Murph can be scaled so everyone can do it, but it's no secret Murph is meant to be tough. Murph tests your physical and mental limits; it's about overcoming the pain and exhaustion to finish the challenge. Having the mindset to push yourself beyond when your body wants to quit is one of the cornerstones of CrossFit. You will often hear the coaches at our gym talk about getting comfortable with uncomfortable. This doesn���t mean ignoring injury or training with bad form; it does mean not giving up when it gets hard.

This mental strength carries over into your everyday life. The ability to persevere when things are difficult can yield amazing results. It is rare that things or situations worth having come easily. It is often an individual's ability to persevere which creates success.

No matter where you are in your fitness journey, Murph is a daunting workout. But if you have been doing CrossFit for a while now, think of all the times you have amazed yourself so far. The first time you lifted a barbell above your head, the first time you did a handstand push-up, your first box jump  these were all moments where you overcame a mental challenge. If you have just started CrossFit, you may have overcome a mental challenge just by walking through the door.

So however you choose to partition or scale Murph, you have the mental fortitude to complete this. And when it gets tough it helps to remember this is not just another WOD  you're doing it in honour of hero!

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