Lt. Michael Murphy, Matthew Axelson, and Danny Dietz were Navy SEALS who lost their lives on a mountain in Afghanistan during Operation Red Wings in 2005. Only one man left that mountain alive, Marcus Luttrell, known as the Lone Survivor. Luttrell survived in part due to the efforts of Michael Murphy, who sacrificed his life to get a phone signal so that the team’s location could be determined by their military support group. Check out this post for the full story.
Murph was legendary in the SEAL teams for his fitness. His favorite workout, which he called “Body Armor”, is now known as “The Murph”. It includes the following, done for time, wearing a 20-pound weight vest or body armor:
- One-mile run
- 100 pullups
- 200 pushups
- 300 squats
- One-mile run
On this Memorial Day, join with thousands of others across the nation in doing the Murph Challenge. It’s a fantastic way to honor Lt. Michael Murphy, those who died in Operation Red Wings, and all the other fallen heroes who gave their lives to preserve the freedoms that we enjoy.
The beauty of the Murph is that it is scalable; you can modify it to meet your fitness level. As I explain in the video above, here’s how I did my Murph:
- Half-mile run
- 100 foot-elevated ring rows
- 200 pushups
- 200 squats
- Half-mile run
- Wearing a 20-lb pack (my Red Rocks Outdoor Gear Assault Pack, which I highly recommend and you can get on sale here from Cabela’s.)
So, figure out a scaled version that is appropriate for you, whether it’s a Half-Murph, an unweighted Murph, or something different altogether. The goal is to push yourself and suffer a bit in honor of those who gave their all for our freedom. Don’t get injured, but push your limits. Feel some pain. And while you do, remember those boys up on the mountain in Afghanistan and give thanks for their sacrifice. They lived the man’s life. May we all do the same. Godspeed.
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I’m an attorney, a husband for 20 years, and a father of four. And I’m restless. I’m convinced that there’s more in life for men than we’re getting. I’m ready for more, ready to lead my family on a tremendous journey. Join me.
