COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) – One Mile run, 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 squats and another 1 mile run all while wearing a 20LB vest.
This is what former Navy Seal Michael P. Murphy called “Body Armor” and it’s the workout CrossFit gyms across the country do in his honor every Memorial Day.
“He sacrificed himself to save other people and he used to do this workout as training as a Navy Seal,” said CrossFitCSG Coach Jana Roman.
Murphy died in Kunar, Afghanistan 2005 when he sacrificed his life while trying to save his team.
His selfless act ended up saving one of his fellow seals, Marcus Luttrell, author of the book “Lone Survivor: The Eye Witness Account.”
CrossFitCSG Coach Jana Roman said the workout—which usually takes an hour or more to complete is their way of honoring the fallen.
“It’s just a way for us to push through a little bit of a sucky workout, a hard workout, but also challenge yourself to do something that’s hard to honor the sacrifices that soldiers have made for us,” said Roman.
Here in Columbus, Roman and the members of CrossFitCSG complete the Murph workout with one particular name in mind.
Fort Benning soldier Sergeant First Class, Antonio Rodriguez–who was killed in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan in February 2020.
“He was a coach here at CrossfitCSG, he was well loved and so we have a personal connection to a soldier that was killed in action,” said Roman. “And many of our members are military members, so they walked this journey with a lot of people and a lot of us, I’m a military spouse myself, we have lost friends that have been killed in action and so it’s just a way for us to honor them during that time.”
A picture of Sergeant Rodriguez–or Coach Rod–sits on the wipe board…giving those completing the challenge the motivation to finish the workout–a push gym members say he used to give in person.
The workout can be modified to fit everyone’s need. Murph participants can opt out of the weight vest, modify the moves to fit their ability and needs or they had the option to complete a half Murph.
