Crush 200 Push-Ups in Murph Without Burning Out

Every Memorial Day, thousands of CrossFit® athletes around the world lace up their shoes, strap on a weight vest, and throw down in one of the most mentally and physically demanding hero workouts: Murph.

It’s not just about finishing. It’s about pacing like a pro, choosing smart strategies, and knowing exactly how to handle those sneaky middle reps, especially the 200 push-ups that can derail your whole workout if you’re not careful.

Let’s break it down, WODprep style, so you can go in with a plan and come out proud of your score.

Start With a Push-Up Partition Strategy That Works for You

This is where it all begins. If you try to knock out giant sets of push-ups early in Murph, you're gonna regret it fast. Your chest will blow up, your triceps will tap out, and your run at the end will feel like a crawl.

Instead, have a plan.

A classic go-to is “Cindy-style”: 20 rounds of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 air squats. It’s popular for a reason, it balances fatigue and gives your upper body regular breaks. But there’s also the 5/5/15/5 split, or even 50 rounds of 2/4/6.

Think that last one sounds silly? Not if you want to avoid burning out by round 7.

Smaller sets keep your push-ups looking crisp. They help reduce “time under tension” (that awful slow grind at the bottom of a rep) and make recovery possible mid-WOD.

Reduce Time Under Tension and Move With Purpose

Let’s talk about what happens when your push-ups get slow and grindy. Holding tension in the bottom of a push-up arms shaking, chest hovering an inch off the ground, will drain you fast. Instead, hit small sets. Pop off the ground with clean, quick reps. The moment things feel sticky, you’re doing too many at once.

During recovery, don’t stay in the plank. Get off your hands. Sit back on your heels. Shake your arms out. Even a 5-second break like that can buy you a few more reps in the next round.

Remember: clean reps > long sets.

SUPER Small Sets Win Long Workouts

There’s no shame in 2s and 3s. In fact, if you’re doing Murph unpartitioned (which is wild, by the way), this is mandatory. Even during partitioned versions, dropping to sets of 4 or 5 push-ups toward the end of the WOD can save your score. It’s about longevity, not ego.

Ben has said it before and we’ll say it again here: you don’t win Murph in the first half. You win it by being smart when it starts getting hard.

Use Proper Form or Pay the Price

Sloppy push-ups don’t just cost you time. They also waste energy and could mean no-reps.

Here’s what proper form actually looks like, especially when you’re 150 reps deep and tired:

Elbows stay in, not flared out like a T.
Your body moves as one unit, hips and chest rise and fall together.
Squeeze your glutes and keep a solid plank.
Chest hits the deck, arms fully lock out at the top.

If your push-up starts turning into “The Dog,” “The Cobra,” or “The Teenager” (you know the one…), reset. Recommit to clean reps. Don’t be the person who gets called out for humping the floor or half-locking the final push-up.

We’ve got a full push-up technique and mistake breakdown right here. Watch below.

Shake Out Your Arms
(Seriously, It Helps)

Between sets, give your arms a quick shake. Sounds simple. Looks goofy. But it works.

The physical cue of shaking helps release tension and resets your brain. It’s the same trick Olympic lifters use between heavy snatches. If it works for them, it’ll work for your mid-Murph push-up crisis.

Recovery Positions Matter More Than You Think

When resting, don’t plank. Don’t hover. And definitely don’t flop.

Instead, sit back, shake out your arms, or drop to a kneeling position. You want to get off your wrists and hands so blood can flow back and prep you for your next set. Time spent recovering well is always better than time spent recovering poorly.

Push-Up Progressions If You’re Scaling Murph

Not ready for 200 full push-ups yet? No problem. You can still do Murph, and do it well.

The key is scaling smart with something like box push-ups or incline push-ups using a barbell in a squat rack. Keep your body in a solid plank and reduce the angle as you get stronger.

Start high (maybe a wall or a 30-inch box), and work your way down to the floor over time. Your reps should look clean. If your form breaks, go back up and build strength there.

Need help building your push-up strength from the ground up? We break it down step by step in this push-up progression guide.

A Quick Word on Murph With a Vest

Adding a 20/14 lb. vest changes everything.

If you’re wearing a vest, assume your push-up capacity just got cut by 30%. Reduce your reps even more. Go for tiny sets, 2s or 3s are golden. Break early, break often, and don’t wait until your arms stop working to change your plan.

Need a vest game plan? Check out How to Use a Weighted Vest for Murph Workout.

Crush 200 Push-Ups in Murph Without Burning Out

It’s Not About Heroics,
It’s About Execution

Murph is about honor, effort, and mental grit, but that doesn’t mean throwing pacing out the window. The best scores come from athletes who know their body, stick to a strategy, and respect the volume.

Your push-ups don’t need to be heroic. They need to be clean, consistent, and capped at a number that keeps you moving.

You’ve got this.

This article’s part of a series to help you get your best Murph score yet. Want the full breakdown? Check out the rest of the series below:

Your Questions Answered....

1. How do I avoid burning out during the 200 push-ups in Murph?
Start with small sets, seriously small. Think 5s, 3s, even 2s if needed. The key is to avoid failure, reduce time under tension, and recover smart between rounds. Slow grind = slow death.

2. What’s the best partitioning strategy for push-ups?
Cindy (5/10/15) is a classic. But if push-ups are your limiter, try 5/5/15/5 or 50 rounds of 2/4/6. These smaller sets protect your chest and triceps so you can keep moving deeper into the WOD.

3. How should I rest between push-up sets?
Don’t stay in plank. Sit back, kneel, shake your arms out, whatever gets pressure off your wrists and resets the blood flow. A quick, intentional break beats hovering in misery.

4. Do I need to scale the push-ups if I’m not Rx’ing workouts yet?
Yes, and it’s a smart move. Use incline push-ups on a box or barbell to keep your form tight and avoid energy leaks. Scaling keeps intensity up and recovery time down.

5. Is wearing a vest during push-ups really that much harder?
Absolutely. Expect a 30% drop in your push-up capacity. That means smaller sets, more frequent rests, and even tighter form. A vest turns every rep into a fight, so plan accordingly.

Crush 200 Push-Ups in Murph Without Burning Out

Start With a Push-Up Partition Strategy That Works for You