The Murph workout is a challenging CrossFit WOD (workout of the day) that consists of a one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats, and another one-mile run. Completing the Murph workout is a significant achievement, but many athletes also strive to complete it as quickly as possible.
In this article, we'll discuss what's a good time for Murph, including record times, with and without a vest.
Firstly, what’s a record time for Murph?
The current world record time for completing the Murph workout with a weighted vest is 34 minutes and 38 seconds, set by Rich Froning Jr. in 2015. For completing the workout without a vest, the record is 28 minutes and 45 seconds, set by Josh Bridges in 2014. These times are incredibly fast and are achieved by elite athletes.
So, what is a good time for Murph with a vest?
A good time for completing the Murph workout with a weighted vest will depend on your fitness level and experience with the workout. Here are some guidelines for what could be considered a good time for different levels of athletes:
- Elite: A good time for an elite athlete would be under 40 minutes.
- Average Gym Athlete: For an average gym athlete, a good time would be between 45-60 minutes. This athlete will likely have high capacity for pull-ups and push ups and should have no problem with the running portion.
- Beginner: For a beginner, a good time would be anything under 90 minutes. However, we don’t recommend completing this workout with a vest if it’s going to take you this long. Instead, lose the ego, take off the vest and aim for a great time this year without it! Then you can work towards wearing the vest next year, and crush it.
So, what is a good time for Murph without a vest?
Again, a good time for completing the Murph workout without a weighted vest will depend on your fitness level and experience with the workout. Here are some guidelines for what could be considered a good time for different levels of athletes:
- Elite: A good time for an elite athlete would be under 30 minutes.
- Average Gym Athlete: For an average gym athlete, a good time would be between 35-50 minutes.
- Beginner:
For a beginner, a good time would be anything under 75 minutes. However, we recommend scaling the workout back if it’s going to take more than 60 minutes. The reason for this is that if it’s taking you more than twice as long as the elite athletes, you’re losing the stimulus of the workout, and likely slogging away trying to do movements that you’re not capable of doing at such a high volume.
If you have pull-ups and push ups but aren’t sure of being able to complete so many of them, I recommend halving the total reps, so it would turn into a half mile run, 50 pull-ups, 100 push ups and 150 air squats, finishing with another half mile run.
If you’re feeling fit enough but the movements could bring you to a halt, try scaling back the pull-ups and push ups to easier variations like ring rows and box push ups (where you elevate your hands onto a box to make it easier).
If both of these options still seem too challenging for you, do a mix of both; half the reps and scale back the movements. Not everyone is ready to complete Murph Rx’d, and that’s ok! This is what CrossFit is all about; finding a version of the workout that meets you where you’re at, and allows you to progress it over time.
To Summarize:
A good time for completing the workout will depend on your fitness level and experience with the workout. No matter what version of the workout you do, a good time for completing it is one that shows an improvement for you as an individual over time!
Elite athletes can complete the workout in under 30-40 minutes, while average gym athletes can aim for 35-60 minutes, and beginners should look at scaling this workout until they’re ready to hit it Rx’d in under 60 minutes.
For more tips on how to prepare for and complete the Murph workout, check out these articles: