The Murph workout is one of the toughest WODs out there. It’s a beast of a challenge that includes a one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats, and finishes with another one-mile run. Crushing Murph is a big deal, and athletes are always looking to finish it faster—especially with or without a weight vest.
In this article, we'll discuss what's a good time for Murph, including record times, with and without a vest.
So, what’s a good time for Murph? And what are the record times?
When it comes to record times, the bar is set HIGH. The fastest time with a weight vest is 34 minutes and 38 seconds, set by Rich Froning Jr. in 2015.
Without a vest? Josh Bridges holds the record at 28 minutes and 45 seconds, set back in 2014. These times are lightning fast, accomplished by the best athletes in the world.
So, what is a good time for Murph with a vest?
A solid time for completing the Murph workout with a weighted vest really depends on your fitness level and how familiar you are with the workout.
Here’s a breakdown of what could be considered a good time based on experience:
- 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.
Final Thoughts
A solid time for completing the Murph workout really comes down to your personal fitness level and experience with the WOD. Whether you're scaling it or going Rx’d, a "good time" is one that shows progress for you over time!
For elite athletes, knocking it out in under 30-40 minutes is the gold standard. For most gym athletes, a strong target is between 35-60 minutes. Beginners, don’t sweat the clock—focus on scaling until you’re ready to crush it Rx’d in under 60 minutes. Progress is key!
For more tips on how to prepare for and complete the Murph workout, check out these articles:
can you break up the workout into 10 sets of 10, 20, and 30 pullups/pushups/squats respectively or is this record time referring to unbroken sequence of 100 pullups before you can even start doing your pushups etc?
Hi! The record time is referring to the unbroken sequence of 100 pull ups, 200 air squats and 300 push ups part of Murph. What’s your current time for the workout?