What is 'Murph'? Memorial Day workout honoring fallen Navy SEAL becomes national tribute

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Published  May 23, 2026 12:36 PM EDT
FOX Local

 U.S. Army Maj. Brian Burns competes in the "Murph Challenge" on May 31, 2021 in Baghdad, Iraq. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

The Brief

    • Many Americans honor Memorial Day by completing the "Murph" workout, named after Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy.
    • The workout includes running, pull-ups, push-ups, and squats in a demanding sequence.
    • Murphy was killed in Afghanistan in 2005 after risking his life to call for help and was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Memorial Day is a time to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States. Across the country, Americans honor that sacrifice in different ways — and for many, that includes taking on a grueling fitness challenge known simply as "the Murph."

Named after Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy, the workout has become a nationwide tradition that blends physical endurance with remembrance.

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Navy file photo of SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy, from Patchogue, N.Y., and sonar technician (surface) Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew G. Axelson, of Cupertino, Calif. (U.S. Navy)

What is the ‘Murph’ workout?

What you can do:

The standard Murph workout includes:

  • A one-mile run
  • 100 pull-ups
  • 200 push-ups
  • 300 air squats
  • Another one-mile run

The exercises can be completed straight through or broken into smaller sets, depending on ability.

Who is Lt. Michael Murphy?

The backstory:

SEAL Officer Murphy, a Long Island native and the son of a New York firefighter, served on a team focused on long-range and specialized reconnaissance missions.

Navy file photo of SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy. (US Navy)

In 2005, during his first combat deployment to Afghanistan, Murphy took part in Operation Red Wings, an effort aimed at capturing or eliminating a high-ranking Taliban leader, Larsen said.

During the mission, Murphy’s team was discovered and quickly outnumbered as intense fighting broke out. Only one member of the team, Marcus Luttrell, survived.

 Daniel Murphy touches the marker at the gravesite of his son, fallen Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy, at Calverton National Cemetery near Riverhead, L.I. (Photo by Robert Sabo/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)

Murphy’s former SEAL roommate, Kaj Larsen said a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) helicopter carrying eight additional SEALs was dispatched to assist the team on the ground.

The helicopter was sent after Murphy performed a remarkable act of bravery—exposing himself to heavy enemy fire to establish radio contact, Larsen noted.

For his actions, Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, and the U.S. Navy later named a ship in his honor, the USS Michael Murphy.

The Source: FOX News contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles. 

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