5 Productivity Lessons From CrossFit’s Murph Workout

My best workouts are never only about the workout. The gym is often a lab for lessons and practices that apply beyond the workout.

I recently did my first Murph — the infamous CrossFit Hero Workout.

Here are 5 lessons I learned from the CrossFit Murph workout that you can apply to any hard workout, and to hard tasks beyond the gym.

(1) Have a Purpose Beyond Yourself

Murph is a deceptively challenging workout. It doesn’t involve any complex skills or spectacular strength. There are no heavy weights to lift. Instead, it’s a test of endurance: the physical and mental capacity to persevere through a grueling volume of reps.

Murph is not just another workout. It’s a “Hero workout” dedicated to the memory of a fallen soldier. Reflecting on Lt. Murphy’s story and remembering others who gave their lives in service to our freedom can help you get through the long slog.

Beyond the Workout

Workouts like Murph are a great metaphor for life itself: sometimes the repetition can feel monotonous. It can get boring. It can drain you.

What do you do when the fatigue sets in?

You remember your reasons why you are doing it in the first place.

Studies show we are more likely to do things for others than for ourselves, so it helps to find a reason beyond yourself.

(2) Reconsider What Tools and Support Are Essential

Everyone needs structure and support to get things done. The key is to know what support, structure, and tools are essential.

What really helps you and what gets in the way?

In a typical CrossFit class, when the workout includes pull-ups I would use a resistance band around the squat rack pegs to support me. In fact, that’s how I planned to get through the pull-ups during Murph.

As it turned out, I didn’t need resistance band support. By doing the workout outside the normal structure of a class and without the pressure of a time constraint in which to finish, I was able to see my true potential.

Beyond the Workout:

In business, we often think we need fancy software or tools when what we want to accomplish can be done using the basic tools. A plain word-processing app, and simple spreadsheet software can often be more effective than the most complex apps or systems.

Try doing your tasks without the tools or systems you think you “can’t live without” and see if you really need those apps.

Sometimes it takes a willingness to try to do something without our usual support structures to see what we’re truly capable of.

(3) Break Up Big Tasks

The movements in Murph are not complex — they are basic movements that any person should be able to do. What makes this workout so challenging is the volume:

100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 air squats is a lot of reps. Add a 1-mile run before and after and it can be grueling.

The secret to making it manageable is to “partition” the reps — to break them up in a way that allows you to keep moving.

The most popular way to partition the reps is to do 20 rounds of the “Cindy” workout:

• 5 pull-ups
• 10 push-ups
• 15 air squats

This is about more than taking breaks; it’s about using the breaks in one movement to do a different movement.

Beyond the Workout:

When you feel overwhelmed by a big task or project, start by breaking it up into smaller chunks.

Look for other related tasks that you can cycle into your work, so you can maintain momentum on the project even while “resting” from one task.

For example, if you’re working on a proposal, you might break the proposal into sections. Between writing each section, perhaps you gather testimonials or supporting information. This keeps you in the flow of the project while restoring the cognitive resources you need for the writing.

(4) Embrace Your Pace

By far the best decision I made in doing Murph was to do it outside the structure of my gym’s class. This allowed me to go at my own pace without the added pressure of having to finish within a certain time cap or keep up with others.

In part, it was the knowledge that I could go at my own pace that allowed me to give myself permission to forego the band support for the pull-ups. I knew I had time to do the pull-ups as singles, even if it took me longer.

While it can be helpful to have people to “race against” in a workout, ultimately the competition is within yourself.

I was able to push myself out of my comfort zone and score some huge personal wins without creating a trauma to my nervous system — exactly what we want from a good workout.

Beyond the Workout:

Everyone has a different pace in life. Just like trees and flowers, we all bloom at different times. One pace is not necessarily better than another. When we try to measure ourselves by the speed of others’ accomplishments or progress, we set ourselves up for self-criticism and self-defeat.

What’s important is that you embrace your pace and stick to your plan. Even if it seems others are passing you by, remember that ultimately, the race is with yourself.

(5) Ignore “Best Practices”

After doing Murph, I read some articles with advice about how to approach the workout. Many seasoned CrossFit coaches advise that if you can’t complete it in 60 minutes, then you should scale it.

I’m so glad I didn’t read those articles before I did the workout. If I had, I might never have known what I was capable of.

Sure, if I had scaled the workout to do banded pull-ups I could have finished faster. But I know I can do pull-ups with support. Pushing myself to find a way to complete 100 pull-ups was part of the challenge of this workout, and what helped me see a strength I didn’t know I had.

The confidence from accomplishing something unexpected translates beyond the workout.

Beyond the Workout

The world is full of would-be “experts” ready to give you advice about what to do and how to do it. Although their advice may contain some good nuggets of wisdom, nobody can be a better expert on you than you.

Only you know your body and your mind. Only you know your strengths. Ultimately, it’s up to you to find the best practices that work for you.