Beware hazards of one of the toughest workout challenges

Beware hazards of one of the toughest workout challenges


The Murph Challenge isn’t a workout for the couch potatoes of the universe. Indeed, a gym rat with a perfect physique might stumble on this one.

The drill is named after Lieutenant Michael Murphy. He was a Navy SEAL posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor after his 2005 combat death in Afghanistan. The movie “Lone Survivor” is based on the battle.

The drill has gained popularity in the military-style workout community and is a Memorial Day tradition.

Just describing it hurts — run a mile, then do 100 pullups, 200 pushups and 300 squats before running another mile. Men do all this wearing a 20-pound vest, women wear 14 pounds. Except for the running, the other tasks can be broken into manageable bits.

Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook fame says he completed the challenge in 40 minutes.

This physical test is meant to build strength and endurance. But there are hazards even if you are super-fit. That according to an article by British scientist Christopher Gaffney in The Conversation, an online publisher of reseach-based news.

He says the Murph is particularly difficult because it involves most major muscle groups. Back and shoulders. The chest. Legs and torso. The heart.

Gaffney notes CrossFit enthusiasts reported in one survey 3.1 injuries for every 1,000 hours of training. That’s comparable to intense sports like rugby.

Of course, it’s unlikely most of those exercisers endured the Murph.

Also, one potential threat to anyone taking the challenge is that muscle damage can release proteins in the blood, causing kidney damage.

If you plan to try the Murph, Gaffney says, work up to it.

It’s exercise, not war.

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