How a CrossFit Hero WOD Is Made: Honoring Sacrifice With Sweat
Hero WODs have been part of CrossFit for 20 years as a way to honor the memories of service members who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
“Murph,” named after Lieutenant Michael Murphy, is arguably the most famous of all. The workout itself includes a one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, and another one-mile run, all with a weighted vest. It’s become a Memorial Day tradition, and its notoriety within the fitness world has led many to believe it was the first official CrossFit benchmark Hero WOD.
Though “Murph” was released all the way back on August 18, 2005, it was actually the third Hero WOD to be introduced.
- The first fallen soldier to be honored with a Hero WOD was Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jeff Taylor, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2005. His workout, “J.T.” – 21-15-9 reps of handstand push-ups, ring dips, and push-ups – was first released by CrossFit the month before “Murph,” on July 6, 2005.
Today, there are 208 official Hero WODs, and Dave Castro discussed how these workouts are created during his Week in Review (WIR) last week.
The Making of a Hero WOD
If you want to honor a fallen service member with a Hero WOD, Castro said the first step is to email CrossFit’s customer service and provide some backstory.
More specifically, a CrossFit spokesperson explained that the email should include background on the person being honored and, of course, the proposed workout.
Furthermore, the family of the fallen service member must approve and sign off on the workout, and the individual being honored must have been an active CrossFit athlete.
- “We have had a ton of requests over the years for Hero workouts for people who didn’t do CrossFit, and it’s a slippery slope,” Castro said.
What Gets Approved?
While the main requirement for potential approval is that the fallen service member must have had a “clear connection to CrossFit,” other important factors include:
- Evidence of heroism and strong values that impacted the person’s community.
- A workout that includes movements the person actually used or was known for, and is challenging enough to honor their memory through shared effort and repetition for ongoing remembrance.
“Essentially, CrossFit wants to honor those who were both part of their community and displayed true heroism through their actions and character,” the CrossFit spokesperson added.
Worth noting: Anyone can submit a request for a new Hero WOD by email here. The person submitting the request does not need to hold a CrossFit Level 1 or be an affiliate owner to be considered.
The Big Picture
The application process might be simple, but having a proposed workout approved as an official CrossFit Hero WOD isn’t easy.
- “Very few [are approved]. Over the years, we have maintained a high bar for new Hero workouts,” CrossFit’s spokesperson said, adding that CrossFit also sometimes makes adjustments to the accepted workouts.
Castro reiterated this in his Week in Review, stating that CrossFit receives so many requests that there is a backlog to get through.
That being said, CrossFit carefully reviews each request on a case-by-case basis, and if approved, it is added to the iconic list of official Hero WODs, which now spans two decades.
