Memorial Day is a time for barbecues and spending time with loved ones, but most importantly, it’s a day to honor the service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Actor John Krasinski, among others, took time before Memorial Day to acknowledge these brave men and women and challenge his followers to participate in The Murph Challenge, as reported by Fox News.
The Murph Challenge is a demanding workout circuit created by U.S. Navy SEAL LT. Michael Murphy during his deployment. Murphy tragically died in combat and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery. Many may recognize Murphy’s story from the film Lone Survivor, a 2013 biographical war drama based on the 2007 non-fiction book by Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson. The film depicts the ill-fated Operation Red Wings during the war in Afghanistan, where a four-man SEAL reconnaissance and surveillance team was tasked with locating Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. Luttrell was the sole survivor of the mission.
Krasinski and his trainer, Don Saladino, shared a message on Thursday wearing Murph Challenge t-shirts. The post can be viewed on Instagram:
Krasinski wrote, “Memorial Day is coming up. Take a moment of your day Monday to say thank you to the brave men and women who laid down there (sic) lives for all of us. Wanna do a little something more? Take the #TheMurphChallenge!!”
The workout consists of:
While not explicitly stated, the Murph workout is often performed while wearing a 20-pound vest, simulating the weight of equipment carried by soldiers in combat. Krasinski tagged fellow actors Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Chris Pratt, both of whom have completed the challenge in the past.
Pratt shared a video of his workout on May 16th:
He captioned the post, “Thank you to Lt. Michael P Murphy and the millions of soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We live this life because you laid down yours, gratitude and prayers for all of you.”
Johnson and Krasinski completed the challenge last Memorial Day. Johnson shared his experience on Instagram:
“An honor to drop sweat and pain for #TheMurphChallenge. Thank you brother @johnkrasinski for the challenge. And most importantly, thank you to our men and women of our US military – past and present. And boundless gratitude to their families at home who endure it all as well. Great day of sweat, pain and a few miscounts in the #IronParadise,” wrote the “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” star.
Consider participating in the Murph Challenge this Memorial Day to honor the fallen and test your own physical limits. It’s a great way to remember the sacrifices made for our freedom.