The last Monday in May is Memorial Day, a time to honor the men and women who lost their lives while serving in our nation’s military. The purpose of this day is to memorialize the veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country. As Americans, we take this time to reflect on their bravery and service, which has afforded us the freedom to pursue health, happiness, and justice.
From all of us at Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, we feel immense gratitude for our fallen heroes and their families. We live in the land of the free because of these brave men and women.
Each of us commemorates this special day in different ways. Many of us gather with family and friends for a cookout, while others visit national cemeteries where our veterans are laid to rest. Did you know that some observe Memorial Day by participating in fitness challenges? That’s right, and when you think about it, it makes perfect sense. There’s something that just feels right about dedicating your workout to our amazing military. While your muscles are burning, your heart is pumping, and your body is sweating, you keep pushing forward in honor of those who gave their all for us.
This Memorial Day, let’s explore these fitness challenges, as well as other ways to stay active and healthy throughout the summer.
The Annual Memorial Day Murph Challenge
The Murph Challenge is a “workout of the day” (WOD) named after U.S. Navy SEAL Lieutenant Michael Murphy who was killed in action on June 28, 2005. Lt. Murphy died while on a mission to find a Taliban leader in Afghanistan. When his team came under attack, Lt. Murphy left his area of cover and exposed himself to enemy gunfire so that he could communicate their position and request backup from headquarters. At one point, Lt. Murphy was shot in the back but still completed his call and valiantly fought the enemy until he perished.
In his honor, The Murph Challenge WOD was first posted on August 18, 2005, and is completed every year on Memorial Day by many Navy SEALs and fitness enthusiasts.
It’s said that this WOD was one of Murphy’s favorites, one he named “Body Armor.” Here’s what the workout involves, in this order:
- A 1-mile run
- 100 pullups
- 200 pushups
- 300 air squats
- Another 1-mile run
… all while wearing body armor or a 20-pound weighted vest. This workout takes at least 45 minutes to an hour, and is indeed intense. In 2014, The Murph Challenge started to collect funds for a scholarship foundation named after him, and has so far raised more than $1 million.
Workouts Honoring Our Heroes
In addition to the Murph Challenge, there are thousands of other WODs — called “Hero WODs” — that are dedicated to the fallen on Memorial Day. These special workouts are often named after a specific hero who died in action and involve a combination of countless different physical challenges, including:
- Running
- Burpees
- Pushups
- Lunges
- Sit-ups
- Squats
- Wall climbs
- Deadlifts
- Power cleans
- Kettlebell swings
- Power snatches
- Wall sits
- Box jumps
- Rowing
- Handstand pushups
Ways to Stay Healthy on Memorial Day and All Summer Long
In addition to completing a fitness challenge or Hero WOD, there are many other ways you can focus on healthier habits for Memorial Day that can last throughout the summer season. If you plan ahead, you can keep your summer days relaxing, enjoyable, and healthy. Here are a few ideas to get started.
Stay active
Memorial Day kicks off a summertime full of picnics and other get-togethers. Whatever your plans might be, try to involve some sort of physical activity like walking the dog, taking a hike, playing kickball, cycling, canoeing, skating, or swimming in the pool.
Grill smarter
Most of us will be firing up the grill on Memorial Day and beyond, but that doesn’t mean you have to eat high-calorie options like bacon cheeseburgers (although those are delicious!) The grill can also provide you with an abundance of high-protein, nutrition-packed, lower-calorie options like grilled fish (salmon, tilapia, grouper, tuna), grilled chicken and turkey, shish kebabs, and grilled veggies (zucchini, bell pepper, onions, asparagus, corn, potatoes). Are you in the mood for something sweet? How about grilled pineapple, peaches, or strawberries on a skewer?
Bring something healthy
If you’re gathering with family and friends, chances are you’ll want to bring something along to be a part of the “pot luck” dining experience. Take a healthy side dish, lean protein to add to the grill, or a big bowl of fruit salad. That way you know you’ll have healthy options to choose from as you dig into dinner with your loved ones.
Stay hydrated
Since you’ll likely be outside a lot on Memorial Day and throughout the summer, remember to drink lots of water. It’s easy to become dehydrated in the hot weather, especially if you’re consuming an adult beverage or two. Speaking of which, try to limit your alcohol consumption, as this will help you avoid dehydration and empty calories.
AFAC Gym Wishes You a Healthy and Happy Memorial Day and Summer Season
The team at AFAC gym wishes you and your loved ones a Memorial Day full of health and happiness that kicks off an amazing summer season. In between all the fun in the months ahead, we hope to see you often at our Thornton gym. From our free-weights and weight machines to our cardiovascular equipment and classes, we offer the best fitness adventures in the greater Thornton, CO, area. We also have many other tools to assist in recovery and tracking your progress, including our hydromassage bed, cryotherapy chamber, Myzone exercise tracking program, and body composition assessments. Feel free to stop by and visit us anytime or contact our gym owner, Susan at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club for assistance.
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