Trainer takes inspiration from military

At CrossFit LWR, it’s an honor to complete a “Murph.”

Just ask those who are trained by the facility’s owner, Aaron Weedo, who named the exercise in honor of Michael “Murph” Murphy.

Murphy was the Navy Seal who was awarded the Medal of Honor following his death during a battle in Afghanistan in 2005.

CrossFit’s goal, from its website, is to “force athletes to focus inward when things get uncomfortable”

So Weedo, who has a tremendous respect for anyone who has served in the military, designed a workout that would have made Murph smile.

The routine consists of a one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 pushups, 300 air squats and another one-mile run.

There’s no time limit, and Murph can take even experienced CrossFitters more than 20 minutes to complete.

It was designed by Weedo, whose family has a legacy of military service.  

“These workouts are important,” said Weedo, who named his dog “Murph.” “It’s important to honor military men and women and to take a minute to remember their sacrifices.”

Fitness has always been part of Weedo’s life. He grew up in Port Charlotte, where he and his father exercised together after his dad put in 11-hour days. Every night, they worked out in their garage, which doubled as a fitness area, complete with weights.

“No matter how tough times were, my dad always had weights at our house,” Weedo said. “I assumed everyone exercised. It was just a part of my life.”

Fitness was important to the Weedo family, as was military service. Weedo’s grandmother was in the U.S. Air Force, his mother was a “military brat,” and his uncle and other family members also served in the military.

Weedo, who attended the U.S. Naval Academy, uses his passion for military and physical fitness to train veterans and other community members at his gym.

“There’s something different about coaching veterans,” Weedo said. “There’s something different about their outlook on life.”