Meet Conor Murphy: Navy Veteran, CrossFit Coach & the Force Behind Big Night Fitness

If you've spent any time in Boston's fitness scene, chances are you've crossed paths with Conor Murphy — whether at a Big Night Fitness event, on the floor at CrossFit Charlestown, or at a station with the Boston Fire Department. Conor is one of those rare people who shows up fully in everything he does: coaching, community building, fatherhood, firefighting, and somehow still finding time to longboard and make it to brunch.

We sat down with Conor to talk about his journey from the Navy to gym ownership, what it really takes to build a community-driven fitness brand, and what's coming up at the second annual Harpoon FitFest.

1. How did your own fitness journey begin, and what ultimately led you into coaching and gym ownership?

I grew up playing a lot of sports, so training was always tied to whatever I was competing in at the time. It wasn't until I enlisted in the Navy and started preparing for BUD/S that my training became truly intentional. Around 2008, I was introduced to CrossFit and I was immediately hooked. It brought objectivity to fitness and a level of discipline I hadn't experienced before.

When I left the Navy, training was the one constant I had. It had given me such powerful results that sharing it with others felt like the natural next step.

2. You've built Big Night Fitness into a respected, community-driven brand. What was your original vision when you started, and how has it evolved?

Big Night Fitness was born during the pandemic. Our nightlife venues already had the space, and trainers needed a place to work, so it made sense to bring those together.

As things normalized, people returned to their home gyms and daily class attendance shifted. That forced us to evolve. We leaned into creating larger, one-off fitness experiences and events that highlight trainers, bring different communities together, and feel bigger than a typical class. That shift really became the identity of what we do now.

3. Before opening your own space, what experiences most shaped how you think about training, leadership, and building community?

Every CrossFit affiliate I've trained at, coached at, owned, or taught seminars in has had a unique culture. No two are the same, but the best ones all have strong leadership and a genuine sense of care.

You realize pretty quickly that a gym becomes a reflection of its owners and coaches — it's an echo chamber. I've learned a lot from great leaders and just as much from examples of what not to do.

At the end of the day, the three most important principles are: care, care, and care. Care about your people, their progress, and their experience. Everything else builds from that.

4. Big Night Fitness became known for high-level private training. What made you want to expand into a larger group fitness and CrossFit model?

I've been involved with CrossFit affiliates for most of my career — that's always been where my passion is.

I've had the opportunity to work with high-profile and A-list clients, which has been an incredible experience. But I've never really connected with the label "celebrity trainer." What I enjoy most is being on the floor, coaching group classes, and building something real within a community. Helping your friends get their first muscle up, shed 100+ lbs, and improve all of their health markers — that's what it's all about.

Expanding into a group model and opening CrossFit Charlestown was about getting back to that while still being able to serve clients at a high level.

5. How did the idea for CrossFit Charlestown come together, and why did Charlestown feel like the right fit?

Big Night Entertainment Group needed a warehouse space for storage, production, and A/V. When we found the space, it had enough room to build out a small gym — which originally was going to be just a production studio gym for on-demand content.

At first, it wasn't meant to be public, but after hosting events and running classes there, people kept asking for more. So we leaned into it. We partnered with our friends at CrossFit Tilt, and within a few months, CrossFit Charlestown was up and running.

6. CrossFit Charlestown is officially open. What has the response been like so far, and what are you most excited to continue building there?

The response has been exactly what we hoped for. We've built a small, dedicated group that's bought into the program and is already seeing real results.

We're growing steadily — about one to two members per week — but the focus isn't on how fast we grow. It's on the people who are already in the room. If we take care of them, growth will come naturally. And when more people are ready, we'll be ready for them.

7. How do you create an environment that feels both high-performance and welcoming, especially for people who may feel intimidated by CrossFit?

CrossFit can definitely feel intimidating from the outside — people see the CrossFit Games, hear stories about brutal workouts, and assume it's not for them.

We can't control those perceptions, but we can control the experience people have when they walk through our doors. Our coaches are exceptional at meeting people where they are. Scaling, teaching, correcting movement — those are the things that build confidence. Over time, people realize they're capable of more than they thought, and that's where the real transformation happens.

8. You balance a lot: running a business, serving as a firefighter, being a dad, and staying active in your own training. How do you manage it all and stay grounded?

Honestly — not perfectly. (Shoutout to the Skylight calendar.)

But I try to approach life with the mindset that it's meant to be lived fully. I love coaching, so I built a gym. I became obsessed with learning and getting better at it, which led to working with high-level clients and building a training business around that. I've always wanted to drive a fire truck, so I put myself in a position to join the Boston Fire Department. I value my friendships, my faith, and my family, so I make time for them.

The key has been learning how to organize it all so nothing important slips through the cracks. And I've had a lot of help with that — my girlfriend, Marguerite, has played a huge role in not only organization, but keeping me grounded and aligned.

9. This is the second annual Harpoon FitFest. What made you want to be involved, and what can people expect this year?

We created FitFest to deliver an unforgettable fitness experience. Boston already has an incredible fitness scene — shoutout literally Fit Scene 🙌 — and this is our way of contributing to it: by bringing people together, highlighting great coaches, and pushing the experience forward.

This year will be bigger, more refined, and a lot of fun. I'm really excited about it.

Rapid Fire

1. Perfect day off in Boston? Coach an early morning class (I know it says day off but this is what I want), train with friends right after, brunch — maybe a mimosa or two — an outdoor activity like golf, fishing, or longboarding, a nap, BBQ at the house with friends, bonfire at night, and asleep before 10pm.
2. Favorite workout: long grind, heavy lift, or quick burner? I can't love one without the other, but if I have to choose — a quick burner. High skill, sprint style, lay on the ground sizzling after for 20 minutes.
3. Go-to pump-up song? Depends on the mood, but "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore has been a staple. "Second & Sebring" by Of Mice & Men — handle with caution.
4. Coffee order + where are you getting it in Charlestown? I'm on an iced Americano kick if their espresso is good, or I'm making it at home. Tatte Charlestown is always reliable — and the people there are great.
5. One piece of advice you'd give your younger self just starting out? Don't take yourself too seriously. One of my best friends told me a quote his father would say that has stuck with me: "Take your responsibilities seriously, yourself — not at all." Life is too short to have an ego. The best feeling in the world is people wanting to be around you, not people fearing you.

Conor is one of those people who makes the fitness community better just by being in it — and CrossFit Charlestown is a direct reflection of that. If you've been curious about CrossFit or just want to train somewhere that genuinely cares, this is your sign to drop in.

And if you want to experience what Conor and the Big Night Fitness crew bring to a larger stage, don't miss the second annual Harpoon FitFest — tickets and details are available now — grab yours here.

Follow Conor on Instagram @conortmurphy and check out CrossFit Charlestown and Big Night Fitness for more. 💪