For Time (no cap): 21-18-15-12-9-6-3 Thrusters (95/65 lb) and Bar-Facing Burpees (repeat of Open 14.5).
Primary movement: Thrusters/Burpees
Open 16.5 brought back 14.5's uncapped thruster-burpee ladder, and with it the Open's purest psychological contract: 168 reps stand between you and the end, and time is not coming to save you. Famously, Rich Froning and Dan Bailey raced it side by side on the announcement floor. As a repeat it poses the cleanest fitness question in the Open catalog: same 84 thrusters, same 84 burpees - are you actually faster than the athlete you were?
| Level (Time) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | 25:00+ | 27:00+ |
| intermediate | 17:00 | 19:00 |
| advanced | 12:30 | 14:00 |
| elite | sub 9:30 | sub 11:00 |
Identical truth to 14.5: the workout is decided in the 21s and 18s, where voluntary breaks (12-9, 10-8) feel cowardly and are correct. Burpees at one eternal rhythm - step over, turn, drop - because every acceleration there is a loan against the 15s. From the 12s down, the door is visible: thrusters unbroken, burpees slightly faster each round, and the 3-3 finale at a genuine sprint. Log your split at the end of the 15s for next time.
Scaled: 65/45 lb thrusters and regular burpees, same ladder.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.