Benchmark WOD

Open 18.5 Rx

The Workout

AMRAP 7 mins, ascending ladder: 3 Thrusters (100/65 lb) + 3 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups, adding 3 reps per round (repeat of Open 11.6 and 12.5, chosen by athlete vote).

Primary movement: Thrusters/C2B

What is Open 18.5 Rx?

Open 18.5 was democracy in suffering: the community voted between three candidate finals, and chose the legendary 7-minute thruster/chest-to-bar ladder for its third Open appearance - the most-repeated workout in Open history. Three generations of athletes (2011, 2012, 2018) share this exact leaderboard, making it the closest thing CrossFit has to a timeless standard test of short-course engine and grit.

What is a good Open 18.5 Rx time?

Level (Reps)MenWomen
beginner5045
intermediate7568
advanced10090
elite125+115+

Total reps in 7 minutes.

Tips & Strategy

The eternal ladder playbook: sprint the free rounds (through 9), premeditate the 12s and 15s (thrusters 7-5 or 8-7, C2B in 4s), and convert the final minute into relentless singles. One refinement age has taught: the transition discipline matters more than set size - athletes who walk to the bar in 2 seconds beat athletes who rest 8 seconds to do bigger sets, every time, at every level.

Scaled & Beginner Versions

Scaled: 65/45 lb thrusters and chin-over-bar pull-ups, same ladder.

Track your Open 18.5 Rx PR

Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.