You chose it, and here it is: the last workout of the 2018 Open season. Open Workout 18.5 is 12.5 and 11.6, or you could just call it, “the longest 7 minutes of your life!”

We’ve got 7 minutes of ascending reps of thrusters and chest-to-bar pull-ups. These complementary movement patterns keep you moving as long as you have the stamina and cardiorespiratory endurance to hang on. Just think Fran, but more and harder.  

Overall

The overarching goal of this one is to stave off pull-up failure and resist a metabolic implosion for as long as possible.

First thing to do is dig back into your old Open scores and set a realistic expectation for yourself. If you have been training consistently since then, there is no doubt you will crush your old score! 

Workout 18.5 starts with small sets, luring us into going too fast out of the gate. Don’t do it. The small sets still will go quickly, even when you move steadily. Be calm and smooth because just like Fran, if you go too fast too soon, you can dig yourself into a deficit that you never get out of. 

Make sure to breathe deep! Do this early on during any breaks and also while moving; places like the top of the thruster or the chest opening of the pull-up are perfect for this. Take in big air, even before you think you need to—although that won’t be for long! 

How you pace and how you break up sets will vary based on capacity. Some perspective: Once you are done with the 15s, you have done Fran with chest-to-bar pull-ups, so you can use your Fran time as a good gauge when determining how to tackle this one. For example, if you have a sub-5-minute Fran time, you should be able to get to the 15s. The further below 5 minutes your Fran is, the deeper you will get into the 15s and maybe even into the 18s or more. If Fran takes you 5+ minutes, you might eek through the 15s. The further you are above 5 minutes on Fran, the less likely it is that you will get to and through the 15s.

Finally, depending on your pull-up stamina, recovery capacity and how well your hands hold up, this could be a “one and done.” Because of this, you may need to choose whether, 1. your first attempt will be a “toe in the water” to feel it out for the real attempt, or, 2. you will just go for it the first time.

Did I mention you should breathe? Do it early. Do it often.

Warm-Up

Warm up well to ensure the shoulders and hips are opened up for greatest movement efficiency. Most importantly, get comfortable and in your groove with both movements before starting. Check out @crossfittraining for a warm-up option Thursday night that will get you nicely primed for this one. 

Thrusters

The sets start small, so try not to break these up too early. Simply, you should move well, steadily, not too quickly, and definitely not frantically. Rest at the top of the movement rather than in the front rack. No matter what, there will come a time when you need to break these up. A good gauge of when to break them up is if you are unable to transition quickly to the pull-ups. It does not make sense to push so hard through the thrusters only to stand there and look at the pull-up bar for a while. 

Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups

The less sure you are of your chest-to-bar pull-up stamina, the smarter it is to break the chest-to-bars up sooner rather than later. Breaking into small sets early or even doing them in singles still can get you far, especially if you are disciplined regarding cycle time. Make sure to drop off and quickly hop back on the bar for the next rep. Also, set your pull-up bar up to support this strategy. You do not want to have to take a superman jump every time you need to get back on the bar. There should be clearance to kip without having to jump too high to the bar.

Finally, do not go to failure on any rep, and stick with a pull-up style and grip that are practiced and comfortable for you. That said, as you get toward the end of the workout, switching grip (mixed, underhand, a little wider/narrower) or style may help you grab an extra rep or two.

Close

This is the last workout of the 2018 Open season, and we have the opportunity to give it our all. We will be confronted with the challenge of letting the clock run out vs. pushing through and doing another few reps. Try to stay in the moment. Make yourself proud of the effort, and leave no room to look back and wonder if you could have given more. 

Go get ‘em, and good luck!