This is it. 26.3 is the final workout of the 2026 CrossFit Open. Three weeks of work come down to this: burpees and a barbell that keeps getting heavier. Whether you're chasing a Quarterfinals spot, a personal best, or just want to finish the Open strong, this one deserves your full attention. Here's everything you need to know before you step up to the bar.
The Workout
Three waves. Each wave is two rounds of the same structure: burpees over the bar, cleans, burpees over the bar, thrusters. The weights go up with every wave. The time cap is 16 minutes and you change your own plates.
That's 144 burpees over the bar, 72 cleans, and 72 thrusters if you go the distance. The clock never stops. Weight changes happen on your own time between rounds.
What Makes This One Hard
On paper it looks like a conditioning test. It is. But the trap is the burpees. They feel easy in wave 1. You're fresh, the weight is light, and 12 reps goes by fast. By wave 3, those same 12 burpees are costing you far more than they should because you spent yourself getting there.
The thrusters are the other variable. At the heaviest weight, 135 lb for men and 85 lb for women, the thruster is no longer just conditioning. It's a strength test. Athletes who don't have the legs left to squat clean and stand up 12 times will stall here, and every second the clock keeps running.
Managing your plate changes is also part of the workout. You can start changing weights after finishing the second round of thrusters in each wave. Plan this beforehand. A fumbled plate change in a 16-minute cap is a bad trade.
The burpees feel easy until they don't. By wave 3 you're paying for every rep you rushed in wave 1.
All Divisions
Strategy
Set a rhythm you can hold for all six rounds. Slow and steady on the burpees means you arrive at the barbell with something left. Sprinting them in wave 1 is a mistake you pay for in wave 3.
Know exactly which plates you're adding and in what order before the clock starts. Lay them out within reach. Every second you spend confused at the barbell is a second you don't get back.
Don't try to go unbroken on the thrusters, especially at the heavier weights. A planned break of 7-5 or 6-6 keeps you moving. Failing a rep mid-set costs more time and more energy.
The cleans come right after the burpees. Take a breath before you pull. Touch-and-go if you can, but singles with a quick drop and reset are fine. Get your heart rate down before the thrusters start.
Watch the Official Announcement
Who Can Compete?
Everyone. The Open has divisions for all levels: Rx, Scaled, Foundations, Age Groups, and Adaptive. Pick your division, do the work, and submit your score on the CrossFit Games website before Monday March 16 at 5 p.m. PT. That's the deadline for 26.3 and your final ranking in the 2026 Open.
Gear Note
26.3 is all barbell. No pull-up bar, no rings. Your hands will be fine for this one. But if the rest of the Open taught you anything about bar work, the Quarterfinals will have more of it. Now is a good time to get a pair of CrossFit grips sorted before the next stage. And if double-unders are part of your training between now and then, our jump ropes are worth a look.
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