Well, friends, you voted, and HQ listened. 18.5 is a repeat of 11.6.

The last event of the Open brought together the three Dottirs — Annie Thorisdottir, Sara Sigmundsdottir, and Katrin Davidsdottir — in their hometown of Iceland. Thorisdottir walked away with the best score, a whopping 178 reps. Davidsdottir wasn’t far behind with 176, and Sigmundsdotir finished third with an impressive 171.

18.5 had even Thorisdottir doubled over and gasping for air, if that tells you anything about this workout. You have seven minutes to get those reps in, so let’s talk about this.

Thrusters

You had to know they were coming. You know the drill here, friends: break them up before you start getting no-repped. Stay close to your barbell when you take longer breaks, and if you want a quick rest between reps, rest at the top of the thruster — not in the front rack position. Keep your core super engaged, breathe and stay calm.

Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups

If you’re doing this workout as prescribed, focus on keeping your C2B pull-ups tight and clean — feet together, toes pointed and flick those legs! Once again, break these up before you hit failure. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not preparing for the beating your grip is going to take, so be sure you show up with leather gymnastics grips, Wodies, pull-up gloves, tape, or whatever your preferred form of hand protection is. (And don’t forget the new standards for work on the pull-up bar!)

Pacing

Thorisdottir said it herself after finishing the workout: pacing is crucial, and she was aiming to not start at too quick a speed. It might be only seven minutes, but thrusters combined with C2B pull-ups allow you zero time to catch your breath. You’re giving 100% effort for 100% of the time, for seven minutes straight. Take breaks accordingly — you will need them.

You’ve come a long way — let’s end on a strong note. We’ve got everything you need for 18.5 — from grips to handcare to knee sleeves and beyond. Shop today and get express or international shipping.