5x CrossFit Games Champion Shares Tips and Tricks for Conquering the Brutal 26.3 Workout
The 2026 CrossFit Open is coming to an end, wrapping up the three-week-long competition with the 26.3 workout. If you're participating and haven't done so already, there’s still some time to submit your score (or you can always run through this brutal workout as a way to switch things up). The 26.3 workout features a 16-minute time cap with progressively heavier weights, and spoiler alert: lots of burpees.
"Workouts that start with a lighter weight and get progressively heavier are always a trap," says Mat Fraser, five-time CrossFit Games Champion and co-founder of while on earth. "They lure you into staying with a fast pace because the weights feel comfortable, but that comes back to bite as the weight creeps up. It’s a 16-minute workout for pretty much everyone, and very few athletes in the world will get this under the time cap. You want to be able to maintain the same output through the whole workout, so keep asking yourself, 'Can I keep this pace up for 16 minutes?' Hold yourself back from getting too excited in the beginning!"
Fraser shared his pro tips for surviving and thriving through the 26.3 workout. Read on for the full breakdown and the smartest way to approach it.
Related: The Final CrossFit Open 2026 Workout Is Here—And It's a Doozy
Strategy and Tips for CrossFit Open Workout 26.3
As mentioned, this is a burpee-heavy workout, so you'll spend more time knocking those out than under the barbell. For that reason, it's important to balance pacing with control. Burpees are a full-body power move that quickly gets your heart rate up. Fraser suggests staying as low as possible when coming up and out of the burpee, using minimal effort for the jump over the bar. Step up out of each burpee, saving any jumping for the last 60 to 90 seconds.
"I’d recommend opting for singles on the power cleans for most, even in the early rounds. It’s important you use that opportunity to keep control of your breathing and heart rate," Fraser explains. "For the thrusters, taking a small break at 6-6 or 7-5 is a good option. Take advantage of getting oxygen into the lungs when the barbell is descending to the floor before you pick it back up on the power cleans, or when you take a quick break on the thrusters."
Having power and intensity left in the later rounds depends on not depleting your energy system early on, which circles back to avoiding an overly aggressive start. That final bar will demand an extra bit of power on every rep.
"If the last bar feels like a heavy challenge for you, focus on really popping and driving the hips aggressively as you extend. This helps support the shoulder and triceps on the press as much as possible. The hips and glutes are a huge muscle group compared to shoulders and triceps, so make sure they are doing the lion's share of the power for each rep," he adds.
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CrossFit 26.3 Workout
As mentioned, there's a 16-minute time cap on this workout. Each round, you'll increase the weight on the cleans and thrusters. For men, weight 1 is 95 pounds (43kg), weight 2 is 115 pounds (52kg), and weight 3 is 135 pounds (61kg).
"Change one side of the plates on the barbell at 6 reps when on the last set of 12 burpees before the weight increases," Fraser says. "This will help spread out the transition time and keep you consistent in your pacing as you advance through the workout."
2 Rounds:
- 12 burpees over the bar
- 12 cleans, weight 1
- 12 burpees over the bar
- 12 thrusters, weight 1
2 Rounds:
- 12 burpees over the bar
- 12 cleans, weight 2
- 12 burpees over the bar
- 12 thrusters, weight 2
2 Rounds:
- 12 burpees over the bar
- 12 cleans, weight 3
- 12 burpees over the bar
- 12 thrusters, weight 3