Get to Know Sweden's Camilla Salomonsson Hellman

November 12th, 2024

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • Get to know Swedish Games athlete and TV star Camilla Salomonsson Hellman.

  • Check out some great insights into prioritizing your members’ needs and expectations from Jason Ackerman and Jason Fernandez (Best Hour of Their Day).

  • A new study suggests that one kind of belly fat might be healthier than others: the kind that exists in people who exercise regularly. Learn more below.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“If I had a dollar for every weird thing I’ve been practicing over the years. I guess I’d have enough to retire.” - Brent Fikowski makes a joke after demonstrating his prowess on the horizontal pegboard

PROFILE

Credit: Kronan Throwdown

From TV Star to Competitor to PFAA Member, Camilla Salomonsson Hellman Faces the Unknown and Unknowable

In the fall of 2023, little did anyone know that four-time CrossFit Games athlete Camilla Salomonsson Hellman was filming and competing in Sweden’s version of SAS: Who Dares Wins. 

  • This television show challenges contestants to grueling physical and mental tests meant to mimic the training protocol of the United Kingdom and Swedish Special Forces. 

Flashback 

In the fall of 2021, while pregnant, Salomonsson Hellman and her partner were watching a past season of the show. She said aloud while watching the contestants, “I could do that.” Her partner agreed, and the seed was planted in the back of her mind. 

Two years later, she applied to be on the show and after a round of physical tests and an interview, she was selected and filmed the multi-episode season last year. 

  • “It was harder than I thought. Physically though, I handled many of the challenges and felt very prepared from training CrossFit and Functional Fitness.”

However, the other component of the competition, the mental aspect, proved to be the most difficult. 

  • “The mental side – it tested a lot of adaptability – dealing with surprises, things that I find scary, and the feeling of being insecure. I was asked beforehand about what makes me uncomfortable. I have problems handling cold water during longer periods or holding my breath under water and there was a lot of that. Also, the starvation and sleep deprivation didn’t help,” she shared.

Testing the unknown and unknowable to an extreme degree.

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SPEED READS

🤕🩼 Rogue Invitational Injury Updates: During Event 6: “The Duel IV” at the Rogue Invitational, two athletes went down with lower leg injuries and withdrew from the competition. In the following days, both Henrik Haapalainen and Gabi Migala confirmed that they had ruptured their Achilles tendons.

🏋️🏃PIT Training League: The organizers of the Pit Teen Throwdown announced the creation of a new competition series called the PIT Training League. Learn more and register here.

  • Open to 14-22-year-old athletes, PIT will consist of ten tests over 100 days (this online component will test speed, strength, and endurance), and will culminate in an in-person championship at the Pit Fitness Ranch on June 28-29, 2025.

💪🌎 Fittest on Earth: Final Showdown in Madtown: The 2023 CrossFit Games documentary, Fittest on Earth: Final Showdown in Madtown is now available for preorder on Apple TV.

😎🌴 2024 TYR WZA Miami Beach Tickets Live: TYR Wodapalooza Miami Beach 2025 tickets are officially on sale. Don't miss out on year 13 of the original fitness festival, and celebrate Fitness. Community. Life.

ICYMI: The 2024 Rogue Invitational came to a close yesterday at P&J Live in Aberdeen, Scotland, crowning Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr and Jeffrey Adler as champs. Get caught up here.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Credit: @welcome_to_the_mill / Instagram

The Member-Centric Approach to Coaching CrossFit Classes

As affiliate owners, we easily get caught up in the technical aspects of coaching. We study progressions, perfect our cues, and dial in our programming.

  • But, are we missing the forest for the trees?

The key to a truly outstanding class experience lies not in our coaching expertise but in our ability to prioritize our members' needs and expectations.

The Member-Centric Mindset

Imagine walking into your affiliate as a member. What would make for an enjoyable, engaging class? A few key elements stand out:

  • Class starts and ends on time.

  • A thoughtful warm-up and cool-down.

  • Opportunities for social interaction.

  • Upbeat, motivating music.

  • Clear instruction and demonstrations.

  • A healthy dose of fun and laughter.

RESEARCH

Credit: Rick Barrett / Unsplash

Your Belly Fat Might be Healthier if You Workout, New Research Suggests

You can’t outrun a bad diet, they say.

But, maybe you can? Well, sort of.

A study published in the journal Nature Metabolism in September suggests that one kind of belly fat might be healthier than others: the kind that exists in people who exercise regularly.

The Details

The study’s research team discovered that people with obesity who regularly do aerobic exercise have healthier belly fat tissue than those who are obese and more sedentary.

  • The study included 32 people, 16 men and 16 women, who were either overweight or obese. Half the participants regularly exercised at least four times a week for the last two years, although the average amount of regular exercise among them was 11 years. The other half of the participants lived sedentary lives. 

Fat tissue samples were taken from each of the participant’s bellies to measure the amount of blood flow in their tissue, as well as the rigidity and fibrousness of their fat cells. Further, researchers also examined markers of inflammation.

The Result

Those who exercised were found to have structural changes in their belly fat, also called adipose tissue, which lowers the risk of developing heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

HIGHLIGHTS

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