Full name of the organization:
F3 - Fitness, Fellowship & Faith. To be clear, faith has no particular denomination. We define faith as the belief in something bigger than yourself.
What are the core tenets of F3?
- Free of Charge: All workouts are free to attend, ensuring accessibility for anyone.
- Open to All Men: Regardless of age, experience level, or background, all men are welcome to participate.
- Held Outdoors: Workouts take place outdoors, rain or shine, emphasizing resilience and a connection with nature.
- Peer-Led: Workouts are led by fellow members who rotate, fostering a sense of community and leadership.
- End with a Circle of Trust: Each workout concludes with a "Circle of Trust," a time for men to connect, share, and support one another.
What is the mission of F3?
The mission of F3 is “to plant, grow & serve small workout groups for men for the invigoration of male community leadership”. Men initially come to know us as a workout group in town, but almost all men come back for the fellowship and to help give back to the community through our group.
F3 really has hit on the issue of male loneliness. After college, work, getting married, and having kids, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of isolation and hard to make meaningful friendships with other men. F3 gives an outlet for men to meet in an environment that supports vulnerability and emotional support. Men build friendships with other men differently than women do. We need shared experiences and shared suffering to build those bonds and connections. F3 is the perfect environment for that.
How do members fulfill that purpose?
There are lots of opportunities to lead within F3. Things as simple as bringing coffee to a workout so everyone can have some fellowship after the workout, or leading an “AO” (Area of Operation), and coordinating volunteers to lead each week. F3 is a peer-led organization, meaning that anyone in the group can lead a workout. We have around 22 weekly workouts throughout Charlottesville, that is 22 opportunities to step up and lead a group of men. We also step up and lead in the community by doing annual food drives, gifts for underserved kids at Christmas, and leading/organizing The Haven 8k race annually, which is their single largest fundraiser of the year.
What else should readers know about F3?
We have a very supportive and inclusive culture that focuses on men of ALL fitness levels. I’ve seen guys who couldn’t finish workouts, but our group rallies around them to make sure they still feel included. The F3 motto is "we will not leave any man behind, and we will not leave any man where we find him.”
Every man gets a nickname after their first workout. Mine is Cheesy Poof, which was derived from my previous career with Utz Potato Chips. This is an important part of F3. We shed our identity… and come to the group as [our nicknames], which puts everyone on a level playing field socially. It’s not about what you do, how much money you make, or what social circles you run in. It’s about having a shared experience to continually get better together.
Also, [it’s] important to point out that we have a sister organization with the same principles called FiA - Females in Action. Check out www.fianation.com.
How can potential new members get involved or learn more?
The best place to start is by jumping into a workout that is on our calendar or emailing us directly so we can give you more information about getting involved. f3cville.com