On a cold, winter Saturday in West Chester, just before the sun is up, 15 local men are gathering at the Union Centre clocktower to work out. The guys of F3 Nation are pumped to greet the day and each other for an hour of sweat therapy. More than 5,000 groups of men like this one will meet in 410 regions around the world at various times throughout the week to exercise together. Not only are they getting fit, but they are also forming friendships and changing each others’ lives for the better.
The three F’s of F3 Nation are Fitness, Fellowship and Faith. Based on five core principles, the group is free, open to all men, held outdoors—rain or shine, peer led and ends with a closing moment called the Circle of Trust. Each man goes by a nickname coined by the others. In the West Chester group this morning, there’s Trucks, Scantron, and the Breakfast Brothers, Goetta and Over Easy, among others.
Omaha has been the leader of the West Chester group since it started in June 2023.
“We usually get about six to ten guys at this location,” he explains. “Some of the guys in the group travel for work and check out other F3 groups while they’re out of town. We have visitors that show up here, too.”
The exercises vary each week, as led by a different member of the group each session. There could be a lot of running. There may be mountain climbers and what they call “big boy sit-ups.” No matter which routines are introduced, it’s likely there will be encouraging words and laughter.
“It's about the relationships,” shares Noonan. “I'm from a big family, but they're all over the country. These guys have become my other family, and we love each other like brothers.”
The gatherings may start with an interest in fitness, but the men will be the first to tell you that they keep coming back for the fellowship, which fosters relationships and accountability.
“I turned 50 this year and I wouldn't do this by myself,” shares Chaps. “I show up for the guys—you don't want to let anybody down. That keeps me motivated.”
He continues, “We've helped guys going through divorces, we've walked guys through parents dying, mental health issues. It's really about friendship,” he adds.
After an hour of exercise, the men gather in a circle to share about their lives and part with faith, believing not in a shared religion, but that something bigger than themselves exists. One F3 philosophy is that of “picking up the six,” or watching out for someone’s back. They “Leave no man behind, but leave no man where you find him.”
“We talk about ‘picking up the six’—not leaving any man behind,” says Spam. “I am often ‘the six,’ or at least more than I’d like, but it's so important to come out and help other guys. We’ve got each other’s backs.”
No doubt about it, F3 Nation is changing lives.
“There’s a magnetic force with F3 that is hard to explain. It gives me an opportunity to share some bonds and have a pack,” shares Boone. “F3 invites me to extend myself beyond the workouts to grow into a fuller version of myself.”
Over Easy agrees, “I've been doing this for almost three years. It changed my life."
Join F3 Nation West Chester
West Chester hosts two F3 Nation groups each week: Wednesdays at 5:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 7 a.m. Meet Omaha and the rest of the crew behind the Union Centre clocktower to join in the fun and be appointed your own nickname. Find details, swag and alternate locations and times online. F3Nation.com, F3Cincinnati.wordpress.com