Our Daily Show Interview! Getting To Know: F3 Nation!
ALTON/GODFREY - Local men can come together for a workout group that aims to promote fitness, fellowship and faith.
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F3 Nation is a nationwide workout program, but a local chapter has created a tight-knit community here in the Riverbend. The men will work out together, give each other nicknames, and enjoy the camaraderie, often meeting for coffee or spending time together outside of the morning program. Each workout ends with a Circle of Trust, where the leader shares an inspiring message for the day. For men like Zach, Jess and Aaron, it makes all the difference.
“There’s an epidemic out there of male loneliness in this country, and F3 has been a way to kind of reinvigorate or jumpstart my life,” Aaron said. “This has been a way for me to meet a lot of guys in the community and also to hold myself accountable to reach a new standard.”
On Mondays and Wednesdays, the men meet at 5 a.m. at Glazebrook Park in Godfrey to work out. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, they meet at 5 a.m. at Haskell Park. On Saturdays, they meet at 5 a.m. at the Alton Amphitheater.
While it might just look like “40 guys working out in the dark,” joked Zach, the group is a lot more than the exercise. The camaraderie and community go a long way toward helping the men feel more supported.
But of course, the fitness element is a major part of what they do. They work with 40-pound cinder blocks, called “coupons,” to challenge themselves. A different member leads the workout every day.
For people like Zach, who played sports in high school but lacked motivation after he graduated, the F3 group pushes him to try harder. The group is open to anyone over age 18, and they make a point of honoring and respecting the older members who join them, including a few men in their 60s.
“We all fall into a little bit of the dad bod mode. It’s hard to go to the gym. It’s hard to feel encouraged sometimes,” Zach said. “If you’re a guy that’s struggling to find that knack again, you’re just looking for that group of guys, it’s every day of the week except Fridays and Sundays. It’s 5 o’clock. It’s super consistent. All you have to do is show up. That’s what I tell guys all the time.”
He added that there’s “a little bit of competition” that inspires the men to try harder. But they never leave anybody behind. No matter what your fitness level is going into F3, the group will make sure you’re supported as you finish your workout. You can also modify the workouts as needed.
But the real fun is the “really strong community” that has been created through F3, Jess added. The members lean on each other and work to become “a high-impact man for the betterment of your community” through the camaraderie they foster in F3.
For people like Zach, Aaron and Jess, it means a lot to know they can count on their F3 friends for support. They’re proud of the group they’re building and hope to expand in the future.
“When I joined F3, I was in a really low spot. I had just been fired from my job, and I was just searching for a sense of community, a sense of belonging,” Jess remembered. “I just said yes. I just showed up. And it’s been one of the most transformational things for me.”
For more information about F3 in Alton and Godfrey, call or text 618-978-1965.
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