NEWBERRY — A new early morning outdoor fitness group call F3, aimed at the men of Newberry County, will hold its first workout on Aug. 20.
The three components of F3 are fitness, fellowship and faith, member Bryan Thomas said, adding that those three components can also act as the magnet, glue and dynamite.
“Fitness is the magnet that brings everyone out first thing in the morning. It is a good time to get everyone out. As they come out with men around the same age, they develop a relationship, or fellowship. That is the glue,” he said.
The faith acts of the dynamite, the men coming out getting in the best shape of their lives, and building relationships with other men, realizing there is more to life than just them. This will allow them to live outwardly and make their home, community and the world a better place.
“The mission is to plant, grow and serve small workout groups for the invigoration of male community leadership,” said member Damon Sipe.
Sipe added that while the faith is the dynamite, F3 is not a Christian based group. The group is open to anyone and everyone who is a man, and is free.
According to f3nation.com, F3 traces its roots to a free, participant-led boot camp workout held on Saturday mornings at a Charlotte, N.C., park since 2006. The leaders of F3 launched their first Saturday workout on Jan. 1, 2001 on the campus of A.G. Middle School in Charlotte.
F3 is now located largely in the southeast and in various other parts of the country, like Washington state.
“If you look at the locations in South Carolina, we almost have Newberry surrounded,” Thomas said.
F3 groups can be found in Chapin, Greenwood and Winnsboro but the closest workout group is at Chapin High School. Thomas said they currently have men from Pomaria and Prosperity participating in F3.
F3 Newberry has not determined where it will meet, but they do know the first workout will be Saturday.
“The typical response we get is, ‘I want to get in shape,’” Sipe said. “Workouts are hard, but judgment free, and we want you to get in shape with us, like boot camp, trial by fire together.”
When the peer led workouts begin, Thomas said anyone who comes will be welcomed. Workout groups will be led by volunteers, not certified trainers.
“The goal is to rebuild and build community leaders. That starts with a guy coming to F3 wanting to take up leadership. There will be sign-up sheets, and all they have to do is say they want to lead,” Thomas said. “It is up to him to design the workout.”
Workouts will also take place at public venues, like parks or school properties. Thomas said they check before using a venue that might be off limits.
The workouts are typically body weight workouts, meaning there are push ups, sit ups and usually burpees. F3 will use what is available at the location they are using. For example, Thomas said they may use a park bench to do dips.
The workouts are also designed to be constant, so that those who finish faster than others will get a new workout while the others catch up.
Groups will typically meet Tuesdays and Thursdays for 45 minutes, and Saturdays for an hour, before the sun comes up. Sipe said times can be changed to best fit the group.
Each workout will end with a circle of trust, which brings the men together where they will give their birth name, age and F3 nickname.
“Each guy will ultimately get a nickname, mine is Reload,” Thomas said. “This is part of the male bonding.”
Sipe said there is a sister organization called FIA (Females In Action), which can allow husbands and wives to get in better shape together.
Anyone is interested in joining F3 can just attend a workout and say “I am a new guy.” They only recommendation Thomas and Sipe have would be to wear standard workout clothes, and wear workout gloves.
The group is for men 18 and older. Anyone under 18 must come with a guardian.
To find out more about the F3 Newberry, follow them on twitter @F3_Newberry. Twitter is F3’s primary form of communication, according to Sipe.
“I feel in my heart that we are bringing a gift to the men in Newberry,” he said.
