Saved My Life

It was just a little over three years ago that my colleague Greg McBrayer (F3 Play-D’oh) invited me to join a small group of men who were working out a couple of times a week at Ashland University’s field house. I was feeling flabby and not sleeping well, so I decided to take him up on his offer.

It wasn’t my first experience working out. I had actually started a few years earlier working with a personal trainer and going to the gym 2 or 3 times a week. Then at some point my trainer told me that I didn’t need him anymore. I kept going, but looking back I never pushed myself all that hard. I thought I was in okay shape, but not for what I was about to do. Those workouts were much harder than anything I’d done before. I found out that I couldn’t run a quarter-mile without stopping, and could do maybe two pull-ups. For the first few months I was sore all the time.

It turns out that Greg was part of F3, although none of us apart from him knew what that was. He explained that it was basically what we were doing already—a group of men working out together, taking turns leading the workout. One thing, though: F3 required that all workouts had to be outside.

That sounded like a deal breaker and not only to me. This is Ohio, where below-zero temperatures are not at all uncommon during the winter. We were supposed to work out during the freezing cold, the rain, and the snow?

For some crazy reason we went along with it. That summer, early on a Saturday morning, a few of us traveled to Columbus to join a Q (getting used to the terminology was—and still is—a challenge for me). At the end we all received our F3 nicknames. Each of us took turns standing in the middle of a circle and saying a few things about ourselves, so the others could get ideas. I mentioned that I was a big Star Wars fan, and Greg immediately chimed in, “Who’s the lamest Star Wars character?” That’s how I came to be called JarJar. Turns out Greg had that nickname planned all along.

Three years later, exercise has become a way of life for me. I attend three F3 workouts a week, plus a few of us hit the university’s gym a couple of days a week to lift weights. I can’t emphasize enough the value of working out with others. These men, whom I’ve come to regard as brothers, have pushed me harder than I’ve ever pushed myself. At the same time, they do it in a gentle and encouraging way; our motto is “modify as needed”—if there’s an exercise you simply can’t do, then do something else instead. We all work to make better men of ourselves and one another.

My involvement with F3 has been especially good for my mental health. Middle-aged men often say they have no friends. I have a bunch of them today, and I’m as close to them as I have been to any friends I’ve ever had.

And let me add that, at age 55, I’m in the best physical condition of my life. Growing up I was always kind of a skinny, wimpy kid. In my 30s I was flabbier, but still wimpy. Not today. I know it’s vain, but I love going to the pool or the beach, knowing that I look better than most of the guys half my age.

Back in 2019, only a couple of months after I started, I told some colleagues that Greg, by inviting me to work out with him, had probably saved my life. I meant it then, and I mean it now. Thanks, brother.

-JarJar

Excuses

Guys who belong to F3 are always on the lookout for other men that they can ‘headlock’. Headlocking another guy means to invite him to join the PAX, and if he resists, to keep applying subtle pressure until he eventually yields and gives it a try. Most people that are F3 regulars probably said “no” several times before eventually posting to their first workout. I said things like “maybe”, and “I’ll think about it”, and “I’m not sure” the first three or four times I was approached. I, like many, had a lot of excuses as to why I didn’t want to post. Here are some of them.

“I need to get in shape before I can join you”

This is probably the biggest misconception that people have, and is often the most common excuse that people use. Guys that need F3 the most are those that haven’t been working out – they’re not in the shape that they’d like to be in – so the idea of getting in shape before you join us just doesn’t make any sense. The way you get into shape is to join F3 – you’ll have an army of guys that will encourage you to push yourself farther than you’ll ever push yourself. Check your pride at the door, realize that you might not be as good or as strong as you used to be, and know that you’ve got a supportive group of dudes who will help you get back to that point.

“I’m not a morning person”

Hell, I was never a morning person either. Yes, F3 workouts are early in the morning. Before joining F3, the thought of rolling out of bed before the sun rises and working out was not appealing to me at all. That’s because most people get out of bed and workout alone – that’s no fun regardless of what time of day you’re doing it. There is something about working out with a bunch of your buddies that make those early mornings tolerable. All you need to do is go to bed a little bit earlier so you can get the beauty sleep you need. Once you start getting up early, going to bed earlier than you’re used to won’t be a problem!

“I don’t like the cold”

Yes, F3 workouts are always held outdoors – rain or shine, hot or cold. Those early morning workouts in January and February can be brutal. But, there is only one thing you need to remember – layers. Under Armour, sweatpants, sweatshirts, and good gloves and socks are a must. Once you start moving, you’ll probably even start sweating. The key to cold weather workouts is keeping your fingers and toes warm. Our guys have a lot of experience with cold weather workouts, and can give any new member tips and suggestions on what gear you’ll need.

I’ve been at this for nearly three years now. Prior to joining F3, I could never commit to working out for more than a few months at a time before I’d stop and take a lot of time off. Not anymore. Stop using the tired, old, excuses that we all used before joining this group. Get to bed early, wake up early, and join us in the gloom. It’ll be one of the best decisions you can make.

-Freud

Resolutions

It's the first New Year's resolution I've ever really kept.

Exactly a year ago, I realized I was in terrible shape, had never had any kind of fitness regimen, and needed to make some serious changes, so I made a resolution to start exercising. After a few lonely mornings on the elliptical machine, which left me bored and sensing that I was getting nowhere fast, I knew that wasn't the answer. But I knew several people who raved about their experience working out with F3 Ashland. So I took a leap of faith, bought some cold weather exercise clothes, and showed up at my first workout on January 9, 2021.

I posted 118 times in 2021, in the heat and the cold; in darkness and sunshine and rain and snow and fog. I now wake up before 5:00 three mornings a week and before 6:00 on Saturdays, often questioning my own judgment as I roll out of bed, but realizing as soon as I walk into the stadium that it's where I want to be and where I need to be. And on New Year's Day, during my first workout of 2022, I reflected on how far I've come over the past year. A year ago, could I imagine doing a 5K race? A hundred or even two hundred pushups at a time? Forty-five minutes of dragging around sandbags and cinder blocks and truck tires? Completing a Murph? (Heck, I didn't even know what a Murph was.) Planning and leading a group workout on my own?

But it's not all about the exercise. What makes it all possible, even enjoyable, is the support of some great friends. These guys have pushed me, challenged me, refused to let me back down from the hard stuff, and encouraged me to be the best man I can be. We all need that. It's good for the body and good for the soul. Along the way, we share each other's joys and sorrows. And we laugh together. A lot.

If you're looking to change your life in the new year, come work out with us. You'll never find a more supportive group of guys. And that's what makes us more than just an exercise group. From the minute you show up, we're in your corner.

-Marcia (originally posted on Facebook January 3, 2022)