Isolated and burdened, I found brotherhood, purpose, and healing through F3.

I discovered F3 providentially. Following a few years of recovery from substance abuse and working diligently on my spiritual, mental, and physical health, I realized I needed fellowship with like-minded who were leaders in their homes, professions, and communities.

I first heard about F3 during a podcast, and a few days later saw this weird group of dudes pulling a truck in the LibertyFest parade here in Edmond, OK. The truck had a banner on the side reading: "FITNESS FELLOWSHIP FAITH". A few days after that, my wife showed me a Facebook post for our region. I figured the Lord was trying to get my attention, so I EH'd myself and posted for the first time on August 1, 2024.

By this point in my life I'd been working out consistently for 5 years and was in decent shape, but was pleasantly surprised at the simplify and primitive nature of the workout, which I soon learned was colloquially called a beatdown. This AO is located in a park I which I'd spent my childhood and teenage years, so it was a novel way to reconnect with the simple joy of being outdoors and connected to my body without the distractions of a climate-controlled gym. We did bear crawls, burpees, and a lot of pushups.

I was hooked.

I kept coming back and Qd my first workout two weeks after my first beatdown. I went headfirst into IronPax and was soon asked to serve as 3rd F Q for our region.

I should stop for a moment to mention that I've been in recovery for substance abuse since July 2019, and F3 has allowed me to share with others how the Lord can work in their lives if they realize they're not the center of the universe. The men of F3 have supported a lot of milestones in my own recovery journey, and have also donated their time and treasure to supporting our 3rd F events benefitting local nonprofits which serve those struggling with mental health and substance abuse disorders.

I have been posting consistently since August 2024 and have been blessed beyond measure by the brotherhood, wisdom, accountability, and service I've found in our region. Since joining, I have: laughed more than I have in my entire adult life; walked with men as they navigate marriage, career, and other relational challenges; celebrated wins and mourned losses; and have become a more present, focused, and supportive man for my wife, friends, and family.

Joining F3 is like getting an all-access pass to what makes a modern man effective in his home, workplace, and community. You learn from men in all stages of life.

It is easy to describe F3 by what it is, but equally important to describe what it is not. F3 is not a product to be consumed; you will be asked to serve and contribute in equal measure to the benefit you receive from it. F3 is not a fitness club; if you're only chasing biometric data, you are sorely mistaken about what is being accomplished here. F3 is not a fix-all for all the problems in your life, but I've never seen a man whose life did not improve by consistently posting in the gloom.

When you join F3, you will be asked to become a better man, and you will not be left where you were found. If you haven't yet, please try it out. You have nothing to lose but the status quo.

Austin Marshall / 37 / Huffy

F3–Tornado Alley