By Andy Furman
NKyTribune staff writer
Keith Johnson says it’s all about EH-ing someone – that’s an Emotional Headlock.
“My neighbor, Bobby Moore, invited me. I weighed about 240 pounds and hadn’t worked out consistently in decades. I was 60,” Keith Johnson told the Northern Kentucky Tribune.
That was the summer of 2024. That was when Johnson was introduced to something called F3.
F3 was born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2011 and has grown to more than 46 states and 3,400-plus scheduled workouts each week through the efforts of men whose lives have been changed by their involvement with F3. The three Fs in the name – Fitness, Fellowship and Faith – the last of which they define as simply a belief in something bigger than one’s self.
The three Core Principles of F3:
• Free of Charge: Never pay to workout, ever
• Open to all Men: No matter the man, age, or fitness level, you are welcome
• Held Outdoors: Rain or Shine, hot or cold, they are there
• Peer Led: Leading each other in a rotating Fashion
• Ends with a Circle of Trust: COT
“As opposed to some other gym style workouts,” Johnson says, “F3 is structured to build a man up, not tear him down.”
Modifying of the exercises is encouraged, he adds, “if that’s what you have to do to complete them,” he said.
In fact, one of the many mantras of F3 – “You do you” – modify as necessary, and “Push yourself, don’t hurt yourself.”
Johnson said one of the aspects he found unique in F3 was “Picking up the six.”
Basically, this is everyone putting themselves last so that everyone can help the last man. And another mantra – “Leave no man behind, but leave no man where you find him.”
“My first BD — Beat Down – what we call workouts,” Johnson said, “we were running. I was in last position. Instead of being ridiculed or having a bunch of young, in-shape dudes standing around waiting on me and rolling their eyes, as soon as they finished they came back for me.
“I really can’t explain the emotional impact and the adrenaline surge a guy gets when he’s struggling to finish a run or some exercises, and a bunch of guys come alongside him and encourage him to the finish,” Johnson said. “It’s quite literally the only way I’ve been able to finish some workouts.”
Johnson has been involved with F3 for a year-and-a half. He’s 61 years old now and says he’s probably in the best shape ever.
“I started F3 at around 240-245 pounds,” he said, “And now I’m constantly at 220-222. Before F3 I probably couldn’t do ten decent pushups and now I can do around 50 and still complete a full workout after that.”
He says not only is he in better physical shape, but in terms of relationships – that, too has improved.
“Another thing we always say in F3 is we come for the fitness, we stay for the fellowship – the F2,” he said. “Before F3, if I ever had a need for help or I was ever in a bad spot personally or emotionally, I’d have struggled to come up with two or three guys I was sure would be there for me.
“Now,” he says, “I know, without a doubt, that if ever had any need, be it something physical or an emotional or a spiritual need, I have dozens of guys to help me, pray for me, show up for me, whatever the need was.”
F3 has helped Johnson get his faith back on track as well, he claims.
“The Faith part of F3 doesn’t necessarily have to be Christian based. It’s basically believing in something bigger or outside of ourselves.
“In the Northern Kentucky region, our third F is pretty much Christian based, but that’s not to say other religions or beliefs wouldn’t be welcome,” Johnson said. “Our only ask would be their respect of our beliefs and, in turn our respect of theirs.”
In short, the mission of F3 is to plant, grow, and serve small workout groups for men for the invigoration of male community leadership.
F3 in Northern Kentucky consists of seven AO’s – Area of Operations – two in Edgewood (The Executive and The Oven); two in Ft. Thomas (The Armory and The Citadel); one in Hebron (The Amazon), one in Florence (The Black Pearl) and one in Independence (The Firehouse).
Hey men — do you dare?