How to Q

Welcome!

If you are on this page, it is because you decided to step up to the plate and lead (aka "Q") one of our workouts. Thank you for doing that. All of our workouts are peer led. Below are some thoughts/advice on taking the Q that we hope you will find helpful.  It is kind of a lot, but we want to make sure some core principles are adhered to (e.g. no man gets left behind) and that the quality of the workout is high.

As a first step, read the Guide to your first Q (aka your virgin Q or "VQ") on the F3 website.

One thing new Qs often struggle with is counting correctly!  It sounds so trivial, but it’s not - the group expects the leader to count in a very specific way. Counting reps together keeps us in sync during workouts. If the leader is off on the count, it throws the whole group off.  Fortunately learning the count cadence is very easy, there is a 2 min YouTube video on counting that will get you squared away.

Signing up to Q a workout

• Claim your spot by filling out the Q Calendar

Planning Your First Workout

1. We have an archive of workouts we've completed. Search on Slack for past workouts. Separately, you can copy someone else's workout too. No shame - imitation is flattery!

2. If you want to add something new, there is an exhaustive list of exercises on the F3 Nation website

3. Feel free to add something that is specific to your interest (whether it's from former athletic days or something you picked up in a yoga class), so long as you can do it

   • Remember: "If you can't do it, don't Q it"

4. Your intention for the workout should be to make it challenging enough that the group gets something out of it but not so intense that you demoralize the group. This will come with practice

Executing Your First Workout

1. Always start on time. We're all busy. Don't punish the group because someone is late because he spent 5 minutes "fartsacking"

2. Write out your workout. If the workout consists of multiple exercises, I like to write it out on a piece of cardboard so that the group can reference it

3. Brush up on the mission of F3 & core principles. At the beginning of every workout, we reinforce the mission of F3 and our 5 core principles.

4. Show up a couple of minutes early. Just a couple.  Introduce yourself and see if there are any special instructions for that day.

5. Carry a watch or timing device. Timing a workout can be hard. If the workout is running long, you cut it short by yelling "Omaha!"

6. Warmup (5 mins). The intention is to get the blood flowing and warm the body. This usually consists of some jumping jacks (aka "side straddle hops") or a jog 

7. The workout aka THANG (35 mins). On Saturdays our workouts are an hour long, so you can extend this portion to 50 minutes then.

8. Cooldown/ab work aka MARY (5 mins). We end our workouts with some gut work

9. Never leave a man behind. You may hear this referred to as "picking up the six". If you are leading, you don't have to be the one to run back for the straggler. Ask someone else to do it

Right after the workout

1. Form a circle.

2. Count the number of PAX aka "countarama". Ask the man to your left to count off. Everyone in the circle counts off, ending with you

3. Name/Age/F3 Name "namearama". All the PAX announce their name, age, and F3 name. Depending on the number of people, you may want to record a voice memo on your phone to help you remember all of the names

4. Call for announcements. This is when the group will share any upcoming events and happenings locally or regionally within F3

Circle of Trust

Believe it or not, for some this is the most anxiety provoking aspect of leading a workout.

You can say whatever is on your mind as long as it is respectful. For some guys, they lean secular and share a little about what they're reading or learning. For others, they may share a prayer or something important to them in their faith. Some guys share things their struggling with in their life. Some guys may announce joyous moments in their life. For many of the guys in F3, the CoT is the most impactful moment of a workout. We can workout anywhere and any time, but the CoT is a special way to get to know someone. We encourage you to put just as much thought and planning into your CoT message as you did for the workout.

Later in the morning/day: The backblast

The backblast is a core aspect of what it means to lead a workout. The Q recaps who all attended the workout and what they did. The purpose of a backblast is to provide accountability, build camaraderie, as well as provide inspiration for others.

Writing a backblast isn't easy. You have to remember all of the F3 names and recap all of the pertinent details. The easiest way to do this is to write out the backblast as you're planning the workout. That way, all you need to add are the names of the attendees.

We post our backblasts within Slack using the command /slackblast or /backblast. A window will pop up with the prompt of all the details.

Remember: Our memories are fallible and we forget details over time. We encourage you to post the backblast as soon as you're able, ideally that same day. The other important reason for posting a backblast is that it is a way to capture attendance stats, which the PAX appreciate and creates healthy competition.

Give us Some Feedback

Is there info that's not on this page that you wish there was? Shoot us an email and let us know.  Help us help others.