xUx Fresno gym opens for veterans

Fresno, CALIF. (KFSN) -- Organizers hope a new Fresno gym, by veterans and for veterans, will ease the transition from military to civilian life. After just a few months in business, members say xUx Fresno is making a world of difference.

A run through an East Central Fresno parking lot and intense weightlifting might not look like therapy. But that's exactly what it is for these veterans. After his second deployment to Afghanistan, Chris Fernando knew he needed help: "The onslaught of PTSD actually kicked into overdrive coming back home. I needed to find another place so what better to do than open our own place? And to offer the same help to other veterans that are going through the same ordeal as I am." he and co-founder Richard McBee -- who served two tours of duty in Iraq -- started xUx Fresno, a one-of-a-kind cross functional training facility that caters to active and retired members of the military. McBee explained, "The same as if we were on deployment. We're on deployment, we're working together as a team. This is a team in here. We can help each other recover from there." Fernando says the gym has given him purpose and healing, "Helps me take that out here, rather than going home and taking that out, or getting in trouble or drinking or doing drugs or thinking about suicide."

The gym also works with the Disabled American Veterans Department of California to strengthen wounded warriors. People like Crystalinda Tovar, who injured her knee on a night mission in Afghanistan: "They understand. I like that they cater to the injury that I have and they can work around it. I can still get a good workout in."

New recruits can also train at xUx to get ready for basic training. The gym's motto: "patriots training patriots." Making sure our nation's heroes are equipped with both strong bodies and strong minds.

The idea for xUx Fresno was years in the making, but it was only after the two men attended business workshops at SCORE that they were able to get it off the ground. xUx is working on getting its non-profit status. Veterans get discounted rates -- but the gym is open to the public as well! For membership information, go to their website or Facebook page.