The martial arts guru has been running Faiferlick Martial Arts for more than 40 years and the neighboring Next Edge Performance Gym since 2020 in its current location on South 25th Street. It offers the best of many opportunities that are usually only available in bigger locales.

“My wife and I wanted to bring a place to Fort Dodge that offered the amenities of cryotherapy, red light therapy, fitness pod, sauna, sensory deprivation room with a zero-body float, and an oxygen bar,” he said. “When this location first came open, we were just a small business in the La James Building just across Fifth Avenue South.”

“We were all ready to go at the beginning of 2020 but then COVID hit,” he added. “We used that time to train some workers to be ready to go when we could open. It was a hard start In the beginning, but once we got this new spot, things started to move well.”

So much so that the clientele list reached in the mid-200s at its peak — a strong addition to the martial arts studio.

“The idea from the beginning was to connect both places together,” Faiferlick said. “I didn’t want to have one in one spot and one in another. These two businesses really complement each other.”

The one situation that doesn’t fit into the equation is the tough medical battle that Faiferlick is facing. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer after some tests that found a tumor in his brain. “My family and I are taking one day at a time and enjoying doing so,” he said. “Some lesions are still growing but overall, my cancer is stable. I can live forever in stable condition and plan on fighting every day. I am taking treatment, but there isn’t anything additional that can be done. “

“My family and friends are what is important right now, along with leaving a legacy of grace, which includes large family Sunday dinners,” the former Air National Guard lieutenant colonel and still martial arts grand master said of time together.

“We want to take some stress and tasks off our plate, so we decided to sell Next Edge Performance,” he added. “I’m still of the opinion that this type of gym can flourish in Fort Dodge now. We know there’s a good fit for someone out there.”

Individuals can reach out to Faiferlick via email at justin.faiferlick@gmail.com or phone and text at 515-570-7532.