Master Fuechsel of Carbondale along with Master Johnny CW Kang and Master Michelle Kang has plans to take taekwondo to the masses.

Doug Fuechsel was the brainchild of PRO-TKD, now he has visions of sharing his passion for taekwondo with the masses, one strategic kick and well-placed arc hand to the throat at a time.

The Carbondale resident, better known as Master Fuechsel, earned his black belt in the martial art 45 years ago after extensive studies in South Korea and training in the United States. He dropped out of college after one year to study taekwondo after being inspired by the Bruce Lee movie “Enter the Dragon.”

To say he loves the discipline is an understatement. He has taught it full-time since 1976 and in the Roaring Fork Valley since moving here in 1992. He is currently president of the U.S. Taekwondo Committee.

Master Fuechsel, 65, is thinking big on how to inspire more people to take up the martial art.

“I help others understand their destiny. Kicking and punching is the fun part.” – Master Fuechsel

“I’m a teacher. That’s my destiny,” he said recently during a break at an Aspen gym. “I have understood my destiny. I help others understand their destiny. Kicking and punching is the fun part.”

Taekwondo is perfect for kids taking on bullies on the playground, women defending themselves, senior citizens avoiding exploitation and virtually anybody needing protection.

“We’re trying to equip people with skills,” Fuechsel said. “When fear has a chokehold on you, you can’t do anything.”

To reach a broader audience, Fuechsel plans to make a series of instructional videos available online to subscribers. Each episode will feature different actions and skills involved in taekwondo and will empower people with awareness, safety tips and self defense techniques.

He initially had Master Munok Kim flying from Korea to Aspen to start filming on May 10. COVID-19 delivered a knock out blow to that plan. ROK Army Warrior is in the bag for 2021.

He’s working with Masters Johnny CW Kang and Michelle Kang from the San Francisco Bay Area on the Warrior and Senior Warrior video series. They started rehearsing Sept. 17 at Jean-Robert’s Gym in Aspen, Colorado, before filming through the weekend.

They will produce 12 episodes of Warrior Taekwondo USA and 12 episodes of Senior Warrior Taekwondo, which utilizes walking sticks and every tool available — “biting, eye gouging, all that stuff,” Fuechsel said. “We’re using a lot more weaponry in Senior Taekwondo to give them an advantage against an attack.”

Fuechsel and the Kangs demonstrate the various moves in the instruction videos.

The production is handled by award winning producers, film experts and sound engineers. Directed by Bob Griffiths of Firedancer Productions, winner of 35 Telly Awards, 22 Communicator Awards, a New York Festivals Gold Award, 2 National ITVA Awards as well as other major awards. The production has also acquired the talents of Michael Burns of Colorado Audio Visual and Design, an award winning professional team that does production and filming for tv, theater and film and does work for Cirque De Soleil and HBO.

While rehearsing Sept. 17 in a studio in the gym, Johnny CW Kang held a thick brick that represented an attacker. “Throat” is written prominently on the concrete.

Fuechsel demonstrated how to sidestep the would-be attacker, then moved into position to deliver a blow with the meat of his palm to the attacker’s throat, pulverizing the brick.

Fuechsel and the Kangs are drawing on their combined 100 years of experience as Taekwondo experts and instructors to create the instructional clips. There is no detailed script to be followed, just notes the master practitioners have jotted down.

“The content is all coming out of their heads,” Griffiths said.

During a break, Fuechsel said he is confident they will reach “millions” of people who might not otherwise take taekwondo — from newcomers to people knocking off rust or advancing their skills. He noted that there are more than estimated 10 million people in the U.S. who have studied taekwondo.“We’re about restoring love and honor back to taekwondo,” he said.

New students start as white belts. They gain confidence and physical strength.

“By the time you’re a red belt, the chains holding you back are gone, the chains of fear and doubt,” he said. “Fear is what limits us. It keeps you from your potential.”

Studying taekwondo can change that and provide benefits for all walks of life, he said.

“Now you’re set free,” Fuechsel said.

They have hired media and marketing director, Jenny Nguyen, and Dario Leventini of 7×7 Consultants to acquire the title sponsors and other advertisers as well as to help bring the taekwondo series to the mainstream.

The instructional videos will be available by subscription in late November/early December at http://www.warriorUSA.net.

“We’re going big time on this,” Fuechsel said.