About

About

Sifu Tim Niiler

I’ve been involved in martial arts since I was a kid and have now been practicing for over 38 years. I’ve taught martial arts since 1989 at such places as Penn State Brandywine, Boston University, the University of Delaware, the Delaware Wushu Kungfu Club, the Delaware Karate/Kungfu Academy, Kirk’s Martial Arts, and Westtown School. My primary instructors have been Sifu Anh Nguyen in Southern Boxing, Sifu Anthony Goh in Tian Shan Pai, Sifu Wang Yang (and others) in Contemporary Wushu, and Sifu Henry Gong and Sifu Artie Aviles in Northern Shaolin Longfist Kungfu. I learned my first Taijiquan from Janet Louis, and furthered my studies at Goh’s Kungfu and with Kevin Sun.

During the 1990s I was an avid wushu competitor, and in 1995 was a contender for the U.S. Wushu team in in Changquan, Broadsword, and Staff. In 1998, I placed 3rd in Broadsword in the Pan American Wushu Championships. In the early 1990s I was team captain of the Boston University Taekwondo team.

In my travels, I earned certification from the International Wushu Federation Judge as a judge, and three blackbelts; one in Nanquan, one in Changquan, and one in Taekwondo.

I’ve been a teacher, coach and dorm parent at Westtown School. In addition to teaching Chinese martial arts, I am a teaching professor of physics at Penn State Brandywine. I also hold a Ph.D. in Biomechanics and Movement Science, an M.S. in Physical Education, both from the University of Delaware, an M.A. in Astronomy from Boston University, and a B.S. in Physics, also from the University of Delaware. In my spare time, I do clinical research in biomechanics at AI duPont Hospital for Children and also publish academic papers on the biomechanics of martial arts and the biomechanics of gait and balance.