Sifu Don Reynolds

Sifu Don Reynolds had an interest in the martial arts at an early age, inspired by Bruce Lee, Batman, Zorro, and Drizzt. He first learned Judo at the Boyertown, PA YMCA in the 1980s. He also learned some Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido. He became more serious about training after high school and studied Tang Soo Do in Norristown, PA in the 1990s. During sparring sessions, his Tang Soo Do instructor would often use elegant, unfamiliar Tai Chi moves that were highly effective, which led to his interest in traditional Chinese martial arts. Sifu Don eventually studied Northern Eagle Style Kung Fu and Tai Chi under Sifu Sarah Gelhorn in Douglassville, PA in the late 1990s.

In 2000, Year of the Dragon, Sifu Don had the great fortune of finding Sigung Norman Smith teaching Tien Shan Pai in Norristown, PA after moving to the area. Shortly after that, Sigung Norman Smith opened the Northern Shaolin Academy in Audubon, PA. Sifu Don has since trained in Tien Shan Pai, Yang Style Tai Chi, Sun Style Tai Chi, Wing Chun, Hung Gar, Wushu, Lion Dance, Hsing I, Liu He Ba Fa, and Jin Shan Pai under Sigung Norman Smith, Sifu Jamal El, Sifu Billy Williams, Sifu Eric Richardson, Sifu Dr. Denise Richardson, Sifu Louis Diaz, Sifu Tom Hardy, and others.

Sifu Don competed in forms, weapons, and sparring in many tournaments throughout northeast USA in the 2000s. Sifu Don earned his black sash in 2008 and a third-degree black sash in 2018. He was inducted into the Philadelphia Historic Martial Arts Society Hall of Fame in 2022. He currently teaches Tien Shan Pai and Tai Chi at Northern Shaolin Academy in an attempt to preserve and pass on the style.

"Finding so many talented Sifus under Sigung Smith such as Sifu Jamal El, Sifu Billy Williams, Sifu Eric Richardson, Sifu Dr. Denise Richardson, and Sifu Louis Diaz was a blessing. I feel very lucky to have not only one, but 6 incredible masters who pass on their art with integrity, care, and respect. Every student is given personalized attention and each instructor offers unique perspectives and experience. I feel a huge responsibility to earn their instruction with patience and extremely hard and diligent training so that I can pass on this great knowledge to others. Training is challenging and sashes are not simply paid for or handed out every few months. I am very proud to be a dedicated student and assistant instructor at the Northern Shaolin Kung Fu and Tai Chi Academy.

The variety of training offered at Northern Shaolin Kung Fu and Tai Chi Academy is incredible. Whether you chose to learn the long range flowing system of Tien Shan Pai, the short/long range powerful Hung Gar system, the internal Tai Chi styles, the entertaining Lion Dance, or the physically demanding contemporary Wushu sets - we have it all. The internal systems such as Yang Style Tai Chi really give me balance and good health. Cross training gives you a new perspective and will really complement your other styles. No matter which system you chose, you will have the ability to learn meditation, proper breathing, stretches and body opening, exercises, traditional hand and weapon forms, as well as two man hand and weapon sets. You are given application for everything shown, which you can only get at a quality school. In addition we have locks and holds, self defense, and sparring lessons as well. You will learn the language, lineage, history, and legends behind everything you are shown. We participate in several traditional tournaments a year as a class, including the international Kuoshu competition. The Northern Shaolin Kung Fu and Tai Chi Academy has everything a person could ask for.

The benefits of training are immediate and obvious. My body has completely changed since I began training with Sigung Norman Smith. I am lean and muscular. I have strong, low stances. I am faster and more flexible than I ever thought possible. I have learned a lot about the human body and how to increase my overall health. I have an outlet to relieve stress, which has allowed me to be more relaxed. I have become 100% more confident. I have learned effective self-defense techniques. Not to mention I have gained an entire school of close friends who are like family to me now.

My attitude and motivations have changed drastically since I started as well. At first I was interested in self-defense and getting in shape. Now I want to work hard to preserve and pass on our traditional styles, and I owe it to my teachers to be an example of how good they truly are. Traditional Chinese martial arts training has helped me tremendously in life. Seeing what I have accomplished in kung fu has given me the confidence that I can accomplish anything to which I fully dedicate myself. I approach everything in life like I do kung fu. The more you give of yourself, the more you will receive in return. I recommend Chinese martial arts to anyone, and if you try Northern Shaolin Kung Fu and Tai Chi Academy you will not be disappointed."

Sifu Don trained with Bryan Schultz of the Dillman Karate International pressure point fighting system and certified instructor of the Kiai Jitsu sound projection fighting and healing system. Together, they traveled to various martial arts schools in Philadelphia, meeting and befriending instructors from other styles, forming an advanced Sunday workshop, where they practiced, sparred, and compared techniques and philosophy.

Sifu Don is very interested in the internal and metaphysical aspects of martial arts. He studies western and Chinese medicine, acupoints, elemental energy, yin yang theory, and sound theory as it applies to healing and martial arts. Sifu Don practices Taoist body opening, qigong, and meditation. His studies include various classic Chinese texts including the Tao De Ching and I Ching.

Sifu Don is also a software developer. He maintains Northern Shaolin Academy's website, chronicling all he learns, as well as providing research and philosophy of his own for future generations. Sifu Don has contributed to Chinese martial arts articles on Wikipedia. His custom diagrams of the diurnal cycle and five elements have been published in several books.