DAN TIMLIN'S BIOGRAPHY
&
Meet Our Team
A look into his life
Dan Timlin was born and raised in Lansing, Michigan. His love of the Martial Arts began at the early age of 5. His mother would occasionally take him to her classes at Michigan State, where she attained her master’s degree. During these visits they would walk by a room in the IM building where Dan would watch the Judo and Karate Classes that were taking place.
When the television show Kato was released, Bruce Lee captured Dan’s interest from day one. Dan talked his father into ordering a book for him that was advertised on the back of a comic book, it was titled Ketsugo Jiu Jitsu. When the book arrived in the mail, Dan began to practice on his brother in their basement, throwing him all around. By this time Dan was 7 years old and fell in love with the Martial Arts. His father was a boxer in the Navy and began teaching Dan how to box and he loved it!
In junior high school Dan began taking lessons from a teacher that had an after-school Karate Class, Okinawan Shoran Ryu, he earned his 5-degree black belt in this art. Dan earned several additional instructor levels in multiple Martial Arts. Dan’s love of Bruce Lee’s art (Jeet Kune Do) kept him continually interested from the time he was 7. He continued to follow Bruce Lee and his teachings. Dan would read everything he could get his hands on that had anything to do with Martial Arts.
Remember, at that time there was no internet or YouTube or anything like this. He would train like Bruce and do whatever he could to use the training methods of Bruce. Bruce Lee passed in 1973 and his Art was carried on by his closest student, Dan Inosanto.
Fast forward to his graduation from high school, Dan went to college and had already decided he wanted to open his own Martial Arts School as his career. In those days people thought he was crazy for pursuing this goal. It did not stop Dan. Dan went to his Instructor from Junior High School and asked his permission to open a school and to go and train with Dan Inosanto. His instructor gave him permission and wished him well and the best of success. Dan was his instructor’s number 1 student; Dan was his pride and joy.
At this time, Dan Timlin and I met, Labor Day, September 1977. We began dating and fell in love. I went to college and when I was done with college, I decided to pursue Dan’s dream with him of owning his own business, a Martial Arts School.
Dan worked diligently, day and night, 7 days a week to make things happen. Dan Timlin was always ahead of his time, in many areas. He put the system together so students could learn quickly and be their best. He took the common denominators from all the arts he learned and put them into one system so students would not have to try and train in all the arts. They could get it at Dan Timlin’s Academy.
In addition, Dan Timlin wanted to teach students that Martial Arts was not all about the fighting, it was about the entire person. Dan Timlin was very educated in several philosophies. Dan was a reader and researcher. Dan had a very high IQ, and he was a kind and gentle soul as well as a tough, hardcore Martial Artist, he developed the balance in his life and wanted to help others do the same. Dan incorporated the philosophy of self-development into his teachings of the Martial Arts.
Dan wanted to open Martial Arts up our youth because he would say, “Children are the future of this country, and they need the best of both worlds, the best self-defense, and a great philosophy to live by.
This is just a short overview about Dan Timlin, my husband, my best friend, the love of my life and my soulmate. Dan Timlin passed on July 25, 2020. I have dedicated my life to him and his legacy. This non-profit organization is just one aspect of what I am doing to preserve Dan’s Legacy.
Dr. Rickey Caldwell
2nd Degree Black Belt
Vice President of D.T.L.O.
I began my martial arts journey in April 2000 at the Mid-Michigan Academy of Martial Arts. Eventually, I asked and was hired as a full-time staff member. Mr. Dobyn, Mr. Baer, and Mr. Williams, were part of the Sensei morning instructors class taught by Sensei Timlin for several years. Later, we trained in the evening classes also taught by Sensei and Senior Chief Master Instructor Timlin.
After classes were over, we would talk, often extending into late nights, where we would gather to listen to Sensei Timlin share the rich history and stories of our martial arts and the diverse histories of various systems. Sensei Timlin was a remarkable individual who emphasized self-development in all aspects—physically, mentally, and emotionally. He was a serious practitioner, yet his sense of humor and caring nature profoundly impacted all who trained under him. I pass many of his teachings down to my students as an engineering professor. In fact, I was in Kansas City at an engineering conference. One of my mentees walked up behind me and whispered who motivates the motivator? I reply oneself. She said her husband says this every morning. They have realized that at a certain level of success, we may lose many external motivators, and the highest form of motivation must come from within.
Sensei Timlin's teachings and character have left an indelible mark on my life and, by extension, on many of my students who have not met him nor trained in the martial arts.
