Phil is Head Coach and founder of Private Boxing Lessons.

"As a professional boxer, with more than 40 fights under my belt, I have gathered a wide range of experience and have held a boxing trainer's licence since 1986. As a trainer, I have worked with many boxers, both amateur and professional, as well as a number of top-rated athletes.

My desire to enable athletes to recover more quickly from the effects of boxing led me to successfully complete a Diploma in Massage and Physical Culture.

As well as teaching the physical aspects of boxing, I always strive to share avoidance and awareness skills. Having worked as a doorperson, it has been crucial to use such skills to diffuse potentially dangerous situations. My personal attitude towards any kind of violence is to avoid confrontations at all costs. Unfortunately, in the world in which we live, this is not always an option. However, being able to rely upon controlled boxing skills can substantially minimise the risk of injury and harm.

I am also an advocate of other forms of self defence. I am experienced in the field of kick-boxing, having fought competitively for a number of years. My interest in this area, and my quest to develop my skills, has led me to investigate the art of grappling. This is a basic form of wrestling, but requires the athlete to apply a series of carefully executed locks. Grappling is a long established skill, which when delivered correctly, should be non-aggressive and designed only to diffuse potential conflict.

I believe that the sporting art forms I have studied help to improve the mechanics of the body and the mind. They enable participants not only to keep fit, but to develop a heightened sense of personal awareness - surely invaluable skills in the climate in which we live today."

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