My martial arts journey began in 1995, aged 20, when I took up Kempo Ryu Karate kickboxing under the expert instruction of former British Kempo Karate champion and 10th Dan black belt Phil Cawood.

I loved the kickboxing element and was hooked right from the start. It gave me confidence, I got stronger, and made some great friends. I found hitting the pads was a welcome stress relief! After achieving my black belt in 2003 I gradually became more interested in the technical side of things, self defence techniques and principles. In 2008 I qualified as a CYQ exercise instructor and Boxercise and Kickboxercise instructor, and began teaching my own classes.

I still train in the Kempo system, and have returned to teaching after a break.

Martial arts can be a very complex thing to learn and fully understand, and not everyone wants to commit their whole life to learning one of these systems. However, there are some basic elements which are useful, quick to learn, and have strength and fitness benefits that can be brought to a beginner quite quickly. My goal is to reach as many people as possible who might be put off by the daunting prospect of years of learning before they feel effective in their moves. I want to give them knowledge of how to move their bodies safely and efficiently to help them achieve their goals.