Neil Walton has over 25 years experience in martial arts. He started as a child in traditional martial arts and in particular the Korean art of Tae Kwon Do, which he studied for approximately 10 years competing in the Olympic sporting side of the art and qualifying as a referee. During this time he trained under Master Kim Yung Ho who was a ninth Dan. Later Neil went on to study various other martial arts in his quest to find the most realistic arts suited for modern day self defence, most notably in Thai Boxing, Western Boxing and Submission grappling.

Neil has trained in Thai Boxing for over 15 years training under Paul Hamilton and DBMA. He has trained in Thailand on numerous occasions and has trained with Stephen Fox, former world Thai Boxing Champion, WMC vice president and the mentor on Contender Muay Thai reality television series.

He has fought in A class professional Thai Boxing bouts competing as part of an England team against other countries including Holland, France, Greece, Thailand, Spain and Scotland. Some of his bouts have been televised and shown on national TV and he has competed abroad on televised events. Neil has also competed in mixed martial arts bouts as well as Pancrase and limited rules grappling tournaments. Neil is an avid practitioner of realistic self-defence. He is a serving Police officer and he has served time as part of a tactical firearms team and been involved in countless numbers of real life confrontation incidents. As a firearms officer he has been involved in operations looking after VIPs including Tony Blair, George Bush and Prince Charles. He is riot trained and building entry trained. Neil has been involved teaching the police personal safety & self-defence for over 10 years and has delivered seminars for police personal safety instructors in grappling techniques.

He has been awarded the rank of instructor by the British Combat Association and trained with the founders Geoff Thompson and Peter Constantine. Neil is also trained in the Israeli self-defence system of Krav Maga. The system used by the Israeli Special Forces as well as other Military and police organizations worldwide. He is a qualified instructor with the International Krav Maga Federation and has trained with their Israeli Global Team including the head of the IKMF Eyal Yanilov. He has taught a realistic self-defence to door staff, police officers, schools and even local celebrities. Neil has also competed in numerous endurance and fitness events including 10k, half marathons and marathon road races as well as off road marathons and fell races. He was part of the winning team in the tough guy event three times in a row and was team member in the super teams endurance event.

Krav Maga is used by the Israeli special forces as a self defence system. Learn Krav Maga, the tried and tested effective and efficient self defence system taught to military and law enforcement units worldwide. Its not a sport, its not a martial art, just realistic answers to modern day self defence problems. Be your own 24 hour bodyguard learning techniques as seen used in the new James Bond and Bourne identity films from an authentic and fully qualified International Krav Maga Federation Instructor.

Neil was voted to stand as President of the IKMF on November 15 2010.

For further information call Darlington Boxing and Martial Arts Academy on 01325 369655 or telephone Neil on 07879644725.