“My friends all have bruised chins, but this isn’t because I’ve punched them, it’s the effect of their jaws dropping when they hear I’ve taken up boxing. On the face of it I’m the last person to brave a gym full of fighters - and I should say I have no intention of actually getting into a fight, either with handbags or in the ring - but as a discipline it’s unexpectedly rewarding.

Chris is an excellent teacher who quickly works out what you’re capable of and how far he can push you in training. Time and again I’ve looked on with horror as he explains what I have to do, either in warm-up or with the gloves, and then find to my amazement that I can do far more than I imagined possible. This sense of achievement usefully translates into a more chin-up attitude in the workplace too.

There’s no doubt that Chris trains you for mental strength as well as physical fitness but he’s also thoughtful and responsive if you have injury issues. I’ve recommended him to friends of all ages, who are joining me as unlikely boxing addicts.”

“I met Chris at the martial arts gym where I was attending two boxing classes a week. When we started training he asked me how hard I wanted to be pushed so I told him let’s go hard! I figured that after a year of boxing classes I could take anything that would be thrown at me- how wrong I was!

Chris took my training to a new level of intensity. He set me goals which I thought were beyond my reach and pushed me hard, all the while encouraging me to challenge what I previously thought was possible- ‘it’s mind over matter’ he kept repeating. Training 1-2-1 with Chris I have surprised myself in terms of what I can achieve and have taken the self-belief and positivity I developed in training into other parts of my life. I like the ethos behind First Principles and feel like I do alot more than personal training- it feels more like personal development sessions sometimes!”

“I’ve been training three times a week with Chris for 18 months. When I started I had never put on a pair of gloves and had no idea what I was doing in a boxing ring! I was doing weights four times a week at the gym but I was bored- I just wanted to try something new and learn a new sport, although I had no real desire to fight.

I’m now at the point where I have had one white collar fight and am training for my second. I love the boxing sessions but Chris also makes sure we do plenty of strength and conditioning to keep me looking buff! My friends actually thought I had got bigger when in fact I had lost weight but leaned out; I just have a more athletic shape now and feel so much more agile and co-ordinated. Most importantly though Chris doesn’t take himself too seriously and our sessions are good fun even when they’re hard- that’s probably the only reason I’ve made it this far!”

“I met Chris when he was an undergraduate at the London School of Economics where I lecture in the Social Policy department. When he left university we stayed in touch and I followed his career- when he started as a personal trainer I thought I had to see what he’d become! I love training with Chris- he converted me to boxing after years of unproductive gym sessions and I’ve never felt better! ”