Phil Francis, your karate instructor, is arguably one of Britain’s top karate-ka. A practising 5^th Dan with over 28 years experience and an ex British & English International there can be no better mentor, tutor, teacher and guide for any aspiring sempai (karate student).

Phil Francis started karate at the tender age of 12 after watching his older brother Joe training and began his training in earnest in the junior classes during the 1970’s. In those innocent days 90% of the people practicing karate were adult men, heavily influenced by the Bruce Lee films of the times.

Ishinryu Karate, then, was in its infancy and was jointly run by founding fathers Ticky Donovan and Timmy Francis (no relation to Phil). However, the name Francis would one day become synonymous with karate.

At the adolescent age of eighteen Phil was selected to represent England at the junior European Championships in Paris. It was at this tournament Phil made his indelible mark in Karate by taking second place, the best position any junior English team member has achieved to date.

Phil is not alone in the domination of this prestigious sport. His two brothers and two sisters, all of whom are black belts in Ishinryu Karate, have represented their country at international level (see The Francis Family Legacy Webpage for details). During many glorious years, Phil went on to win many local, national, and international competitions, including the English, British, European bronze medal to mention but a few.

After retiring from competitive Karate, Phil moved onto teaching and started his first club in Eltham, South London, which is still running today. From its fledgling trappings the Eltham Dojo has produced many students who have not only competed but won many local tournaments under Phil’s awesome guidance and tutelage. Many of those same students now teach Karate under Phil’s guiding wing.

In June 2003, after extensive refurbishment, Phil re-opened Barking Dojo, the ancestral and spiritual home of Ishinryu Karate, after it was subjected to wanton vandalism and fire damage in August 2002. At that time Ticky Donovan OBE (OBE bestowed in 1991 for services to English Karate) was still instructing many of the biggest and brightest stars of Ishinryu Karate, but due to ongoing commitments to the English Karate Team was unable to continue at Barking Dojo and rescinded control to Phil.

After much thought and deliberation, Phil renamed the facility as “PARKVIEW FITNESS ACADEMY”. No longer solely a karate dojo and in partnership with his wife, Kam Francis, Parkview now provides Karate, Kick-Boxing, Aerobics, Kick Aerobics and many other specialist courses for the discerning keep fit public.