Philip Walker

Senior Lecturer

Health, Education, Policing and Sciences

Following a 23 year career in the Royal Air Force Police, I initially re-trained and set myself up in private practice delivering strength and conditioning programmes as well as running successful martial arts schools. This private practice allowed me to fund my way through my undergraduate studies and I graduated with a BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences with first class honours in 2010.

I continued my strength and conditioning and martial arts coaching at all levels including professional team sports and individual national champions whilst also studying at masters level in strength and conditioning and qualifying as a sports therapist. During this period, I also wrote the documentation and teaching material for an accelerated degree in strength and conditioning, taking up a full time role to deliver it in 2014.

Professional memberships and activities

  • International Universities Strength and Conditioning Association (IUSCA)
  • United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA)
  • British Weightlifting (BWL)

Academic qualifications

Educational

  • Master of Science (2016) in Strength and Conditioning at University of Salford, Manchester, UK.
  • Bachelor of Science (2010) in Sport and Exercise Sciences, First class degree at Staffordshire University.
  • Post Graduate Certificate (2020) in Higher and Professional Education, Distinction at Staffordshire University
  • Accredited Professional Apprenticeship (APA) (2020) in Higher Education

Professional

  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Expertise

  • Strength and Conditioning
  • Sports Therapy
  • Sports Biomechanics
  • Movement literacy
  • Coaching

Research interests

My research interests revolve around the application of strength and conditioning principles established at elite level sport and cascading them appropriately to other populations, primarily the elderly and paediatric. The overall aim being to use high performance principles in the development of increased health and well-being across populations.

Enterprise and commercial interests

Projects include the development and management of courses utilising the strength and conditioning facility, e.g. British Weightlifting Courses

Teaching

Having previously written and the bespoke accelerated degree in strength and conditioning that had outstanding good degree and employability success, I have transferred that content into a traditional 3 year pathway BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science (Strength and Conditioning). I teach the specialist strength and conditioning elements applying relevant aspects of biomechanics, physiology and coaching alongside the principle of strength and conditioning.

In addition, I supervise undergraduate research projects and provide specialist support to post graduate research projects.

Publications

  • Walker, P., Priestley, T., Needham, R.A. (2019). The effect of acute fatigue on countermovement jump phase characteristics in amateur football players. Poster presented at the 27th International Society of Biomechanics Conference, Calgary, Canada.
  • Needham, R.A., Kiraly, S., Healy, A., Walker, P., & Chockalingam, N. (2019). Does the sport of weightlifting need special shoes? Oral presented at the Footwear Biomechanics Symposium, Kananaskis, Canada.
  • Kiraly, S., Needham, R.A., Healy, A., Walker, P., & Chockalingam, N. (2019). Weightlifting shoes: Are they something special? Oral presented at the Staffordshire Conference on Clinical Biomechanics, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.
  • Needham, R.A., Walley, C., Bodden, J., Walker, P., & Carter, R. (2019). A biomechanical investigation of a Spanish Squat: The effect of trunk inclination on quadriceps activation. Poster presented at the 27th International Society of Biomechanics Conference, Calgary, Canada.
  • Healy, A., Walker, P., Naemi, R., & Chockalingam, N. (2012) Repeatability of WalkinSenseÒ in shoes pressure measurement system: A preliminary study. The Foot 22. 35-39.
  • Burgess-Walker, P., HEALY, A., CHOCKALINGAM, N.,and BARTOLD, S. (2011) Study to characterise the biomechanical variability in different styles of initial foot contact during running. Footwear Science, 3 (sup1). S20-S21.
in the UK for Quality Education

Sustainable Development Goal 4, Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021