Andy Craig Founder/Director/Coach

Andyhas been involved in professional sport both as a player and as a trainer for the past 10 years. Andy's is an ex semi-professional rugby league player who now enjoys playing the sport of Aussie Rules Football.  

A Personal Trainer, Fitness Manager and Strength & Conditioning Coach Andy does a lot of work with individuals and sports teams alike and also provides similar services for children between the ages of 6-16. 

Andy is qualified as a:

  • Level 3 personal trainer (Premier Training)
  • BWLA Weightlifting for Sport Instructor
  • Sports massage therapist (Premier Training)
  • Level 1 Crossfit trainer
  • Gym Instruction (Premier Training)
  • Circuit trainer
  • SAQ fundamental movement instructor (SAQ International)
  • Kettlebell instructor (Crossfit London)
  • Boxercise instructor (Boxercise)

"I have taken the decision to not renew my membership with REPS.  This is purely for the fact that I want to develop my coaching in areas that benefit my clients, students and members.  Being forced to study disciplines that have no reference to what I coach just to stay on the register does not sit well with me.  This doesn't mean that I do not study.  I study daily, but on things that benefit me and my clients!

Pic to follow shortly 

Paul McCabe - Director/Trainer

An avid martial artist since childhood Paul has trained in Karate, Kung Fu, Kickboxing before finding his calling in Muay Thai at KO Gym in London for whom he fought professionally and coached. Paul brings both physical and mental training to the CrossFit Reading coaching team and he runs classes both in our CrossBox and CrossFit sessions. Paul holds a Level 3 Personal Training qualification and in addition to his personal clients and the sessions he runs for CrossFit Reading he freelances and runs a number of classes including studio cycling, circuits and boxercise.  

After graduating Paul gained project management experience with in the sales and marketing industry. The wealth of experience gained in this field gave him the ability to move in to the industry he loved and become involved in the management of a gym and its team of fitness instructors and personal trainers. 

An avid CrossFitter himself Paul has vast experience with the methods and programming we prescribe. He has great experience with Kettlebells having completed numerous practical and coaching workshops. Currently he is working hard towards his Olympic lifting qualification this being the next goal in his coaching career. 

Paul's friendly but no nonsense style of coaching means the sessions will be fun but tough. He aims to be approachable but expects full commitment from those attending the sessions.

Using CrossFit methods of training and a strong emphasis on weight management Paul has built a large group of loyal clients in his current day to day situation.  

If the truth be told Paul relies on a consistent training regime to combat the side effects of his love of cheese…..

Pic to come

Thong Van Cao - Director/Trainer

Thong is a Level 3 qualified personal trainer, a CrossFit Level 1 certified trainer and holds a BWLA Certificate of Competence in Olympic lifting Instruction for Other Sports.   Battling the iron or other people (sometimes about how to pronounce his name), his passions and energies have always focused around training and combat sports. As well as being fully qualified Fitness Professional, Thong is a qualified instructor in Phillipino Martial Arts, having previously coached teams for national stick fighting tournaments, as well himself being a finalist at the British Stick Fighting Championships (WEKAF) in both single stick and double stick events. Thong has also been part of the British Stick Fighting Team that competed in European Championships. Going even further back in history, his sporting experiences include county level athletics (many years ago) and qualifying for the national bodybuilding championships.    

His next competitive ambition is to compete in Olympic weightlifting…just in time for 2012. He is also currently putting together a master plan to help his two children become world class athletes…he's not sure what the plan is and doesn't know what discipline it will be yet…All this in between helping people achieving goals beyond their expectations.

 

Chris Chapman BSc (Hons), A. Nutr.

Chris is our nutritionist.  After a 9-year personal interest in Nutrition, he finally bit the bullet and attended Reading University, graduating in 2009 with a First Class Honours degree in Nutrition and Food Science and then becoming an Associate Nutritionist with the Nutrition Society. He is now working as a freelance Nutritionist while studying for a PhD in Nutrition.

Chris works with a wide range of people, either to remedy specific complaints, or simply to optimise the fuel they put into their body. As a long-time Crossfitter Chris is well versed in the Zone and Paleo Diets, and works with fellow Crossfitters to maximise their training potential through what they eat.

Chris is a firm believer that good nutrition is something everyone should enjoy; it is not about living solely on nuts and seeds, nut about making small changes to what you normally eat in to get the best from what you eat.