Our Staff

Clark Niemeyer-Thomas, Founder and Owner Contact Me CrossFit Level 1 Certified (7/2011) CrossFit Movement and Mobility Certified (4/2012) First Aid Certified CPR Certified Automated External Defibrillator Certified

Clark Niemeyer-Thomas is a Denver native and the proud owner of CrossFit South Denver. Clark graduated with dual bachelor’s degrees from Colorado State University where he played water polo and swam in endurance open water races at distances up to 6.2 miles. After graduating from CSU, Clark attended the University of Denver where he successfully completed his Master of Business Administration and Juris Doctor degrees.

Clark is a walking CrossFit success story. While attending law and business school, Clark gained 35 pounds, topping out at a weight of 205 pounds before finding CrossFit. After a few months of CrossFit, Clark’s weight dropped to 169 pounds, while he concurrently doubled his capacity in many olympic lifts and cut his mile run time in half. Clark is passionate about the way CrossFit can improve anyone’s quality of life. If you are looking to enhance your quality of life and boost the way you feel, Clark would love to talk to you about how CrossFit can make your life better!

Steve, Head Trainer Contact Me CrossFit Level 1 Certified (5/2009) CrossFit Concept2 Rowing Certified (2/2010) CrossFit Movement & Mobility Certified (1/2011) CrossFit Olympic Lifting Certified (4/2011) Charles Staley Olympic Lifting  (5/2010) Women’s Self-Defense Institute Instructor (3/2011)

Steve was introduced to CrossFit in 2007 and quickly developed a passion for it. He is a self-professed “adventurer”, and the “be ready for anything” philosophy of CrossFit was perfect for the way he lives his life. Steve is a former US Army officer (engineer corps, airborne), SCUBA instructor, and karate instructor, so becoming a CrossFit instructor was a natural progression for him.

Steve comes from an extensive martial arts background, having trained in various arts for 20 years and achieved black belts in two styles of TaeKwonDo and a 2nd-degree belt in Kenpo Karate; in addition, he has significant training in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (2-strip blue belt) and Phillipino stickfighting (Doce Pares Eskrima level 4). He has competed internationally in full-contact stickfighting, and is a 2-time US national champion and 2004 world champion.

In addition to his CrossFit training, Steve enjoys snowboarding, high-country hiking, adventure travel, and trying anything that looks new and interesting…which has included among other things, wrestling an occasional alligator.

Always an avid and passionate athlete, Randy started CrossFitting while living and training in Oregon in 2003. It didn’t take long for him to become hooked. Early CrossFit coaching experiments involved friends, clients, family and anyone at the gym who would listen. The power of CrossFit training became quickly evident both in his own performance and in everyone he coached.

A Denver native, Randy moved back to Denver in 2005 with a vision of bringing CrossFit to the masses and CrossFit Denver was born. Growing CrossFit Denver was no easy task. Keep in mind that CrossFit Denver was the very first public CrossFit facility in the State, in fact, the first one in a 9 state region. Very few people knew what a kettlebell was, much less a bumper plate, hang clean or kipping pull-up. Slowly but surely, Randy’s passion for CrossFit and coaching began spreading the CrossFit word and educating the masses on its bountiful benefits in life, health and fitness.

Randy has a very broad list of successfully training clients of all ages & fitness levels, diverse in backgrounds, experience, life and fitness goals, from young children to grandmothers, firemen and police women, professional fighters, beauty pageant contestants, soccer moms and high school athletes, corporate wellness programs and weight loss assistance. It is this broad experience that helps Randy to exceed each and every one of his clients’ expectations.

The next evolution of CrossFit Denver began in April of 2009 when we moved to a bigger, better location near Downtown Denver. More classes, more coaches, more equipment…The same incredible results that so many CrossFit Denver clients have experienced. We hope you’ll come join us!

Katrine, Trainer Contact Me CrossFit Level 1 Certified (5/2009)

Katrine started personal training in 1995, long before Crossfit was on anyone’s radar. In 1998, she took a hiatus from personal training while establishing a career in health care. When she discovered Crossfit in April 2008, her passion for fitness and training was rekindled. “I believe in Crossfit and what it can provide you, I think everyone can benefit from it. Not only is Crossfit incredibly fun, it also prepares you for anything. In our daily lives, we can’t predict what sort of physical activity we’ll need to perform, such as when we’ll need to lift something heavier than we’re used to or sprint after something at a moment’s notice; but by doing Crossfit, we know we’ll be able to handle it.” Katrine has a particular interest in women’s health and fitness, and she strongly believes that all women benefit from some sort of strength and conditioning program. Crossfit is the perfect strength and conditioning venue for any fitness level!

Mark, Trainer Contact Me CrossFit Level 1 Certified (9/2009) CrossFit Rowing Certified (2/2010)

Mark started rowing in 1994 in college at PLU in Washington and Northeastern in Boston. After graduation and about 10 years of getting out of shape Mark started rowing again in 2006. In his first race back rowing he finished dead last due to poor conditioning. He rowed over a million meters on the rowing machine the following winter to get back in shape. Since then, Mark has been a competitive rower and sculler, winning both US and Canadian masters national’s titles in multiple boat categories. Mark started to come to CrossFit Denver in 2009 and found it to be a great place to build strength, endurance, and power. Mark enjoys the competitive group dynamic of CrossFit especially when the WOD pushes him to do things outside of his comfort zone (rowing).

Jaimie, Trainer Contact Me CrossFit Level 1 Certified (10/2010) CrossFit Movement and Mobility Certified (1/2011)

Jaimie Lusk thinks everyone needs a little adventure…and Crossfit is a daily mini-adventure! Jaimie grew up in a farm town in Oregon. In high school she excelled on the softball, basketball, and cross country team, as well as the milk-tasting, cheese-tasting, soil judging, and welding team. Jaimie attended the United States Naval Academy, where she raced mountain bikes. She spent four years in the United States Marine Corps as a Logistics officer, and led marines in Kuwait during operation Iraqi Freedom. She also continued to race mountain bikes on the USMC national team until she was honorably discharged in 2005. After her discharge, she moved to Colorado, being drawn by the mountains, and spent most of her time on a bike working as a bike messenger. She sold her truck to ensure she lived within the bounds of a bike messenger income, then couldn’t get to the mountains. No matter, because in 2007 Jaimie traveled by plane to Ireland to kick everyone’s ass in the Cycle Messenger World Championships in Dublin. She returned to the states and promptly gave up messengering for the life of a teacher, where she taught math for two years to middle school and high school students. Jaimie is now pursuing a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, and work at the VA. She has a Crossfit Level 1 Certification as well as a Crossfit Mobility Certification. Jaimie loves Crossfit….and biking!!! Jaimie will throw down any time you want to challenge her on two wheels. She may even beat you in a race between car and bike. Your only chance of victory is to distract her with chocolate.

Monica, Trainer Contact Me CrossFit Level 1 Certified

Monica has been an athlete all her life. She began playing tennis at age 11 through high school, college, satellite, and challenger matches in the U.S. and abroad. Which, of course made the transition from trainee to trainer and coach a very natural decision.

She has more than 16 years experience in the tennis and fitness industry and has trained some of the world’s top athletes, as well as the determined ”weekend warrior”.

Her personal philosophy is ”Train hard and be consistent! You have the same body for your entire life, so you better learn how to take good care of it!”

STRONG is the new skinny!

Monica currently holds several certifications, including A.C.E., ACSM and CrossFit Level 1 Trainer.

She has worked for several years at the best fitness clubs in the U.S. including Equinox Fitness Club on the upper east side in Manhattan, The Gym in midtown Manhattan, and Cherry Creek Athletic Club in Glendale, CO.

From 1995-2005 she taught tennis for NYC parks and recreation and privately for several years. She was also the head coach for Riverdale Country Day schools’ boys and girls JV and Varsity teams.

Recently owner and operator of Ready For Anything Training Gym, Monica is now a member of the CrossFit Denver staff.

Annah, Trainer Contact Me CrossFit Level 1 Certified (1/2011) Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach

Annah was introduced to Crossfit in November of 2009, shortly after moving to Denver from Indianapolis. After fruitless searches for something more than the typical gym experience, she stumbled upon the Crossfit scene with the help of a friend from work. With a background in competitive gymnastics, Crossfit quickly became an avenue for Annah to utilize previously learned skills in daily workouts, as well as grow in other domains of athleticism and fitness. Crossfit has allowed her to excel in areas of fitness that were always seen as ‘weaknesses’, which has better prepared her for the uncertain physical demands of life. Annah also shares passions for sports medicine, nutrition and overall physical and mental wellness. If you desire a drastic improvement in the way you look and feel, come join the Crossfit Denver team, where you will enjoy the transition into the best shape of your life!

Tim, Trainer Contact Me CrossFit Level 1 Certified (1/2011) CrossFit Olympic Lifting Certified (9/2011)

A native of Colorado, Tim was raised in an athletic environment and has maintained his avid passion for fitness throughout his life. Tim has been involved in competitive soccer from a young age, as well as baseball and wrestling. He is also an avid outdoor adventurer, hiking and road biking throughout Colorado. Though his focus has transitioned through different sports and activities the goal has always been the same – to achieve increasingly higher athletic capabilities.

Constantly experimenting with training methods, Tim went from endurance-intensive workouts to bodybuilding-style training in search of results. It wasn’t until Tim found CrossFit that he found the benefits of a full body, functional training method. The results he achieved with CrossFit not only included a reduction in body fat percentage, a 20-25 percent increase in strength and cardio endurance, but it also had a direct impact on his performance on the field and the trails. Tim continues to pursue his athletic passions with more enthusiasm

Tim is a Level 1 Crossfit Instructor and a certified Olympic lifting coach.

Jon, Trainer Contact Me CrossFit Level 1 Certified (5/2011)

A Boston-native, Jon Nickerson moved to Denver in 2010 from New Jersey. While he works day-to-day as an aerospace and defense consultant, he has a life long pass for health and wellness. Due to a busy travel schedule over the past many years, he has tried the gambet of catchy exercise regimens including spin classes, P90X, yoga and pilates, TRX, cardio kickboxing and even Zumba (which is great by the way). When he moved to Denver to enjoy the great outdoors and lifestyle that the city has to offer, he was introduced to CrossFit and found the perfect match of a physical challenge, opportunity to teach and a sense of community.

Jon has been actively involved in athletics throughout his life, competitively playing soccer, wrestling and track during high school, and rugby, ultimate Frisbee, and kayak water polo at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. While at school in Maine, he also enjoyed spending a great deal of time outdoors hiking, skiing and kayaking, which explains his eventual move to Colorado. Jon is a life-long learner and self-experimenter, with hopes of moving from his one man experiments in diets and works outs and applying what he has learned to a PhD program in physical therapy. His experiences have grown into a passion for health and wellness that permeates all that he does.

Jon is now a Level 1 CrossFit Instructor and looks forward to taking part in specialized trainings to grow his understanding of CrossFit and general health and wellness to bring back to the gym to help others.

Tom, Trainer Contact Me CrossFit Level 1 Certified (5/2011) CrossFit Olympic Lifting Certified (4/2011) Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach 720-446-9531

Tom has played baseball competitively since the age of 10, pitching in a semi-pro independent league before a torn ulnar collateral ligament ended his career. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2008. Frustrated with plateaus in his training after rehabilitation, Tom began working out at CrossFit Denver, where he set personal records in each of his lifts, dropped percentage points from his body fat composition and improved his cardio respiratory endurance in just six months time. Experiencing these results first-hand inspired him to shift his focus to helping others overcome health and fitness hurdles in their lives.

These hurdles include preparing serious athletes for the challenges of competitive athletics; coaching people who live an active lifestyle but need that extra push to break through their training plateaus; and helping people reclaim their lives through weight loss, improved strength, increased energy and the numerous associated health benefits that will enable them to enjoy experiences in life that previously seemed out of reach. Tom is constantly inspired by those who set goals for themselves and truly want to make a positive change in their lives.

Tom is also the founder of Your Life Extraordinary, where he  and his wife, Annah, utilize the benefits of the CrossFit training program and meet people where they are – to start building a strong foundation for personal health and fitness, whether it’s in the corporate environment, on the sports field or in a personal training session. Tom is a trainer and an Olympic lifting coach at CrossFit Denver and YLE. He still plays baseball and also enjoys snowboarding, volleyball, tennis and pretty much anything you can do outdoors in the great state of Colorado!

Mike, Trainer CrossFit Level 1 Certified (2008)

Athletics has been a passion and a part of Mike’s identity for as long as he can remember.  From his childhood all the way up through high school, his days were filled with football, basketball, and baseball.  With the onset of his college years, he decided to bring his athletic interests to a new level and began training in number of martial arts including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, Sambo, Boxing, and Wrestling.  After many years and a number of sanctioned fights he made the move from fighter to coach.  This is where CrossFit first became a part of his life.  With a team of boxers, MMA fighters, and grapplers, he needed a more versatile and effective way to prepare his fighter’s fitness levels for competition.  He was introduced to CrossFit and was skeptical at first.  Like so many others, I didn’t understand how a 15 – 20 minute workout could result in better overall fitness levels than a two hour workout full of isolation weight lifting and running.  His skepticism was soon put to rest through a stream of first round MMA victories and several Golden Gloves championships brought home to his gym.

After moving on from the world of combat sports, he found himself skipping from fitness program to fitness program while trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  Each program provided results, yet he found himself growing bored and moving on to a new one after only a few months.   After adopting CrossFit as his own personal program, he finally discovered what was missing.  He needed a sport, not just a workout.  Sports provide competitors both physical and mental challenges while also developing a strong sense of comradery amongst the team.  They create a support system whereby your teammates challenge you to perform at your best.  CrossFit embodies each of those, challenging participants to push themselves physically and mentally while creating a strong sense of “team” whereby everyone from the most to the least fit is encouraged. This encouragement not only pushed him, resulting in rapid changes to his physique, but also gives him something to look forward to each day.

I’ve worked as a fitness professional since 2006, been a part of Crossfit since 2007 and have held a number of certifications including ANSI Accreditation, and CrossFit Level 1 since 2008. His favorite aspect of working as a CrossFit coach is watching members progress and accomplish feats that they have previously thought impossible.