303-960-5284 | hopper@hoppertraining.com 
Nicholas Hopper, owner of Universal Performance, uses an analytical approach to deliver scientifically sound training programs that are progressive, customized, and safe. His primary career focus lies in the realm of performance training, injury treatment, along with weight management. Individual, couples training, group classes, and online/phone consultations are available.
Education/Certifications/Supplementary Education
- Bachelor of Science, Integrative Physiology CU Boulder
- Over 7000 sessions serviced while employed at 24 Hour Fitness
- Corrective Exercise Specialist NASM
- Personal Trainer NASM
- Sports Fitness Specialist NASM
- Performance Enhancement Specialist NASM
- Two time Weight Lifting Coach USAW
- 8 Hour Fascial Tissue Release/Injury Treatment Workshop
- 15 Week Independent Study in Bio-mechanics under Dr. Kram at CU Boulder
- Featured in Shoutout Colorado March 2022
- Featured in Voyage Denver November 2022
- Featured in Travel Boulder December 2022
Know More About Us
Originally from Illinois, Nicholas moved to Colorado in 2001 to pursue career and life opportunities. He attended University of Colorado Boulder and earned a degree in Integrative Physiology. His studies ranged from Chemistry to Neurophysiology, Biomechanics, as well as an independent study in Biomechanics under the tutelage of Dr. Roger Kram. Nicholas also served a six year term in the United States Marine Corps reserves where he completed leadership courses, worked Toys for Tots, earned the rank of Sergeant, and was honorably discharged. Throughout his collegiate and Marine Corps tenures, Nicholas worked with a corporate chain for 13 years where he held management positions, acquired business skills, and serviced over 7000 training sessions. Nicholas has grown up with athletics, earned a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Amal Easton, and assistant coached for Boulder High School Wrestling. He continues to be involved in both the grappling and Mixed Martial Arts communities. For further recreation, Nicholas and friends impersonate at an old school pro wrestler that has been a lifelong inspiration at road races throughout Colorado.
Testimonial
Steve Eisman
I’ve been working with Nicholas Hopper for over three and a half years. As a coach, Hopper’s approach to my needs have been two-fold: preparing me for upcoming bouts as an amateur combat sports athlete, and to meet the requirements needed to properly execute my duties/obligations as a volunteer firefighter.
I believe Hopper’s attention to detail is second to none. His approach and reasoning for everything he does with his clients always comes exclusively from a scientific approach. Just show up ready to work. He’ll take care of all the programming for you.
Hopper’s approach to training is not for everyone. If you are simply looking to dive head-first into a grueling workout you will not be happy. Hopper takes a very systematic approach to everyone he works with and spends several sessions correcting any bio-mechanical imbalances that need to be addressed prior to putting you through the paces. This process can take anywhere from two or three sessions, to a few months. It is extremely case by case.
Bottom line: if you want to form a business relationship with someone that will stress the importance of things that may seem trivial to you initially, and that will build you into a more efficient, stronger, and functional individual, then I cannot recommend Hopper enough. If you are simply looking to show up at a certain location for an hour and run through an exhausting circuit to shed some weight, there are better options out there for you. Hopper is an investment and well worth the time and effort. Cannot recommend enough.
Liesel Ritchie
I first met Nick in 2009, a couple of years after I moved to Boulder. Prior to that, I’d been a competitive athlete for pretty much my whole life—running track and cross-country at a Division 1 school in the Southeastern Conference, followed by competitive cycling that took me to the 1996 Olympic trials. After moving to Boulder, I didn’t really think I needed a trainer; after all, I thought I knew the kinds of training I needed to be doing, so why should I pay someone to help me? At our first session, he asked what my goals were. I said, simply, that “My goal is to be strong enough and fit enough to do whatever activities I want to do.” And so it began.
It didn’t take long for me to catch on to the fact that I loved Nick’s training style. For me, it was like going to the playground when I was little—every session was different, challenging, fun…. I never got bored. Nick puts a lot of thought into each of his clients’ training programs by offering well-rounded training that is based on research, as well as his many years of experience. He’s demanding, though not in an “I’m going to yell at you until you perform” kind of way. Rather, he’s demanding with respect to getting the most out of each training session, bringing out what he knows I have in me, and motivating me to dig deep—like I did when I was back in college. I truly thought that my days of being an “athlete” were over. But after 8 years of training with Nick, I know that almost anything is possible.
Working with Nick, I became stronger and leaner than ever before—despite being 30 years older! And for the first time in my athletic life, I wasn’t worried about losing weight or being pencil thin. In fact, Nick recommended that I gain 10 pounds so that I could increase my performance levels. That was a first. I took his advice and saw amazing, positive results.
Although I no longer live in Boulder, I’ll always hear Nick’s voice when I train, encouraging me, focusing me to keep good form, guiding me in other constructive ways, and supporting me in achieving my goals. Oh, and I’ll also hear him reminding me about keeping good posture…
~Liesel Ritchie
Buddy Ketchner
Nicholas Hopper is an exceptional trainer and coach!
He has incredible knowledge in the science of human performance along with great skills in building customized approaches to helping his clients reach their specific goals. I had struggled with some painful injuries and was faced with having to give up some activities that were really important to me. Nicholas helped address the root cause of the problems and put me on a program that built me into a stronger, more resilient, healthier athlete!
Importantly, Nicholas really cares about his clients and is committed to their success. He strives for continual improvement for himself and others around him. I can’t thank him enough for everything he has done to get me to a better place. I couldn’t be happier with the results.
Buddy Ketchner
Former President and CEO of the Sterling-Rice Group
Boulder, CO
Michele
Istartedtraining with Nicholas in July 2014 in an effort to live a healthier lifestyle. Nick assessed my current level of fitness and challenged me but avoided working me so hard I would become injured. He moved me along without ever feeling I had an “easy” session. Nick closely monitors posture and form continually getting me back on track if I slip up.
I was happy with my improved strength, balance and flexibility when I decided I wanted to lose weight. We discussed my goals and Nicholas created a healthy diet and exercise plan. He has taught me to hold myself accountable, not settle for “good enough”, be willing to fail, pick myself back up and never stop believing that my mind and body are worth the hard work and discipline it takes to accomplish my goals. I have lost 48 pounds over the past 17 months and feel great.
Nicholas is a natural leader who is knowledgeable, inspiring, brutally honest, passionate, and is 100% committed to living a healthy lifestyle. If you are serious about reaching your goals Nicholas is the trainer for you.
Holly Varga
My name is Holly Varga. I want to share my fitness journey with you. Technological advances and cultural messages in the last 30 years played far too great an influence in my life. I became addicted to processed foods, fads that promised to turn things around and the comfort of the computer age that kept me sitting all the time. Obesity and sedentary lifestyle became my new normal. I dreaded physical activity. Three years ago I got a major wake-up call. Fractured upper metatarsals on my right foot that developed a life-threatening staph infection landed me in the care of several doctors, health care providers, and physical therapists for over three months. Once I got the go-ahead for more activity, all I could think about was getting to walk around on my own mobility. I had been bed-ridden and wheelchair bound for too long.
I needed to lose weight to improve my health, but this alone was not what I needed to become fit and happy. After two and a half years of hard work with Nicholas I have learned how to do life different and I can now celebrate because my overall health has been radically altered. I can also encourage you and others that it really is all worth it. Some of my milestones are 145 pound weight loss, the omission of nine chronic disease medications which include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, acid reflux, and depression/anxiety.
I love my new life with lots of movement, hard work and fun, not just in the gym but outside it as well. Most of all I send a big shout out of gratitude to Nicholas who deserves a lot of credit for keeping me from death’s door. Nicholas, you stuck by me through all the challenges, bad attitudes, and just plain not knowing what I was doing. You deserve a medal.
Tim Vahle
I have had the privilege to train with Nicholas Hopper for period of time. Throughout this duration, he and I trained two to three times a week in which he discussed the appropriate measures for mobility, strength training, and cardiovascular conditioning. Furthermore, Nicholas provided dietary guidelines that were both successful and refuted social norms/typical myths that are correlated with nutrition. As a result of Nicholas’s work, I increased my fitness, lost 27 pounds, and improved my overall lifestyle.
Sports Performance
For all ages and ability levels, the performance training aspect is designed with the priority of safety and biomechanical accuracy. With an analytical approach, clients’ posture and movements are initially assessed. Quantitative and qualitative references points are then gathered to gauge progressions. With acknowledgement of the client’s goals, wants, needs, and expectations, a program is implemented that is customized, safe, and progressively overloaded.
Performance programs include a focus on: multi-dimensional activities, postural/structural deviation corrections, single leg activities, full body lifts, cardiovascular fitness, and de-load/recovery weeks. Programs can be tailored to any particular sport, activity, or even just daily life. Additionally, weight management and nutritional guidance will be incorporated.
Happy Hour
The Happy hour session is a class that occurs several times a week. Clients attend this hour to focus on their needs and wants. From conditioning workouts to technical aspects of a certain lift, treatments of a specific injury, mobility work, or an addition to their regular training regimen, clients choose to implement this session however they deem necessary. This class is an hour long and is provided at a discounted drop in fee.
Injury Treatment
Injuries such as: sprained ankles, dysfunctional tight shoulders, and neck pain, are common and treated with a multiple step approach. Often times, tissues that surround an injury become extremely overactive, painful, and significantly impede movement. Moreover, the reciprocal tissues can become weak and underactive. A unique method is used to release the over activity in the injured tissue and mobility tasks generally follow. Subsequently, the reciprocal tissues of the injured area are then strengthened accordingly.
This three step process is completed to a degree of reasonable recovery. When this stage of recovery elicits, the client is then placed into distinct integrative exercises which is the fourth stage. This fourth component of recovery re-establishes normal levels of muscular exertion, intermuscular coordination, and prevents biomechanical compensation.