Ambitious Athletics is a Washington, DC based Boot Camp, Personal Training, and Athletic Development company specializing in Weight Loss/Weight Gain, Strength and Conditioning, and Youth Development.
Ambitious Athletics works with the US Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs leading youth developmental workouts for underserved children from around the world who participate in the SportsUnited Program; with the Optical Society of America where we host onsite Bootcamp twice per week for employees; and various private clients.
Carmen trains a range of clients, producing measurable results in those who are serious about making a change. He spurs athletes on to achieve beyond their expectations, and coaches kids of various ages, laying foundations for athletic success and healthy lifestyles. Carmen launched Ambitious Athletics training in March 2010.
From 2007 - 2010, Carmen trained at a big box commercial gym in Washington, DC where he noticed the incomplete systems used to attempt to deliver a satisfied result to each member. He wanted to provide a better customer experience.
Ensuring that he provided the best client experience, he knew he had to gather the best knowledge. Over the last six years and countless hours of studying and research, Carmen earned many certifications through various credible sources enabling his growth of philosophy and knowledge of the human body and performance. The same certifications are held and used by some of the most credible strength coaches in the world.
From 2009-2012 Carmen assisted the head Strength and Conditioning coach at the Landon school in Bethesda, Maryland and also served as a coach for the Landon Bears 6th grade baseball team.
Through the US Department of State, Carmen has helped educate adolescents from around the world through smart exercise and nutrition, including children from; Maldives, Russia, Bolivia, Germany, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Africa, and the Palestinian territories.
Carmen continues to be a student of advanced physical education and stays up-to-date with the latest athletic research and understanding of the human body. His certification credentials include: Gray Cook Functional Movement Systems · Annette Lang Integrated Stretch · AED/CPR.
From 2007 - 2011, Carmen biked 100 miles every year for the American Diabetes Association, each year building a larger team of Ambitious folks to accept the challenge and raise money for a great organization. Carmen is a 2X Half Ironman finisher and a Savageman brick holder.
Carmen is a 2006 BA graduate of Penn State University.
Certified Yoga Instructor
Yoga Alliance: RYT 200, PRYT 85
Emilie has been bringing yoga love to the Ambitious Athletics community since 2011. Recognizing that we aren’t all natural yogis, her primary objective is making yoga accessible, fun and safe for students of all kinds. Whether you are male or female, bendy or stiff, young or old, prenatal or postnatal, an athlete or an athlete-in-the-making, you are bound to enjoy the mental and physical benefits of her challenging Vinyasa flow classes.
After all, yoga wasn't love at first sight for Emilie. An avid runner and all-around fitness enthusiast, she initially had trouble adjusting to the intentionally slower pace of yoga. It wasn’t until her best friend introduced her to Bikram yoga in 2008 that her real yoga journey began. For Emilie, Bikram’s intense and sweat-filled sessions were a good transition into the yogic way of life. Shortly after, she decided she wanted to help others realize that the mental and physical challenges that yoga provides are a perfect complement to – and an essential component of – a comprehensive fitness program.
Her teaching style is based largely on her 2010 training with YogaWorks, which emphasizes a balance of precision and flow by taking inspiration from Ashtanga yoga (known for flowing movements and emphasis on syncing movement with breath) and Iyengar yoga (known for its detailed instruction and use of props). With a focus on mindfulness and athleticism, her classes aim to leave you feeling open, stronger and a little more centered than when you walked in. In 2012, Emilie received her prenatal yoga certification and enjoys helping mamas-to-be remain strong, healthy and empowered throughout their pregnancy.
When she’s not on the mat, you can find her hustling alongside other Ambitious Athletics members in the Woodley Park bootcamp or running through the streets of DC. Despite Carmen’s feelings on running, Emilie can’t deny the runner’s high that she’s been enjoying for the past 14 years. She has completed in many races, the highlight of which was the Marine Corps Marathon in 2006 in which she finished as one of the top 1,000 female participants.