our best for
your better
We’ve trained here, there, and everywhere in-between.
Tired of watching people overpay to rent access to gym equipment, hire distracted personal trainers, get slayed by another overemphasized high intensity classes, feeling broken post workout, and make little to no progress toward their ideal self is why Carmen Sturniolo created Ambitious Athletics.
Our purpose is simple; deliver an outstanding coaching experience that cuts through the fad fitness and dieting marketing noise and eliminates the guesswork. Educate and equip individuals with practical skills and principles that will simplify their lives and provide a foundation for life long results.
We see life as our sport, which means that when we can live pain-free or overcome injury, the more prepared we can be for activity, the more fun we can have, the younger we can feel, and the more adventurous we can be. When our body doesn’t limit us, we can experience life without limits.
Carmen Sturniolo
Fueled by my passion for helping individuals move better, lose fat, gain muscle and confidence, I created Ambitious Athletics in 2010 to provide a better customer experience after experiencing glaring problems in the personal training field.
What initially started with training clients at their work, in their home, or in back alleys transformed into taking on and supporting organizations like the Travel Channel and the Optical Society of America to opening the Ambitious Athletics health and fitness facility in downtown Washington, DC.
I've spent the last 17 years working with a range of clients and producing numerous transformations which has allowed me to build Ambitious Athletics into a highly-rated Washington, DC fitness program, according to Yelp and Entrepreneur.
In 2023, Ambitious Athletics was recognized nationally as a top Mom and Pop Business in America.
Other experiences:
From 2007 - 2010, big box commercial gym.
From 2009 - 2012, assisted the head Strength and Conditioning coach at the Landon school in Bethesda, Maryland, and also served as the assistant coach for the Landon Bears 6th grade baseball team.
2011 - ongoing, through the US Department of State with the Center for Sport, Peace, and Society champion the Empower Women Through Sport Initiative. I've had the great pleasure to help educate women from around the world about smart exercise, nutrition, and mental and physical health, including children from: Maldives, Russia, Bolivia, Germany, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Africa, and the Palestinian territories.
Continuing education is and will always be important to me. I stay up-to-date with the latest athletic research and understanding of the human body. My certifications are world class and amongst the best in the field; accredited bodies include the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Additional approved accreditations include; IYCA Certified Youth Fitness Specialist II, Resistance Band Training, Precision Nutrition, TRX, Gray Cook Functional Movement Screening, Nutritional Coaching Institute, Annette Lang Integrated Stretch, AED/CPR.
Carmen is a #girldad x2, 2X Half Ironman finisher, Savageman brick holder, and a 2006 BA graduate of Penn State University.
Certifications include,
NSCA, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
NASM, Certified Personal Trainer
NASM, Corrective Exercise Specialist
NASM, Physique & Bodybuilding Coach
Precision Nutrition, Exercise Nutrition Level 1 & 2
USAW1 Sports Performance Specialist
TRX Certified
Connect with Carmen @Sturniolo on Instagram.