Fast. Big. Strong.
All words you or anybody else for that matter could use to describe celebrity trainer and body transformation specialist Corey Calliet.
But for this New Orleans native, the aforementioned words are all accurate descriptions for the whirlwind of a year he's had that finally seems to be coming to an end.
And if we're being completely honest, it's not hard to see why.
After moving to LA in 2014, Corey was catapulted into the spotlight after CREED, when actor Michael B. Jordan became physical evidence to his fitness training prowess. And this year alone, thanks to two record-breaking box office hits, namely Black Panther and CREED II, the young 30-something has been highly sought after by celebrities and professional athletes (John Boyega, A$AP Rocky to name a few) alike and is arguably more visible and busier than ever. Which is something that becomes evident during our brief conversation via phone during a small window on his jam packed schedule.
"I wasn't expecting everything to blow up so quick," he says. "You know I had a little buzz going, but because I've been able to capitalize on those moments, I see myself being able to finish out the year strong."
And it's that confidence, coupled with determination derived from humble beginnings that makes Corey stand out amongst the saturated market of fitness gurus and exercise experts. It's not lost on him that your environment can have an effect on you before you can affect it, which is why it was pertinent for him to fully believe in his dreams and his skill set and forge a new path in a new city in order to create a new life. Citing what he calls the journey from "the hood to Hollywood" as the fuel that pushes him to be more successful than he ever thought possible, he lets me know that it's not just personal success he's after.
"Coming from where I come from and going through all I've gone through have all prepared me. So I use my journey to inspire people to be greater than they ever thought they could be. I don't do this for me, I do this for everyone else."
So it's no wonder why fans and followers are always tagging him in their gym selfies, weight loss progress pics, or interacting with him under his motivational posts on IG. Corey has been able to masterfully finesse putting the "personal" back in personal training. He knows and understands that it's the people who are of utter importance at the end of the day. It's the lives he touches by helping them shift both internal paradigms and external pounds that serve as the major motivation that helps him to push forward. And it's the ability to relate to others and inspire them despite the spotlight that makes training all worthwhile.
"I don't care how big or famous I get, I want to always be able to talk to the people," he shares. "The people are the ones that make you, they're the ones who go with you on your journey."
But don't let the Nike sweats fool you. There's a lot more to Corey than just deadlifts and dumbbells.
Up next for Calliet is a territory that seeks to work a muscle you can't define or discover in the weight room: acting.
Catching a mere glimpse into this particular skill set during his cameos in CREED II this past November, Corey will be flexing his muscles on screen more in the upcoming year he tells me, as he makes mention of the first official movie script he's just received. The focus, he says in the new year, is to show people just how they too, are able to pivot into a different industry and still be able to flourish. It's to show them that it's okay to go full speed in the direction of their dreams in order to lay hold of a future you once thought was unattainable.
And while previous seasons have served as the primer for the ones to come, they also serve as the launching pad for his next. And through his success, it will hopefully propel the lives of others through their occasional rainy season and into their prosperous season much like Corey himself. And while people may experience a myriad of gains and losses, his hope is through his own tough moments, people will find the inspiration needed to push onward and upward into their future.
"Everything I've gone through was to help somebody else get to where they're going. And if I had to go through the roughest of times to get to the better times, that's just proof that my life was a full transformation. My whole life is proof of that."
Transformation.
Defined as a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance.
But for Corey Calliet, this 14-letter word is more than just another entry in the dictionary.
It's a way of living and it's something he plans on continuing to carry out in the lives of others, one fitness challenge, one bicep curl, one encouraging word at a time.
To keep up with Corey, follow him on Instagram.
Featured image by Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com