Corey Calliet is living his life on purpose and with intention. The transformational coach to the stars shares with me what it took him to reach these heights. With determination, dedication, and faith in God, Corey proves that whatever journey you are on, success will only come to those who never give up. Giving up and failing is not an option for Corey. This is a mindset and mantra for him, which he incorporates with many other positive affirmations in his transformational programming. When you are working with Corey, he is transforming your mind, body, soul, and heart. It’s more than just fitness to him; it’s a lifestyle.  

Cox: Corey Calliet, I’m excited to speak with the Transformational Coach to the stars. First, I want to know how you started in fitness.  

Calliet: The funny thing is, it all started because I wanted to impress a woman. When I was in college, there was this woman I was dating, and I saw the way she would look at certain types of guys. So, my fitness journey really came from a vain place. Most people start to get in shape, be healthier, or stronger.   

Cox: So, when did it become part of your lifestyle and, eventually, your career?  

Calliet: It became a part of my lifestyle in two thousand five, when I was nineteen; I had my beautiful daughter. I was working at the postal service in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I kept exploring and furthering my knowledge in fitness, mainly because I was trying to figure out how to get abs.  

It wasn’t until two thousand eight that I competed in my first show. People usually take several years to prepare, but I did it in eight weeks. It was crazy because I couldn’t believe my results and became addicted. Two years later, I quit my postal service job. This was when I needed to go and put my all into being a personal trainer. It was natural for me at this point because I had transformed myself and wanted to do the work for others.   

Cox: How did this next move in your life lead you to become a celebrity trainer?  

Calliet: After resigning, I started to work as a personal trainer at a gym called Max Fitness. I outgrew that place and left for Definitions Fitness. The same happened there, and I eventually started training out of the gym in my apartment complex. I became the head trainer there and taught classes like group fitness.  

Fast forward a bit, I had the opportunity to train and work with Michael Jai White for Never Back Down 2. While we were on the treadmill, a friend asked me what I wanted to do in life. I replied I really want to be a celebrity trainer. So, behold, a couple weeks later, I got a call to train the cast of the Fantastic Four (2015).   

Cox: This sounds like a Hollywood story you see in the movies. Fantastic Four is where you and Michael B Jordan started your relationship, eventually leading you to train him and others for the Creed movies.   

Calliet: Yes, everything took off with our working relationship after that movie. A couple months later, after wrapping up Fantastic Four, Michael called me to inform me about his new project Creed and wanted to bring me on. So, from there, it’s been us for the last nine years.   

This journey led me to work with so many more celebrities, rappers, and models and on movies like Black Panther. It has been an incredible journey, and now I’m getting in front of the camera.  

Cox: I love to hear about this journey. I want to know what it is about transforming the lives of others that excites you.  

Calliet: Transforming my own physique started from a place of vanity, but it gave me a sense of consistency and discipline. From that, I realized I could use those same values that I learned from my fitness journey, to change my life. It then became clear to me that I can transform not only the bodies, but the lives of others by teaching these same principles. By first going through the process myself, I was able to better understand and relate to anyone and everyone that I train to help guide them through the process of transforming their body and life. 

Being able to inspire and encourage others to reach their physical goal is what I do it for. I love people, and I want everyone to be great.   

I feel like I’m the greatness whisperer.   

Cox: Take me through the Corey Calliet transformational process.  

Calliet: First, I let anyone who trains with me know there is no easy way out. I work to break down those layers within them that are there to provide excuses and give way for them to not start, or stop prematurely. They learn that there are no excuses if you want to achieve something bad enough and understand it will be hard. The groundwork I lay down for them is the understanding that this transformational process they are going through is worth it.   

Since there is no easy way out, I have to help them get to the root of their problems at the beginning and continue along the way.   

Cox: Does your approach change when you train different people?  

Calliet: No, everyone gets trained how humans are meant to be trained.  

Cox: You have become synonymous with the word transformational. We don’t see you as a trainer but as a transformational fitness expert and coach.  

Calliet: Thank you for saying that because I’m not a trainer. We have a lot of trainers out here and I’m not one of them. I’m an artist with this. I don’t just come and transform your body; I’m transforming your mind, body, soul, and heart. Anyone can tell you to do push-ups, sit-ups, and this and that. I’m the guy not doing that because I want to help you connect with the person you were always meant to be. I’m transforming you for your life and not just the inside of the gym.  

Cox: This has been a ride for you growing in fame and notoriety in the industry. What’s something you’ve learned about yourself during the process?  

Calliet: That it would take me ten times to fall down and that one time to get back up and say I will never fall again. I was surrounded by other businessmen and saw how they were running things. All of this helped me question how I will monetize this growth in my brand and notoriety. This caused me to shift my mindset.   

Cox: Beyond your transformational work, you are now stepping in front of the camera. Let me know a little bit about that. Was it always something you wanted to pursue?  

Calliet: Actually, no. You know it’s LA, and everyone’s an actor wherever you go, but I’ve had these different opportunities present themselves. During one of my early acting roles, a director told me I had the talent to act. See, words of affirmation are one of my love languages. If you tell me I can do something, I will kill it because you believe in me.   

I started to see and understand the process of acting. It’s all about discipline, like what I do now with my training, so I just took that same discipline and put it into acting. Like my fitness business, my acting career started growing and taking off.   

I love this new part of my life and journey, man, because I see myself grow each day and improve at the craft.   

Cox: You are transforming the lives of so many people. How does Corey stay grounded, centered, and encouraged?  

Calliet: I want to share that at the end of last year, 2022, I went through one of the dark periods of my life. I felt that it was God telling me to slow down. He saw that I let too many things distract me along my journey, and it was time for me to sit in my mess to resolve many things. I tried to avoid many things in the past, but he made sure I faced them this time. I’m forever grateful for this because I was able to come out of it better and see the world and myself differently.   

You asked how I stay grounded, and I can say because of God’s word. His word not only keeps me grounded, but it keeps me living with intention. And that’s where I’m at in life.   

Cox: Before we go, what phrases or words of affirmation do you live by?  

Calliet: Trust and believe in yourself! You are who you say you are! If anybody can, Calliet can! 

Photography Credit: Tyler Dacumos