When it comes to fitness trainers of today, Louisiana native Corey Calliet dominates the industry. Most known as the man who helped sculpt Michael B. Jordan's chiseled physique for roles in the Creed series, Fantastic Four as well as Black Panther, Calliet's story is about more than just physical fitness.
"I actually got into fitness for vain reasons," the celebrity trainer and actor admits during our chat. "I was trying to impress a girl at the time, and I knew the best way to do so was to look good. So, long story short, I got the girl, and we had a beautiful daughter—Camella Calliet—who is my pride and joy. She graduates from high school this year and is off to college. I do everything I do for her, and I want to make sure she knows that."
Starting as a mailman in his old stopping grounds of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Calliet eventually begin trying his hand at bodybuilding shows. Training himself, he realized he had a gift of transforming the human body in ways that many others couldn't—and in record amounts of time. But, according to him, the real secret was first training his mental health so that his body would fall in line.
"You have the ability to control the outcome of the situation," Corey Calliet says when asked the mantra he lives by. "Self is the first thing we tend to give up on, myself included back then. I had to sit in my shit and just deal with it. I had to start letting go of the things that distracted me in order to move on. By doing that, my body totally transformed because I did the inner work first. That was the starting point, and it's also something I heavily focus on with clients now. I've found my purpose, and that's help people change their complete lives—mind, body and soul."
After finding the secret sauce to the fitness and nutrition game, he began manifesting what is now his reality—to train Hollywood's biggest names and stars. After quitting his job with the postal service and relocating to Los Angeles from Louisiana, he was asked to help train the cast of The Fantastic Four. But, little did he know, that an initial rejection on set would propel him into the elite, powerhouse figure he is today.
"I was on set, and initially none of the stars wanted to train with me because I was a big bodybuilder. Most guys were afraid they would end up looking like that. I remember someone saying, 'maybe Michael [B. Jordan] will train with you.' We ended up working out that day, and instantly became close. Now, 8 or 9 years later, the rest is history. But, I also have to give him credit, he's one of the hardest working guys I know. I gotta give him his flowers, too."
Solidifying his place as one of Hollywood's best trainers, Calliet's work ethic landed him on sets like Black Panther, Star Wars, and of course all the Creed installations, too. He was even able to launch his own acting career in the process, with roles in the wildly popular boxing series, and even a role on BET's Imani. Later this year he'll open his own gym in Inglewood and for those who can't get to California to train with him, he recently launched his own fitness app, too.
"I came to Hollywood and did something different. But I was really able to dive into my purpose while on Revenge Body with Khloe Khardashian. I was able to work with ordinary people who were struggling with life problems and help them overcome those things," he says. "My popularity and fame came from changing people's lives. I'm just continuing to strive to make people better."
So what exactly does it take to sculpt Michael B. Jordan's and EBONY February cover star Jonathan Majors' bodies into the final products that we see on screen? Calliet dishes on his training regimen with the Creed stars.
"With any film I do I ask for 3–4 months to train with the stars in pre-production, and then of course we train on set. So, 12–16 weeks total, or maybe even 8 weeks if Mike is in good shape. With each movie we've done, I've brought a different body to the screen with the same person each time. This time, for Creed 3, I took his body to infinity and beyond. The same for Jonathon Majors, that was a good one for sure. We can just say I did it again, I'm 3 and 0."
While getting 1-on-1 training with the premiere trainer may be out of reach for most people, he shared a workout that we all can try at home. Below, check out a heart-pumping core and cardio circuit recommended by Corey Calliet.
Core and Cardio Circuit
- Grab a mat and two dumbbells (something moderately heavy)
- Perform 10–12 reps of renegade rows (starting in the top of a push-up position with your hands on the dumbbell, pull one dumbbell up toward your rib cage, bending your arm to a 90-degree angle. Return your arm to the starting position and perform the movement using the opposite arm. Alternate the motion for the 30-seconds. Try to keep your body and core braced without rotating as you pull the weight up.)
- Perform mountain climbers for 30 seconds (With your hands flat on the ground and in the same push-up position, pull one knee toward your chest and return it. Alternate the motion with both knees for the 30 seconds, at a moderate pace. It should look like you are running in place, but in a horizontal position.)
- Repeat the renegade rows and mountain climbers 3-4 times.
- Perform mountain climbers for 30 seconds (With your hands flat on the ground and in the same push-up position, pull one knee toward your chest and return it. Alternate the motion with both knees for the 30 seconds, at a moderate pace. It should look like you are running in place, but in a horizontal position.)
- Perform 10–12 reps of renegade rows (starting in the top of a push-up position with your hands on the dumbbell, pull one dumbbell up toward your rib cage, bending your arm to a 90-degree angle. Return your arm to the starting position and perform the movement using the opposite arm. Alternate the motion for the 30-seconds. Try to keep your body and core braced without rotating as you pull the weight up.)
