Calvin “40” Bryant is an example of how hark work can pay off. He went from a low point in life, where he suffered depression, and he turned that anger into a business.
Bryant was an athlete where he played football on a collegiate level at Charleston Southern University. In 2014, he came to the realization that his dreams of playing in the NFL were not in reach.
This realization was a pivotal moment in Bryant’s life and shook his entire world. He spent years being angry and depressed but the gym kept him going.
“I channeled that energy into the gym and was dedicating 2 to 3 hours every night, grinding in the gym by myself with no one or nothing but music to occupy my mind. I noticed how much better I felt when I left and I turned it into an everyday routine,” Bryant said.
Fortunately, he was able to turn all of his negative emotions into something positive. In 2017, Bryant moved to Tallahassee to attend graduate school for occupational therapy.
He started to resurface on social media, posting workouts and his results which gained a lot of attention. At the time he was not interested in turning fitness into a business.
“I wasn’t thinking about the results I was getting, but more so on the stress that I was trying to relieve,” he said.
Bryant’s mother, Anita Bryant, helped turn his stress reliever into a lucrative opportunity. “One day I noticed how good he looked and suggested him to make a business out of fitness,” Anita said.
After that, more people around FAMU’s campus began to ask Bryant about his regimen. They wanted fitness tips, and that is how “40 Caliber Fitness” was created.
Since Bryant came to Tallahassee as an out-of-state student, he did not know very many people. One of his biggest accomplishments is how he’s built his clientele.
“The people that support my brand, support my brand. I never begged anyone to support me,” he said.
One of Bryant’s clients is a firm believer in his work. “He (Bryant) really knows what he’s doing and has great workout plans for people, especially students. I’ve been able to see great results and he’s really pushed be to my best potential,” said Michael Birdsong, a doctoral candidate at FAMU.
Bryant trains at B-FASST fitness, but due to COVID-19 he has been hosting training sessions online.