NFL
By: Joe Cardoso
June is the official start of summer and after the last few years of lockdowns, we all are out and about. Another change that Covid-19 caused a lot of us to look in the mirror and start taking our health and well-being more seriously. I can’t be the only one who went from large fries to a medium or even taken that veggie option at their favorite restaurant. For this interview, we take you to the city that never sleeps and introduce a young lady who is making a name for herself in the fitness industry. You can find her at RUMBLE fitness where she is the general manager let’s shine the spotlight on Kory Flores!
Joe Cardoso: Fitness and boxing are a huge part of your life, when did you first get involved with them?
Kory Flores: I usually LOATHE going to the gym, actually! I just wanted to do sports, and it took me a long time to get into working out without a competition to look forward to. I found boxing back in college as a way to blow off steam. I have a heavy movement background, so I was eager to learn.
JC: Growing up were you playing sports or super active?
KF: Yes and yes! I was a competitive swimmer (breaststroke) for 12 years. I’ve been dancing since I could walk, and I did a few years in track and field (hurdles & sprints).
JC: Was becoming a trainer a natural part of your journey?
KF: My journey wasn’t exactly natural – I’d never even considered training until the opportunity presented itself. I was a starving artist in NYC working until sunrise every night in food service, then one day I was looking on Backstage (an online platform for gifs/jobs for performers) and saw a call for dancers to teach dance cardio. I auditioned, got the job, got certified, and became obsessed. Ended up leaving all my other jobs to pursue a full-time career in fitness.
JC: I have a ton of respect for people who are raw, real, and honest like you. How are you able to be that kind of person especially when social media can make it hard to do?
KF: It took a long time for me to get to a place where I can be comfortable being myself – like many other industries, there’s a lot of toxicity and idolization of appearance and behaviors that spiked my anxiety and insecurities. I realized that my success and my best work was done when I wasn’t trying so hard to fit a mold, so I decided to put on a confident face and start sharing my life and work as organically as possible. It’s made all the difference in my performance, my mental health, and my social anxiety.
JC: Covid forced everyone to look in the mirror and look at themselves. What did you learn about yourself?
KF: I learned that while I appreciate a good work ethic, my working routine was killing me. I had pushed myself vocally to the point that I had nodes – I could barely talk and was potentially facing surgery because I was pushing myself as hard as physically possible. I also realized how much I was giving to “success” and was missing out on a successful personal life – I barely saw my friends, I never took rest days, and I felt incredibly alone. It crushed me – I felt like I’d done so much and lived so little. I’ve become much better about setting boundaries for myself and devoting time to things on my wish list. I find I can give so much more love, attention, and support to my clients when I’ve given it to myself.
JC: What is a typical week like for you since you wear so many hats?
KF: OH, MAN. My schedule changes every week. I teach 4 group classes/per wk, I audit my team’s classes, lots and lots of meetings, onboarding new trainers (both in-person and virtually), daily walkthroughs of my studio, and build lesson plans for my classes and for our franchises and taking group classes around the city (you can always learn from other trainers), attend events in the neighborhood to promote my studio, and I private train a few clients. My work week is semi-organized chaos 😅
JC: Congratulations on linking up with Gaybor Agency. What do you hope to provide and get out of it?
KF: Thank you! It’s exciting to see an agency like Gaybors come to fruition – most of the LGBTQIA+ influencers/icons/up-and-comers have all had to hustle and grow independently, and that can be incredibly hard. As for my personal goal with Gaybors, I want to be able to tap into other networks and influencers to give back through fundraisers, community work, and offering my resources. But also I’d like to be a voice of representation – while the fitness community’s image is evolving, there is still a lot of work to be done. This queer Filipinx is up to the challenge.
JC: Without giving it all away what is one major goal you have for yourself for the rest of the year?
KF: To keep growing in how I serve others and serve myself. Our overall mental and physical well-being has evolved so much post-covid, and I hope that others will relate to and learn from how I am growing, riding high, struggling, moving, and learning. 
Bonus Questions:
JC: You don’t mess around in terms of fashion, how would you describe your look?
KF: I am so flattered by this omg – my style has changed so much over the past few years. I feel like nowadays I opt for 1990s nostalgia – big jerseys, wide-leg pants, brightly colored shades, and some highlighter. I’m still on the hunt for my favorite lip balm (Dr. Pepper Smackers), and then my aesthetic will be ✨complete✨
JC: On a day off we can find Kory doing______?
KF: Okay, so I have one inside day and one outside day. I spend one full day each week at home giving my cat Garbs quality together time. On my way home at the end of my work week, I stop by the bookstore and grab a new book, then I read at home and give Garbs all the pets he wants. For a day outside, I like to go for a walk or bike ride in a new part of the city – I stop when I find somewhere new to eat/drink, or if I run into an event going on! Half of the things I do I find just by walking around.
JC: Who is Kory Flores?
KF: I’m someone who has lived their life not really knowing that answer. I’ve had trouble with imposter syndrome in my queerness, my state of wellness, my culture, my multicultural family, my work, and my hobbies. I’ve stopped wondering if I belong to or “am” anything. I am me. I do what makes me happy, which is everything you’ve just read. I can’t wait to add more to the list.
A big THANK YOU to Kory for making the time to share her story, and make sure to follow her on social
Instagram: instagram.com/kory.flores
