Thursday, November 12, 2009

Anderson Cooper's Male Model Trainer


For Anderson Cooper, there is no better way to whip your body in shape than to hire a male model.

Cooper's trainer Thelonious "T.J." Johnson has modeled for both fitness and fashion publications and while nurturing a budding acting career he also trains celebrities in gyms across Manhattan.
Johnson has graced the pages of Details and Italian Vogue as a fashion model, as well as cover of Maximum Fitness magazine.

In addition to CNN anchor Cooper, with whom he has worked for two years, his gym clientele has included everyone from "Good Morning America" weatherman Sam Champion to celebrity hair stylists Oribe (whose clients include Jennifer Lopez, Naomi Campbell and Diana Ross) and Roque Jimenez (Mariah Carey's mane man).

Johnson has problems most of us non-models can't even imagine: He has to stay away from weight training, he says, because if he gets too muscular it affects his acting prospects.
"If you are too big you get type-cast as the big guy like the bouncer, and maybe not get the chance to go for a smarter role," he told StyleList. "So I try to stay streamlined and keep myself under 200 lbs."

Johnson says Cooper gets results by "dedication -- the guy tries to be the best at everything he tries." But is he worried that Anderson will have the same problem he has -- that he might get too pumped to present the news?

"No," Johnson laughs. "I think he enjoys getting bigger."

Weight training not your thing? Try this fun fitness idea from our sister site That's Fit.

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