Mmm... Thelonious

Meet Anderson Cooper's Secret Weaponby Jared Paul Stern Sep 16th 2009 at 10:02AM

CNN 360° host Anderson Cooper has been getting a lot of attention lately for his buff physique (check out this video on TMZ.com). While it may seem like a sudden transformation, in fact Cooper's muscles are the result of two years of workouts with a personal trainer, Thelonious "T.J." Johnson (right).

In addition to getting Cooper and other high-profile clients in shape, Johnson is also an actor and model, with appearances in Vogue Italia, Details, and the cover of Maximum Fitness. His acting credits include roles on Law & Order: Criminal Intent and All My Children.

Johnson, a New York native whose jazz musician father named him after the great Thelonious Monk, was also picked as one of 2008's Most Eligible Bachelors by Extra. He customizes his training sessions to fit the needs and goals of each individual client.

An extreme sports enthusiast, he also specializes in extreme outdoor training, providing fitness sessions that feature mountain-biking, hiking, "tough man" workouts and boot camps. Citing confidentiality he declines to say exactly how he got Cooper so cut, but the results speak for themselves.