Town striker Michael Chopra has completed his stay at a California health farm and flew back to the UK overnight. Last month, TWTD revealed that the 28-year-old would be spending time in the US as part of his preparations for the new season.

Chopra, who scored 14 goals during a 2011/12 campaign affected by off-field issues, tweeted that he’s returning home fitter and out to improve on that in the year ahead: “In LA airport now, training camp done. Lost quite a bit of weight, looking forward to the new season, people will see a new Michael.”

The former England U21 international lost 3kg during his week at the Ashram Healthort in Calabasas, California and says he's in the best shape he has been in since he joined the Blues a year ago: "After hiking and running up and down mountains for a week and only eating fruit and veg, the results speak for themselves.

"Very hard week's training, the results show before and after think I'll be flying next season best I've felt since I got to the play-off final with Cardiff."

Chopra also tweeted photos and a chart outlining the progress he made during his week in the States.

The Ashram costs $4,500 a week with showbiz figures such as Oprah Winfrey, Dan Aykroyd, Shirley MacLaine, Jane Fonda and Faye Dunaway previous guests.

In May, Blues boss Paul Jewell revealed that his squad had been given individual fitness plans for what is a longer than usual close season due to the Olympics and that some of them would be going on what he referred to as ‘holidays’.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’s individual programme has involved him coming into the club periodically since the end of May to work on his fitness. The Blues’ pre-season proper begins on Thursday 5th July.

Story syndicated from TWTD.co.uk

Photo: Action Images

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