Aerobics
The word that changed the world.
Most people don’t realize that Dr. Kenneth Cooper coined the word aerobics. The verb “aerobic” existed meaning to live in air or with oxygen. Dr. Cooper added one letter—an s—and in an instant created the noun “aerobics.”
But there’s more to that word than meets the eye. Aerobics is a movement filled with people who read a book and followed a plan that changed their life. Aerobics is as important and relevant today as the day it was born in 1968.
To learn a little more about aerobics or see how it’s touched lives around the world, keep reading.
History of Aerobics
Read the special issue of Cooper Health magazine dedicated to the 40th anniversary of Aerobics. It includes articles on the events that led up to the release of the now famous Aerobics book, how to measure fitness today, the future of children’s health, plus other interesting tidbits on the Coopers. Learn more
Definition of Aerobics
In 1986, Dr. Cooper submitted the official definition to the Oxford English Dictionary. It reads, “Method of physical exercise for producing beneficial changes in the respiratory and circulatory systems by activities which require meeting a modest increase in oxygen intake and so can be maintained.”
Aerobics Point System
Dr. Cooper developed the Aerobics Point System in 1968 as a way to quantify exercise. The Aerobics Point System is calculated based on the type, intensity and duration of an aerobic exercise.
Dr. Cooper has documented 41 aerobics exercises that provide aerobic benefit. The top 5 are:
- Cross-country skiing
- Swimming
- Running or jogging
- Cycling
- Walking
Cooper Aerobics Center recommends accumulating 120 aerobic points each month to maintain good health. For a full list of exercises, which includes age-specific information and Aerobics Point values, click here.
Aerobics Tests
Dr. Cooper created the 12 minute mile test and the 1.5 mile test to measure a person’s aerobic capacity.
- During the 12-minute mile test, a person runs, jogs or walks as fast as the can in 12 minutes. Their results are based on how much distance covered in that time frame.
- The 1.5 mile test is designed to see how fast a person can run, jog or walk that specific distance.
Individuals, law enforcement and fire specialists can click here to purchase The Cooper Institute’s Physical Fitness Assessment and Norms booklet.
Aerobics Books
Aerobics has been translated into 41 languages and Braille, and sold more than 30 million copies. There have been several books that outline the concept of aerobics and related programs:
- Aerobics – The first book of Dr. Cooper, simultaneously released in hard back and soft cover, has sold more than 30 million copies and is translated into 41 languages and Braille. It’s no longer published, but you can find it online.
- Aerobics for Women with Mildred Cooper – Dr. Cooper and his wife Millie collaborated on a book especially designed for women.
- The Aerobics Program for Total Well-Being – Dr. Cooper released this 1982 update to his first book. It’s still available in bookstores and online.
- Start Strong, Finish Strong, with son, Dr. Tyler Cooper, was released in hard back in September 2007 and in soft cover in September 2008. It’s available at The Coop pro shop inside Cooper Fitness Center in Dallas and McKinney, or you can purchase the book online. Buy now
Aerobics Around the World
Dr. Cooper’s reach is international. While he has lectured in more than 50 countries, he is most famous in Brazil having trained the 1970 Brazilian soccer team to a World Cup victory. Since then, running or jogging in Brazil is called “coopering” or “doing the cooper.” In Hungary, the “cooperteszt” is the name of the national fitness test.