Cooper Partners with Precor For Fitness Alliance
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03/19/2013
Alliance will Improve Individual Health and Revolutionize the Exercise Experience Worldwide
Cooper Aerobics™, the organization that proved exercise is good for your health, and Precor®, a leading home and commercial fitness equipment manufacturer, announced today plans to create an alliance that will improve individual health and revolutionize the exercise experience worldwide. The announcement kicked-off the 32nd Annual International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nev., March 19-22.
“Cooper Aerobics’ sole mission is to change lives for the better by making people healthier,” said Tyler Cooper, MD, MPH, CEO of Cooper Aerobics Enterprises, Inc., whose father, Dr. Kenneth Cooper, pioneered preventive medicine and authored the best-selling book Aerobics in 1968. “There is no better way to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Aerobics, which launched a global fitness movement, than to revolutionize the fitness experience through our partnership with Precor.”
Cooper’s philosophy of linking health data and fitness levels to improve overall health will be integrated into the Precor networked fitness solution called Preva®. Preva, available on Precor 880 cardio line touch-screen equipment, is an open platform that delivers a state-of-the-art fitness experience to exercisers and also boosts business results for fitness facility operators. Through the cloud-based technology, exercisers in Preva networked facilities worldwide will be able to:
- Upload personal biometric data to their private, protected account. Exercisers may choose to share health information with a personal trainer or physician to help track progress and achieve personal health goals—a first in the industry.
- Track Aerobics Points, a proprietary system created by Dr. Kenneth Cooper, to evaluate fitness levels and heart health based on exercise type, intensity and duration.
- Access Cooper’s real-time, scientifically-proven content on health, fitness, nutrition and stress management topics.
Through the expanded platform, exercisers will be able to log in and check out the latest Cooper health tips, track their aerobic activity and see how fitness is directly impacting their health, in addition to using Preva’s full features such as the ability to create a personal Preva profile, set and track weekly fitness goals and earn fun rewards for achievement. A live demonstration streaming Cooper blog posts will be shown at Precor booth 1573 at the IHRSA trade show March 20-21.
“The Cooper and Precor partnership is another step toward the future where preventive health, fitness and the technologies that enable a stronger mind and body join together,” said Paul Byrne, Precor President.
Another feature of the partnership is the creation of a showcase facility at Cooper Fitness Center in Dallas, which is undergoing a $6.5 million renovation and slated to open this spring. The best-in-class location will be one of the largest networked facilities worldwide.
“This one-of-a-kind alliance between Cooper and Precor will provide the latest healthy-living information through state-of-the-art technology, ultimately improving an individual’s overall health and fitness,” said Brad Wilkins, Vice President and General Manager of Cooper Fitness Center and Spa in Dallas. “This platform provides the perfect model for clubs around the world to follow.”
In addition, Cooper and Precor will partner to provide ongoing education and training for industry professionals, such as personal trainers and fitness staff, corporations and exercisers alike. Training will be available online and cover a variety of topics from how to optimize use of the equipment to exercise programs to train-the-trainer content.
“With the coming changes from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, fitness as preventive health care will become more important than ever before. Precor is honored to partner with the leader in health and wellness that will not only deepen Preva’s robust solution, but will also increase its benefits to customers and their exercisers,” said Brent Brooks, Precor Vice President of Networked Fitness.
About Cooper Aerobics
Founded in 1970 by Kenneth H. Cooper, MD, MPH, Cooper Aerobics in Dallas serves as the headquarters for seven health and wellness companies and a research and education nonprofit, The Cooper Institute®. Cooper Aerobics is the health and wellness resource that bases its recommendations on its world-leading body of data and expertise. Through the array of services Cooper offers, millions have been inspired to make good health a habit, helping improve their quality and quantity of life. Cooper Aerobics challenges people to Get Cooperized™ by adopting a healthy living mindset and following eight health guidelines developed by Dr. Cooper. For more information, call 866.906.2667 (COOP) or visit cooperaerobics.com.
About Precor
Founded in the Seattle, WA area in 1980, Precor designs and builds premium fitness equipment for effective workouts that feel smooth and natural. Precor continually redefines the levels of innovation, quality, and service necessary to deliver the very best fitness experiences – all with the goal of improving the ways people improve themselves. Precor is a subsidiary of Amer Sports Corporation (www.amersports.com), the world’s largest sports equipment company, with internationally recognized brands Wilson, Atomic, Suunto, Salomon, Arc’Teryx and Mavic. Precor operates production, distribution and a headquarters facility near Seattle, with offices in the UK, Germany, Benelux, Spain, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Japan and China. All Amer Sports companies develop and manufacture technically advanced products that improve the performance of active sports participants. Amer Sports operates in 24 countries and employs over 6,500 staff worldwide. In 2011, Amer Sports' net sales were EUR 1.88 billion.