Celebrating the 45th Anniversary of Aerobics
View All Section Pages
03/04/2013
Commemorative Infographic Showcases Impact of Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper’s 1968 Book
Dallas (March 4, 2013) — March marks the 45th anniversary of the 1968 release of Aerobics by Kenneth H. Cooper, MD, MPH. What began one man’s quest to quantify the amount of healthy and harmful levels of exercise sparked a worldwide fitness movement. To commemorate the anniversary, Cooper Aerobics released an Infographic that explores the evolution of aerobics and its continued impact on fitness.
“When I first published Aerobics people could hardly pronounce it, let alone understand that this funny word and fitness concept would change lives and lay the foundation for achieving good health,” said Dr. Cooper, Founder and Chairman of Cooper Aerobics, who turns 82 today. “Now it is universally known that exercise can improve both the quantity and quality of life. With obesity and diabetes rates on the rise, aerobic exercise is more important than ever.”
Today the benefits of aerobic exercise, commonly referred to as cardiovascular exercise, have been widely researched by The Cooper Institute. The health benefits of moderately fit individuals include a decreased risk for cancer, diabetes, dementia, depression, high cholesterol, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, stroke and non-fatal heart attacks. In addition, fit people pay lower health care costs and live six to nine years longer than those who are unfit. The Infographic showcases how the concept of aerobics first began, launching a global fitness movement that continues to be relevant today. A few key milestones include:
- While in the Air Force in the late 1960s, Dr. Cooper worked with 27,000 men and women to gather research which launched his aerobics life work. His findings eventually formed the basis for the Air Force and other military branches physical conditioning programs that are still used today.
- Dr. Cooper used aerobics to train the Brazilian soccer team, leading them to the 1970 World Cup victory. As a result, jogging is translated as “Coopering” in Portuguese.
- The 1.5 mile and 12-minute mile Cooper tests measure aerobic capacity and have been used by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) since the 1970s. In Hungary, the “cooperteszt” is the national fitness test.
- In the 10 years following the publication of Aerobics, the number of joggers in the U.S. increased from about 100,000 to an estimated 10 million. Today it is estimated that there are more than 20 million joggers in the U.S.
- In 1986 Dr. Cooper’s submission for the official definition of aerobics appeared within the Oxford English Dictionary.
- In 1987 Runner’s World magazine credited Dr. Cooper with inspiring more people to run than any other man or woman on earth.
- Aerobics has been printed in 41 languages, including braille, and sold more than 30 million copies.
Throughout March connect with Cooper Aerobics on social media to share the impact of Aerobics:
- Like the Cooper Aerobics Facebook Page to enter a giveaway for a chance to win a signed copy of Start Strong, Finish Strong and other health and wellness prizes. A new winner will be drawn weekly.
- Read the Cooper Aerobics blog to learn about the impact of Aerobics.
- Follow @CooperAerobics on Twitter for daily health tips and aerobics history trivia.
- Follow Cooper Aerobics’ on Pinterest to see photos from the past 45 years.
For more information about the Cooper organization and the history of aerobics, visit cooperaerobics.com/aerobics.
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.