The 2026 World Cup will be held in various stadiums across the United States, including the Dallas, Texas area, where Argentina defeated Austria 2-0 on June 22.
Many soccer (or soccer internationally) fans around the country were excited to see the world’s greatest players in action. One such fan was Dr. Kenneth Cooper, but he had a unique connection to the sport that few can say. He had the first contribution that helped the team in the World Cup, especially the Brazil team in 1970. Cooper went out and met with the coach of the team and suggested that Cooper’s knowledge could help his athletes who were in Mexico City at that time. Cooper tested the players with his famous “12-minute test” and found that they could walk 1.86 miles in 12 minutes.
“I had them run 20 miles a week,” Cooper recalled. “They were running at 7-minute pace in 4- to 5-mile chunks to get that 20 miles a week. At the end of that time, a year later, we tested them again at 2.3 miles in 12 minutes.”
The focus on conditioning paid off as Brazil won six games in a row and eventually brought the title back home. Cooper admitted that having a legend like Pele in his team was the deciding factor, but his tactics also played a part.
“And so they were in great form – they beat everybody in the second half.”
Who is Dr. Kenneth Cooper and why is he called the father of aerobics?
Cooper is revered in the fitness space as the “Father of Aerobics,” but before that, US Air Force Lt. Col. Cooper served 13 years, including as a flight surgeon. His services were not only important but also historic. Cooper worked directly with NASA to help develop the in-flight physical conditioning and anti-conditioning programs that prepared early American astronauts for space travel. Of course, he also created the famous 12-minute test that was used to measure cardiorespiratory fitness.
Cooper’s help with the Brazilian team is considered the first point of the legendary career that he has built. Cooper reported that after Brazil won the 1970 World Cup, he traveled to the country 21 times and his name still resonates among generations after the nationals.
“They call running in Brazil now ‘doing Cooper.’
After his retirement, Cooper settled in Dallas and focused on his medical practice. Cooper Aerobics Health and Wellness since then it has become a major part of that society. He even had a group of 20 patients who came to his practice for 45 years to become a “Co-op”. By following his principles of aerobic exercise, nutrition and general health, these patients were found to live longer than the average American.
“Men lived 86.5 years, women 90.4 years. This average age is 88.6 years, which is almost ten years more than the national average.
Why your waist size may be a better indicator of health than weight
Cooper’s principles are known by many fitness enthusiasts today, but they may not know that he was among the first to preach them; 150 minutes of exercise a week, five to nine servings of fruit and vegetables each day, and while he prefers to abstain from alcohol, he has declared a solid one drink a day and no smoking.
In addition to his running tests, he also believes in what the military now calls the “tape test.”
Cooper explained, “Your waist shouldn’t be less than half your height. If you’re 5 feet tall, that’s 60 inches; your waist shouldn’t be more than 30 inches.”
While the military currently allows 55% of your height in inches for your waist measurement, Cooper sticks to the one-and-a-half standard.
The key principle that can be considered the most important is discipline, and he confirmed his ability to not only live at the age of 95, but also to work, which is why it is so important.
“The class of 1956 of the medical school, only five of us are left out of a hundred students.”
Cooper still exercises regularly and noted that he has run the Boston Marathon twice in his lifetime. Even when he got old, he didn’t let his age be an excuse.
“I ran 40 years and 38,000 miles until I finally had to stop running and jogging. But fitness is a journey, not a destination. You have to keep at it for the rest of your life.”
Cooper’s legacy lives on around the world through Cooper Aerobics
Cooper is not alone in his mission with Cooper Aerobics. His son, Tyler, currently serves as president and CEO, and the family business has grown into six businesses and one non-profit, reaching out to various countries with experts from China, even interested in repeating what the Cooper family has done. His daughter Berkley is also a fitness freak and followed in her father’s footsteps by running the Boston Marathon. Both children are keeping Cooper’s legacy alive and reaching another generation of people who can continue to live healthier and better lives.
“They followed my example.”
Fitness is a journey, not a destination: Cooper’s advice for every age
Cooper is also a well-known author and has 20 books to his credit. His last Get healthier as you get older contains over half a century of knowledge and experience to help readers age gracefully and improve quality of life. In addition to reading from his book, Cooper shared goals that seniors should strive for in order to not only survive, but thrive in their later years.
“I want 80-year-olds to start walking a mile in 17 minutes,” he said. “Because studies have shown that if you can do that, 84% of men and 86% of women live to be 90. My wife will be 91 on July 1st, so she’s in that category.”
Like her family, Cooper hopes other parents will teach their children the discipline and skills that go into fitness and health. He even offered his own words of wisdom that can be applied to the elderly, children, or anyone who needs to improve their quality of life.
“Fitness is a journey, not a destination. You have to stick with it for the rest of your life. So you’re just passing through; you can’t run anymore, you can walk, you can swim or bike. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
You can order Cooper’s latest book Amazon.
M&F Senior Military Editor Rob Wilkins contributed to this article.
