The 2026 World Cup is being held at various stadiums across the Americas, including the one in Dallas, Texas, where Argentina defeated Austria 2-0 on June 22.
Many soccer (or world soccer) fans across the country have enjoyed watching the world’s greatest players play. One of such followers was Dr. Kenneth Cooper, but he had a unique connection to sports that very few people do. He has made some eye-catching contributions that helped the team to win the World Cup, especially the 1970 Brazil team. Cooper made a presentation and met with the team’s coach who suggested that Cooper’s experience could help his athletes in Mexico City at the time. Cooper tested athletes with his famous “12-minute” test and found that they ran 1.86 miles in 12 minutes.
“I had them run 20 miles a week,” Cooper recalled. “They were running at a 7 minute pace, running in 4 to 5 mile chunks to get that 20 miles a week.
Focusing on improving the situation paid off as Brazil won six games in a row and eventually brought the title back to their country. Cooper admitted having a legend like Pele in their team was a decision, but his tactics played a role.
So, they were in great shape—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 world as “The Father of Aerobics,” but before that, Lieutenant Colonel Cooper of the US Air Force served for 13 years, including time as a flight surgeon. His contributions were not only important but historic. Cooper worked directly with NASA to help design the aerodynamics and anti-depression systems in flight that prepared America’s first astronauts for space travel. Of course, he also created the famous 12-minute test that was used to measure heart rate.
Cooper’s help with the Brazilian team is considered the starting point of the famous career he built. Cooper reported that following Brazil’s victory in the 1970 World Cup, he visited the country 21 different times, and his name is still emphasized by the citizens from generation to generation.
Now they call running in Brazil “doing Cooper.”
After retiring from work, Cooper settled in Dallas and focused on his medical career. Cooper Aerobics Health and Wellness has since become a staple in that community. He even had a group of 20 patients come to his practice for 45 years to “Collaborate.” By following his principles of exercise, nutrition, and overall health, these patients have been found to live longer than the average American.
“Men lived 86.5 years, women 90.4. That’s an average of 88.6 years, almost ten years longer than the national average.”
Why Your Waist Size Can Be a Better Indicator of Health Than Weight
Cooper’s principles are known to many fitness enthusiasts today, but they may not know that he was among the first to preach them; 150 minutes of exercise per week, five to nine servings of fruit and vegetables every day, and while he likes to abstain from alcohol, he announced a strict one drink a day without cigarettes.
Besides his running tests, he also believes in what the military today calls the “tape test.”
Cooper explained, “Your waist circumference should not be more than half your height.
While the military currently allows 55% of your height in inches to measure your waist, Cooper remains committed to the one-half standard.
An important principle that can be considered very important is discipline, and he confirmed his ability not only to live but to work at the age of 95 as proof of why it is so important.
“My medical school class of 1956, out of a hundred students, only five of us are left.”
Cooper still exercises regularly and highlighted that he has run the Boston Marathon twice in his life. Even as he got older, he didn’t let age be an excuse.
“I ran for 40 years and 38,000 kilometers before I stopped running and changed. But fitness is a journey, not a destination. You have to continue throughout your life.”
Cooper’s Legacy Lives On Worldwide Through Cooper Aerobics
Cooper is not alone in his workouts with Cooper Aerobics. His son Tyler currently serves as President and CEO, and the family business has grown to six businesses and one non-profit and has reached many countries with experts from China even interested in copying what the Cooper family has accomplished. His daughter Berkley is also healthy and following in her father’s footsteps when she ran the Boston Marathon. Both children are keeping Cooper’s legacy alive and reaching out to another generation of people who can go on to live healthier and better lives.
“They followed my example.”
Fitness Is a Journey, Not a Destination: Cooper’s Advice for All Ages
Cooper is also a popular author and has 20 books to his credit. His latest, Grow Bigger As You Grow, brings together over a century of knowledge and experience shared to help students age well and improve quality of life. In addition to reading his book, Cooper shared the goals that seniors should strive for in order to not only survive but thrive in their later years.
“I want 80-year-old people to start walking a mile in 17 minutes,” he explained. “Because research has shown that if you can do that, 84% of men and 86% of women will make it to 90. My wife will be 91 in July first, so she’s in that category.”
Like her family, Cooper hopes that other parents will teach discipline and health skills to their children. He even gave his words of wisdom that could be applied to the elderly, children, and anyone else who needs to improve their quality of life.
“Fitness is a journey, not a destination. You must continue throughout your life. Therefore, you only change; you can no longer run, you can walk, you can swim, or cycle.
You can order Cooper’s latest book on Amazon.
M&F Senior Military Editor Rob Wilkins contributed to this article.
