Kenneth H. Cooper

Who is Kenneth H. Cooper?

Kenneth H. Cooper is a doctor of medicine and former Air Force Colonel from Oklahoma, who introduced the concept of aerobics. He is the author of the 1968 book Aerobics, which emphasized a point system for improving the cardiovascular system. The popular mass market version was The New Aerobics, published a few years later. His points system is also the basis of the 10,000 steps per day method of maintaining adequate fitness by walking.

In his Air Force career, Cooper had devised a simple test which correlated well with VO2max, and so could conveniently be used to quickly establish the fitness level of large numbers of people.

Cooper is the founder of the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas and McKinney, Texas. He is also the founder of the non-profit research and education organization, The Cooper Institute, which was opened in 1970. Today, Cooper is Founder and Chairman at the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas, which comprises eight health and wellness entities.

Cooper developed the Smart Snack Ribbon guidelines put into use by the convenient fun foods division of PepsiCo, Inc., Frito-Lay.