What Cooper knew before most any other expert was that if you progressively train the heart and lungs, the rest of the body tends to follow. For example, losing pounds and maintaining that healthy weight can occur naturally if a person follows a regular aerobics program, be it walking, running, cycling, in-line skating or making it to dance class. But even the venerable Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research in Dallas has legally shortened its name to Cooper Institute. The official reason is that the center does lots of behavioral interventions beyond aerobics, especially with diet and nutrition. That doesn t mean Cooper and his colleagues are forsaking aerobics, nor should any of us.
Cardiovascular training is a vital part of maintaining good health.
We work with many sedentary populations, said Andrea Dunn, a senior researcher at the Cooper Institute. The first thing those people have to do is start moving. Getting them active is a good thing for their health and longevity. Aerobics is how we can best do that. Dunn raised the issue that most perplexes exercise researchers and public health officials.