Aerobic Points

One of the main reasons people stop exercising is because they don’t see the physical changes they expected. Results, however, can only be realized when you are training properly.  The Aerobic Point System was developed by Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the Father of Aerobics and renowned founder of The Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas, TX, to measure the aerobic benefit of the workout. Dr. Cooper’s formula compares the energy costs of aerobic activity from the mathematical relationships between the oxygen expenditures assigned to each exercise at a given intensity and duration.  Dr. Cooper states in his book, The Aerobics Program For Total Well Being; “The main idea of this system is that, in order to stay in good shape and move toward a goal of total well-being, a person must earn a certain number of points each week by doing a certain amount of aerobic exercise.”  Dr. Cooper felt that aerobic points was easier to count than calories because it’s smaller numbers and based on a weekly total.   His research has determined that a man should work up to a minimum of 32 points per week and a woman should work up to a minimum of 27 points per week. The number of weekly points you earn correlates with your level of fitness. The fitness categories are:

Average Points per Week
Classification
	Men	Women
Very Poor	Less than 10	Less than 8
Poor	10-20	8-15
Fair	21-31	16-26
Good	32-50	27-40
Excellent	51-74	41-64
Superior	75+	65+

If you have not been on a regular exercise program, it is highly recommended that you gradually work up to your desired fitness category and then develop a maintenance program.

Superior Fitness Systems carries Pacemaster Treadmills, which are the only cardio-vascular equipment that uses Aerobics Points as a fitness measurement, in addition to calories.