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Amazon.co.uk Review
Mike Stroud, it would seem to most, is a very remarkable man. A qualified doctor, his fascination and involvement in the study of human performance and endurance fitness have obsessed him rather more than the average fitness fanatic. From crossing Antarctica unaided with Sir Ranulph Fiennes, to participating in countless marathons and triathlons traversing deserts and glaciers, Stroud has become his own human guinea pig, testing the limits of human strength and survival in some of the most extreme and inhospitable environments of our planet.

Yet far from simply the journal of one man's extraordinary fitness, Stroud sets out in Survival of the Fittest to tell us that we are all capable of the physical achievements usually left to realm of world class athletes. We are all able to attain such performance levels, Stroud assures us, because we are evolutionary designed to do just this.

At the heart of the book, Stroud claims that human beings have not altered genetically in the last 10,000 years, so physiologically we are identical to our ancestors. The problem is that we now have a markedly different lifestyle to the hunter-gathering times of our Cro-Magnon forefathers-–a lifestyle that simply does not match our evolutionary heritage. This, Stroud believes, is the reason why we are seeing an emergence of modern diseases such as heart disease, obesity and cancer.

Illustrating each chapter with adrenline-inducing accounts of his own expeditions and Adventures--falling through Antarctica ice into minus 40 degree water is just one that springs to mind--Stroud examines the physiological capacities of our bodies to perform and adapt to extreme situations, all the time reminding us that these capabilities are a fundamental part of our evolutionary inheritance.

This is a captivating book, not only a serious comment on the dangers of our modern "civilised" lifestyle, but also a source of remarkable facts on our human design, sure to liven up conversations and office chit-chat (this book certainly gets you talking). Although unlikely to spur you on to organise the next Polar expedition, it will give you the confidence--and quite possibly the inspiration--to become more active and to take up the challenges our genes intend us to do. --Abi Frisby

About the author…
Mike Stroud qualified as a doctor in 1979. He was the doctor on the "In the Footsteps of Scott" expedition in 1985-6, and in 1992 he teamed up with Sir Ranulph Fiennes to cross Antarctica on foot, breaking two world records for the longest unsupported walk in history. His book, Shadows on the Wasteland, is the account of that expedition. In 1993 he was awarded the OBE for Outstanding Achievements and Charity. Mike Stroud continues to practice medicine and to study metabolism and nutrition. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Synopsis
Mike Stroud, polar explorer, practising hospital physician and recently adviser to the Ministry of Defence on survival, sets out in this fascinating book the genetics, diet and exercise that enable humans to perform at their peak. Based soundly in medical science, Dr Stroud analyses individual feats of survival and athletic prowess that illustrate the way the body functions at its best. He dissects his own challenging experiences of crossing Antarctica with Ranulph Fiennes, running marathons in the Sahara and participating in gruelling cross-country endurance races in the United States and gives some tips on how to stay fit for life for those of us who find walking the dog and endurance challenge - First published to great acclaim in 1998, this fully updated edition now includes a chapter on the Global 7 Marathons in 7 Days with Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

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13 Reviews 5 star:  (11) 4 star:  (2) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review (13 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   24 of 24 people found the following review helpful: An inspiring, extremely enjoyable & highly educational read, 16 Mar 2000 By A Customer This review is from: Survival of the Fittest: Understanding Health And Peak Physical Performance (Paperback) Dr. Mike Stroud explores all aspects of human performance from a firm scientific and evolutionary perspective. His book draws on his own education in Medicine and Anthropology and his personal experiences as a medical doctor, a researcher in human performance, polar explorer and an ultra endurance athlete. He digresses into many areas, (from the physiology of running and explanations for the dominance of black sprinters to the evolution of homo sapiens on the plains of Africa and deep water free divers in Polynesia), and then draws it all back together, to produce a very enjoyable, and ultimately highly educational book. He explains the necessity of exercise in our lives, and explores the advent of lifestyle diseases in our sedentary lifestyle, from an evolutionary perspective. The overriding message of this book is that the body is built for work, which it does not do in this age of the car, the office and ready made meals, and echoes the sentiments of Hippocrates who, long ago, realised that when the body is not used, it becomes riddled with illness and disease. This book should serve as an inspiration to us all  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   18 of 18 people found the following review helpful: Awe inspiring read, 10 Aug 2000 By  simon@planit.clara.co.uk (United Kingdom, Bristol) - See all my reviews This review is from: Survival of the Fittest: Understanding Health And Peak Physical Performance (Paperback) Within the last year I really decided to improve my fitness and have read many books on the subject. This book definitely stands out. This guy knows what he's talking about and furthermore has done more exercise than the average member of the SAS. Despite this he is clearly modest about his own achievements and makes you feel (and proves it) that your body is capable of doing a lot more than you think. He argues his points very well and leaves you feeling that you need to get out more (which can only be a good thing). If your serious about getting fit or just want to know more about the way the body functions then buy this book.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   8 of 8 people found the following review helpful: Survival of the fittest, 8 May 2003 By  "dickie45" - See all my reviews This review is from: Survival of the Fittest: Understanding Health And Peak Physical Performance (Paperback) An excellent book and a pleasure to read. Consists of alternating chapters, firstly relating Mike's personal experience of an event or physical situation, followed by a chapter discussing the physiology and theory behind the story. The human body is an amazing unit. Amazing n terms of what it is capable of and amazing in terms of how little is commonly understood about it's functionality. Mike does a great job in highlighting possiblilites and potentials of