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Last update - 18:30 02/07/2008 Fitness In your head, not your feet By Yossi Melman Tags: Doron Meiri, Yossi Melman  The splashy cover exudes machoism, but the advice of Doron Meiri's book is sound: You need willpower and stamina to get in shape Sefer hakosher hagufani: hasod sheyeshaneh lakhem et hahayim (The Book of Physical Fitness: The Secret that Will Change Your Life), by Doron Meiri, Yedioth Books / Astrolog (Hebrew) 237 pages, NIS 98 An editor I bumped into in the hallway recently at Haaretz told me that she had taken up running, thanks in part to a weekly column on running that I penned for the Gallery section a few years ago. She also suggested I write a book based on the column that would draw from my training experience, something that would provide tips for those who want to run but haven't yet ventured to do so. A few days later, I discovered that a book had just been published offering precisely that. And my first reaction, after glancing at its cover was: This isn't the type of book I would want to write. More accurately, this isn't how I would want to portray myself. The cover of Doron Meiri's "Book of Physical Fitness" features a photo of the author: a muscular man running on a sandy dune by the sea, his arms adorned with tattoos, his head clean-shaven, his body decked out in tight, flashy running gear, a conspicuous watch, gloves (for what reason I can't say), and stylish sunglasses. The image exudes machismo, as if it were signaling to readers: If you read this book and follow my advice, you too can look like me. Despite my initial recoil, once I began reading the book, my feelings transformed to admiration bordering on amazement, as I learned about Meiri's achievements: his long-distance running, his exhausting treks by foot that would stretch hundreds of kilometers, his combination of bicycle and foot hikes, kayak sailing, cliff climbing, and more. The author's obsession with extreme sports began after his military service. That's when he and a few volunteers from his kibbutz, Ein Dor in the Jezreel Valley, trekked the length of the coast south from Rosh Hanikra to Ashdod, a distance of 165 kilometers, all in an impressive 68 hours. Afterward, he set out on a combined trek that included walking, cycling and running, all the way to Eilat, in addition to other astonishing feats in other parts of the country. Aside from these experiences and his athletic abilities, Meiri, 53, has other qualifications and skills that made him the right man to write this book. He is a graduate of the Physical Education College at the Wingate Institute and has served as a sports instructor and a martial arts teacher. He has also been a crime reporter for Hadashot and Maariv, and today is a news editor at Yedioth Ahronoth. Dress for success Meiri's book is chock full of good tips for those just beginning to running, cycle or swim. It contains suggestions for what to wear, how to choose the right shoes, and what to eat and drink. I also concur with his conclusions -- the most important of which, I believe, is that, for those seeking to stay in physical shape and to abide by the commandment of "healthy mind in a healthy body," the key to success is mental stamina and will. Or, as the title of the book's opening chapter puts it, "It's all in your head." Statements along the lines of "whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger," which are sprinkled throughout the book, may sound like cliches, but I can attest from experience that they accurately reflect the reality that anyone who undertakes physical activity will encounter. That goes for anyone who has ever woken up at the crack of dawn for the daily run, whether it's raining outside or it is hot and humid; anyone who has ever jumped into a pool for another round of tedious (to me, anyway) swimming, and found themselves counting laps the way one counts sheep until that longed-for sleep arrives. The book encompasses most varieties of physical activity: running, spinning, cycling, swimming, walking, martial arts, and more. But there are also chapters that advise those looking to enlist in a combat unit, those who want to ride on sport motorcycles (not physical activity, in my view), those interested in giving up smoking -- all of which may lead one to conclude that the author was trying to reach anyone with even the slightest connection no matter how marginal to the topic. Every now and again, though, one encounters an exciting chapter, such as the one that tells the story of Shir-Li Golan, the mother of the author's children, who, with the aid of a proper diet, shed 50 kilograms (110 pounds) over the course of a year and a half. Golan's feat is a tremendous achievement (as demonstrated in a photo) that attests to great willpower, determination and persistence. If only the gluttonous, food-devouring soldiers and commanders alike of the Israel Defense Forces could learn from her, the IDF would be a swifter, lighter, thinner and better army as a result. Sometimes, the book reminds one of a guide to various sexual positions, which place a supreme value on performance, but doesn't even mention the emotional aspect. "I'm a regular guy just like all of you, someone who made physical fitness an inseparable part of his life," Meiri writes. Perhaps he is right, and I have no doubt that he means every word. Nonetheless, the cover photo, much like other aspects that he chooses to emphasize in various parts of the book, is unlikely to make those still on the fence see him as a model for imitation. It may even deter them from taking that first step on their journey -- that first run, or first oar in the water, or first push of the bicycle pedal. Get beyond the cover, though, and focus your attention on the content inside, and you'll find in Doron Meiri and his book a more than useful guide to how to do it the right way. Yossi Melman is a journalist for Haaretz and an amateur triathlete and runner. Over the past 15 years, he has completed 18 marathons, three Ironman competitions and dozens of triathlons. Haaretz Books, July 2008 Bookmark to del.icio.us   Death penalty Iran hands down death sentence to man who spied for Israel. Robot hospital The place where IDF treats droids wounded in the line of fire.

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