Each of us knows Bruce Lee. For many, he is a real idol - a person they want to imitate. Indeed, his lifestyle deserves admiration. Bruce Lee is not only a magnificent athlete who has reached unprecedented heights, but also an actor and a philosopher, which is also reflected in his training.
For most, his phenomenal physical fitness remains a mystery. For decades, many have tried to achieve the same results, but all to no avail. The reason for the failures is due to the fact that in the pursuit of a perfect body, almost all athletes took into account only the physical component, while completely forgetting about the technique of performing exercises and preliminary mental preparation. Bruce Lee's training is a real philosophy where every detail is important. But more about everything.
Train to fight
Lee belonged to the sport's elite: since the late 50s, he was a mentor and fighter, capable of incredible feats of strength such as two-finger push-ups and the "inch punch" that sent opponents flying. However, he revised all training methods after an event that occurred in 1964. That year, Bruce Lee was challenged by Won Jae Man, a representative of the orthodox branch of Chinese martial arts. According to sources, the reason for the disagreement was Bruce Lee's willingness to teach traditional Chinese martial arts to everyone - even Europeans. According to this version of events, if Lee had lost, he would have been forced to close his thriving martial arts school.
Soon Bruce Lee won and retained the right to teach anyone, anything. However, Lee later admitted that although the fight lasted only three minutes and ended with him running after Meng around the pavilion, the fight took much longer than expected and required more effort than Lee expected. Angry with himself, Lee decided to overhaul his training program and began searching for what his wife Linda called “more sophisticated and grueling training methods.”
Very soon, Lee switched to an intensive program of strength development and general functional training, which he adhered to until his death in 1973. He constantly changed the content of his training and always recorded it on video. This means that while we can't recreate Bruce Lee's exact "workout routine," we can piece together his favorite exercises and routines. In short, if you want to leave behind a “muscle treasure map” for future generations, or simply want to draw one for yourself, follow the example of Bruce Lee and take as many travel notes as possible.
Personal life
At the age of 24, Bruce Lee married Linda Emery. He met his future wife at the university.
Bruce Lee with his wife Linda and son Brand
The couple later had a son, Brandon, and a daughter, Shannon. In the future, Brandon Lee also became an actor and martial artist. When he turned 28, he died tragically right on the set.
The pistol that was used during filming turned out to be loaded with live bullets.
Train hard, hit hard
Any conversation about Bruce Lee's training principles must begin with his signature martial art style. Bruce began mastering martial arts under the guidance of the great master Ip Man, the patriarch of the Wing Chun school (Kung Fu style). Having learned the basics, Lee continued to develop and over time created his own style - Jeet Kune Do. Unlike traditional schools, Jeet Kune Do is not tied to any fixed tenets. According to Lee, it is “style without style,” a free-flying martial arts that embraces whatever works.
But does this mean that Bruce did not need to carefully practice his technique? On the contrary, he had to keep his entire arsenal of techniques in full combat readiness, and therefore he devoted the lion's share of his free time to training. Here is a typical list of kicks and punches that Lee practiced.
Punching the punching bag
Punching: Monday/Wednesday/Friday
- Jab – pneumatic bag, wall pad, punching bag and floor bag
- Cross – wall pad, heavy punching bag, punching bag and floor bag
- Hook – heavy punching bag, wall pad, punching bag and floor bag
- Cross from top to bottom – pillow, heavy punching bag
- Series – heavy punching bag, punching bag and floor bag
- Speed training with a pneumatic bag on a platform
Kicks: Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday
- Side impact
- Side leg hook
- Turning kick
- Front and back kick
- Heel strike
Lee often said that a punching bag cannot be punched automatically, without emotion. Imagine that the bag is your worst enemy, and hit him with all your heart. He also emphasized how important it is to remain invulnerable during an attack - even in training. Lee constantly moved, made distracting maneuvers, feinted punches and stepped aside even while working with a boxing bag, thereby simulating a real fight. He firmly believed that a fighter who does not take training seriously will never be able to apply his skills in a stressful situation.
Movies
As mentioned earlier, Bruce Lee's acting biography began at the age of 3 months.
When the boy was 6 years old, he participated in the filming of the film “The Origin of Humanity.” Before becoming an adult, Lee starred in more than 20 films.
While in the United States, Bruce appeared in various TV series and films, playing fighters. However, then no one trusted him with the main roles, which greatly upset the guy.
This led to Bruce Lee deciding to return to Hong Kong, where the Golden Harvest film studio had recently opened. At home, he managed to persuade the director to try himself in the leading role.
It is worth noting that absolutely all the fight scenes were staged by Bruce himself. As a result, in 1971, the premiere of the film “Big Boss” took place, which was enthusiastically received by both critics and ordinary viewers.
Having gained worldwide fame, Lee starred in the films Fist of Fury and Return of the Dragon, which brought him even greater popularity. He gained a huge army of fans eager to imitate their idol.
In 1972, Bruce Lee worked on the film “Enter the Dragon,” which was released on the big screen a week after the death of the great master. This film turned out to be the last completed film with his participation.
Another work in which Lee managed to star is “Game of Death.” Its premiere took place in 1978.
An interesting fact is that the final shooting of the film took place without the participation of the actor. Instead of Bruce, his double played.
Rod path
Even before the fight with Won Jae Man, Lee understood that no fighter could do without proper strength training. However, it was this fight, which coincided with the beginning of television and cinematic activities, that became the beginning of Bruce Lee's serious relationship with heavy iron.
dragon flag
Lee started by spending his days doing reverse-grip curls to tone up his forearm muscles. Having experienced the full benefits of strength training, he moved on to comprehensive strength training. On an ongoing basis, Bruce used two alternative training programs to develop incredible strength:
Alternate workouts A and B every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
Workout A
Kettlebell shoulder press 2
set of
8
reps
Squats 2
set of
12
reps
Pullover with a barbell on a straight bench 2
set of
8
reps
Bench press 2
set of
6
reps
Exercise "Good morning" with straight legs 2
set of
8
reps
Barbell curl 2
set of
8
reps
Workout B
Kettlebell shoulder press 4
set of
6
reps
Squats 4
set of
6
reps
Bench press 4
set of
5
reps
Exercise "Good morning" with straight legs 4
set of
6
reps
Barbell curl 4
set of
6
reps
In his ability to simultaneously work on muscle development and functional training, Bruce Lee was ahead of his time. Hungry for knowledge, he looked for evidence of the effectiveness of each technique and made his choice consciously, based on the results of research and experiments. As a result, he managed to transform himself from a skinny 50-pound guy into a 65-pound warrior who strikes with the force of a jackhammer.
Biography of Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was born on November 27, 1940 in San Francisco. He grew up and was brought up in a wealthy family.
His father, Lee Hoi Chuen, worked as a comic performer. Her mother, Grace Lee, was the daughter of wealthy Hong Kong businessman and philanthropist Robert Hothun.
Childhood and youth
In East Asian countries, it was customary to give children informal names, used only within the family circle. As a result, the parents gave their son a childhood name - Li Xiaolong.
Bruce Lee began acting in films literally after his birth. He appeared on the big screen for the first time at the age of 3 months.
An interesting fact is that in his first film, “The Golden Gate Girl,” the kid played a baby girl.
Lee was not in good health as a child. He was a rather weak child. At that point in his biography, he already showed interest in martial arts, but he had not yet seriously studied them.
At school, Bruce was a very mediocre student who did not stand out from his peers.
Bruce Lee dances the cha-cha-cha
When Lee turned 14 years old, he began to learn the cha-cha-cha dance. After four years of studying at a dance school, he managed to win the Hong Kong Cha-Cha Championship.
At the age of 19, Bruce settled in America. He initially came to San Francisco and then to Seattle, where he worked as a waiter in a local restaurant. At this time, the guy graduated from the Edison Technical School, after which he continued his studies at the University of Washington in the philosophy department.
At the intersection of meditation and functional training
Lee did not neglect endurance training. He understood that strength training was of little use without adequate endurance, so he used a variety of techniques to achieve amazing functional fitness.
Lee had someone throw a medicine ball onto his stomach while he lay on the floor and tensed his abs.
Run. For Lee, running has always been not only a way of general physical training, but also a unique form of meditation, because at this time he was alone with his thoughts. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday he started by running a few kilometers. 6 kilometers was his favorite distance, which he ran in about 20-25 minutes, varying his running pace. After a stretch of calm, steady running, he would sprint for a short distance and then return to a moderate pace—much like what we call high-intensity interval training today.
Jumping rope.
The jump rope not only helped Lee develop endurance and leg muscle strength, but also allowed him to flit easily during sparring and fights. As a rule, Lee worked out with a jump rope on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, devoting about 30 minutes to this exercise.
A ride on the bicycle.
On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, Lee completed his jump rope workout with a spin on the exercise bike, which required even more endurance and finally finished off his leg muscles. He raced on his trainer at high speed for 45 minutes.
If it is stronger than you, it will kill you. A person should always strive to raise his level.
Exit to superpower
Bruce Lee's favorite endurance activity was interval training. The principle is simple: intense work is replaced by relaxation, then intense work again and relaxation again. For example, you need to run one and a half kilometers: you run 400 meters, trying to do it in a minute, then take a break, say 5 minutes of jogging, then again 400 meters at a good pace and slow down for 5 minutes, and so on. After all intervals, be sure to breathe deeply and deeply.
cardio, strength training and flexibility exercises in one complex Circuit training is usually five or six different exercises, each working a different part of the body. The basic principle is to never load the same muscle group twice during the same session.
Lee's famous shield
Bruce Lee, as well as other outstanding representatives of martial arts, needed abdominals not only for beauty. It was a real shield, capable of repelling any blow. To specifically target his abs, Lee would often have someone throw a medicine ball onto his stomach while he lay on the floor and tensed his abs.
However, traditional abdominal exercises such as sit-ups, leg raises and side crunches were also part of his training program. Here is one of the workouts that he did on a daily basis:
Bruce Lee Abs Workout
Side bends with a barbell 5
approaches
max.
repetitions
Hanging leg raises on the bar 5
approaches
max.
repetitions
Raising the body from a lying position 5
approaches
max.
repetitions
Education
At the age of six, Bruce was sent to study at a Jesuit school. It would seem that the Jesuits, who had been engaged in missionary work in China for so many years, should have had no difficulty in dealing with little Li. But they could not do anything with this nimble, frail and thin child. He was not interested in either the English language or arithmetic, he just wanted to fight with someone and break his nose.
Nevertheless, his mentors many years later remembered Bruce Lee as an intelligent, lively and perceptive boy. The main thing was to find a gentle approach to him, to occupy his imagination with something interesting. But over time, their patience came to a limit; Bruce was expelled from school.
Despite his outward frailty and frailty, he was not so interested in anything in life as fighting. He was absolutely fearless and evasive, constantly participating in all kinds of street fights, without paying attention to the weight and height of his rivals. He found a reason for a fight in any look, sigh or spit of a boy he met that he didn’t like. Very often he got it, and a lot, sometimes Bruce was beaten twice a day. The mother wailed in the evenings, darning torn clothes and washing abrasions, and the father lectured.
But the stingy dad, who didn’t really like giving money to his children, became generous and allocated Bruce Lee a certain amount for kung fu lessons ($12 per lesson). He was so tired of all these bruises and wounds that he hoped that if his son went to study martial arts, then all this chaos would end.
Bruce Lee's teacher was a former policeman from the city of Nam Hoe, who fled to Hong Kong from the persecution of Mao Zedong. Ip Man opened his own school in Hong Kong and made money by training street scoundrels like Bruce Lee into real fighters. The training was challenging, requiring me to run 5 km every day, do acrobatics and full-contact fighting, endlessly hit bags filled with sand, and do several hundred push-ups. As a result, Bruce perfectly mastered the techniques of boxing and judo, wing chun and jiu-jitsu, mastered the nunchucks, and later developed a new style of kung fu - jit kune do.
Simultaneously with his kung fu classes, Bruce Lee, at the age of 12, entered the prestigious La Salle College of Comprehensive Development. However, he was not at all interested in studying, he received bad grades, and did not find a common language with his classmates. Nevertheless, kung fu classes benefited the teenager, he was no longer so mischievous, after training every bone ached, and there was simply no strength left for pranks.
On top of that, at the age of 14, Bruce Lee began to learn cha-cha-cha dancing. And four years later he won the dance championship in Hong Kong.
At the age of 18, Bruce Lee became the king of the school; no one argued with him on the street. He greased and licked his hair, carefully ironed his black suit, not trusting his mother to do this, and tied a thin tie with a beautiful knot. In a word - handsome, he looked very much like a dancer from a variety show.
Feed the dragon
No athlete will jump from 50 to 65 kilograms without an adequate nutrition program. Like us, Lee had a penchant for protein drinks and made his own from powdered milk and some ingredients like ginseng root and royal jelly, with powerful doses of vitamins added.
He was very careful about his diet and never used foods that could harm the body or negatively affect performance. Coffee was blacklisted, but Bruce loved tea. At the same time, Lee was an ardent admirer of traditional Chinese cuisine. In his view, Chinese cuisine was built around quality plant-based carbohydrates from rice and vegetables, in contrast to Western cuisine, which was overzealous in its use of proteins and fats. It was carbohydrates that Bruce considered an essential nutrient for people with high levels of physical activity, and he distributed carbohydrates evenly between 4-5 meals.
Interesting facts and achievements of Bruce Lee
- Bruce Lee could hold his legs in an angle position on his hands for more than half an hour.
- For several seconds, Lee managed to hold a 34-kilogram weight at arm's length.
- According to Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce's physique can be considered the standard for the complete absence of excess fat in the body.
- About 30 films have been made about the biography of Bruce Lee.
- Lee struck so quickly that they could not be recorded by the usual camera of the time, with 24 frames per second technology. As a result, directors were forced to use a television camera capable of shooting 32 frames per second.
- The man could do push-ups only on the index and thumb of one hand, and also do pull-ups on only one little finger.
- Bruce Lee was able to throw grains of rice into the air and catch them with chopsticks.
- The master's favorite flowers were chrysanthemums.
Programs based on Bruce Lee's training
Somewhere between kicking, strength training and aerobic exercise, you've probably already realized that Bruce Lee's training style is not for everyone. He devoted several hours every day to physical exercise, but strictly speaking, it was a key element of his life philosophy. Most of us are not able to handle such a high volume of physical activity, but we can learn something for ourselves from the great master's approach to the training process. Here are two programs based on Bruce Lee's training and adapted to our realities so that everyone can integrate them into their busy schedule.
Bruce Lee's training style is not for everyone. He devoted several hours every day to physical exercise.
Static or isometric exercises from Bruce Lee
It was statics that the famous athlete preferred. The exercises are incredibly simple to perform and at the same time effective. The use of sports equipment is not required, but you can achieve better results with it. Statics is carried out not only in the gym, but also at home.
An important condition during execution is body control and its maximum tension when performing a particular exercise. Key elements of the program that deserve special attention:
- Plank.
- Lunges.
- Squats.
Three-day program
Day 1
Standing Alternating Kettlebell Press 2
set of
8
reps
Squats 2
set of
6
reps
Exercise "Good morning" with straight legs 2
set of
8
reps
Practice various punches for 10 minutes, then kicks for 10 minutes.
Running on a treadmill 1
approach
15
min.
Side bends with a barbell 2
approach to
max.
repetitions
Hanging leg raises on the bar 2
approach to
max.
repetitions
Raising the body from a lying position 2
approach to
max.
repetitions
Day 2
Practice punches and kicks on a heavy punching bag for 15 minutes
Jumping rope 5
approaches for
2
minutes.
Riding an exercise bike 1
approach
15
min.
Side bends with a barbell 1
approach to
max.
repetitions
Hanging leg raises on the bar 1
approach to
max.
repetitions
Raising the body from a lying position 1
approach to
max.
repetitions
Day 3
Standing Alternating Kettlebell Press 2
set of
8
reps
Squats 2
set of
6
reps
Exercise "Good morning" with straight legs 2
set of
8
reps
25 minutes, alternate between kicking and punching a heavy bag
Running on a treadmill 1
approach
15
min.
Side bends with a barbell 2
approach to
max.
repetitions
Hanging leg raises on the bar 2
approach to
max.
repetitions
Raising the body from a lying position 2
approach to
max.
repetitions
Demise
How did Bruce Lee end his life? His biography and death raise some questions in our time.
On May 10, 1973, the actor and athlete became ill right at the Golden Harvest film studio. Lee lost consciousness and began to choke, his body began to experience convulsions, and his eyes did not react to light. Three minutes later he came to his senses. After this incident, Bruce underwent a medical examination, but doctors were unable to detect any health problems with him.
And already on July 20, 1973, Lee, during a meeting with actress Betty Bruce, complained of a pain in his head and asked for an aspirin tablet. After working on the script for some more time and drinking a few cocktails, the actor went to bed and, as it turned out, for good. Autopsy results showed that Bruce Lee died of cerebral edema. This happened due to the body's allergy to aspirin. There are still rumors that Lee was allegedly killed by some unknown martial artist, but this version has not found evidence in practice.
In 1978, the last film with Lee's participation was released; few people know that the film was shot with the actor's understudies, and he himself only managed to work in 28 minutes of screen time.
Six day program
Can't spare one hour three times a week? Consider making some changes to your lifestyle. While you're thinking about it, take a look at a program that uses the same exercises, but spreads them out over six workouts of 30 minutes each.
Day 1 and 4
Practice punches and kicks on a heavy punching bag for 20 minutes
Side bends with a barbell 2
approach to
max.
repetitions
Hanging leg raises on the bar 2
approach to
max.
repetitions
Raising the body from a lying position 2
approach to
max.
repetitions
Day 2 and 5
Standing Alternating Kettlebell Press 2
set of
8
reps
Squats 2
set of
12
reps
Bench press 2
set of
6
reps
Exercise "Good morning" with straight legs 2
set of
8
reps
Running on a treadmill 1
approach
15
min.
Day 3 and 6
Practice a variety of punches for 20 minutes on a heavy punching bag
Jumping rope 5
approaches for
2
minutes.
Power training
The athlete spent several hours a day working with free weights. Most often, biceps lifts, jumping rope, and all kinds of push-ups were performed. The main condition for successful training is a thorough, complete warm-up before class. Here are a few exercises that were present in Lee's program:
- Bent-overs with a barbell. Place the bar behind your shoulders. We put our feet wide. Slowly (you can’t rush) bend forward until you reach a position of 90 degrees - a right angle. We also gradually return to the starting position.
- Standing barbell press. We squat in front of the sports equipment. We grab it and place our hands at shoulder width. We sharply pull the barbell towards ourselves, towards the chest. We rise at the same time. After we fully stand up, raise the bar above your head - your arms should be fully straightened. We return to the starting position.
- Biceps press. It was thanks to this exercise that the athlete was able to develop incredible hand power and speed. We place the upper limbs on the bar. Palms face forward. Straining the muscles of the biceps muscles, we pull the equipment to the chest. Slowly return to the starting position.
Technique and types of exercises
Reconstructing diary entries, eyewitness accounts and photos of Bruce Lee, experts came to the conclusion that he worked using the following physical training techniques:
- Basic exercises in three sets with 15...30 approaches depending on the weight.
- Alternate exercises, they change in each workout.
- Constantly increasing load.
One of the programs for training the abs and leg muscles is shown in the photo.
The table below summarizes the basic principles of operation.
How Bruce Lee ate: a balanced diet
All his life, Lee preferred Chinese cuisine, preferring protein dishes, including soy-based ones. Relatives claimed that he avoided flour - he ate only out of politeness, when visiting. The emphasis on protein products was also expressed in a large number of protein shakes, the actor drank them every day: with powdered milk, eggs, bananas, peanut butter, sprouted wheat, brewer's yeast and lecithin. The composition was constantly changing.
Lee adhered to the principle of fractional nutrition - small portions five to six times a day. The diet was accompanied by energy drinks based on ginseng and honey, vitamins and nutritional supplements.
What supplements did Bruce Lee use?
According to his wife and other eyewitnesses, he actively experimented with all synthetic vitamins, mainly groups B, E, C, and constantly consumed rosehip syrup and bee pollen. As mentioned above, ginseng was on the menu every day in the form of drinks, like honey.
Filming
From 1967-1971, Bruce Lee starred in a large number of films where he demonstrated his greatest physical abilities. At that time, a 24-frame camera simply did not have time to film his blows, since the speed of Bruce’s blow was very high, which is why it was necessary to use 32-frame shooting .
The film " Big Boss " brought Bruce Lee fame throughout the world in 1971, now almost everyone begins to recognize him on the streets.
Bruce Lee in the movies
