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Those legendary words were said by a true icon Bruce lee, to help one understand how to grow in life! In case you do not know, then let me tell you that besides being a philosophy student Bruce Lee was also the founder of Jeet Kune Do, responsible for making martial arts movies a craze all over the world, and possessed a body that has inspired many and is used even today as an example to explain the word R-I-P-P-E-D!
For decades people have been amazed by the speed, strength and flexibility of Bruce's body. In fact Joe Weider had once described Lee's physique as the most defined body he had ever seen. Of course Bruce never trained solely for the purpose of looking good. His aim was to develop a functional body, and the appearance was a by product of his training. Bruce Lee often referred to training as the art of expressing the human body.
Enter The Dragon's Fitness
However Bruce was not always so strong and fit. An incident in Bruce Lee's life made him reconsider all his training methods and design methods that were more functional and effective. It all started when Lee was challenged to a fight by a guy called Wong Jack Man. The reason for this challenge was that Bruce was teaching the ancient "secrets" of the Chinese fighting system to westerners, who were bigger and stronger than the Chinese. This of course negated whatever advantage the Chinese had in self defense against westerners. The challenge was that whoever lost the fight would have to close down his martial arts school.
Needless to say that Bruce won over his adversary and maintained his rights to teach whomever he wished to teach. However according to Bruce the fight which lasted for about 3 minutes took much longer than what it should have taken. Furious at himself for letting the fight go on for as long as it did Bruce Lee decided to examine his whole style of training. Upon examination he realized that to be a complete martial artist he must develop his physical conditioning to great levels, and also develop a more effective method of fighting which he would later on name Jeet Kune Do, or the way of the intercepting fist. Thus Bruce began an intensive program of developing strength and fitness and developed his amazing physique which still wows the viewers 3 decades after his death. Bruce Lee would always record his workouts to know what worked for him, a habit that even you should consider seriously.
Fists (And Kicks) Of Fury
I guess no conversation about Bruce Lee can be complete without discussing his martial arts practice. Having started learning martial arts from the late grandmaster Yip Man in the Wing Chun style of Kung Fu, Bruce Lee later went on to develop his own method called Jeet Kune Do (JKD). Unlike traditional styles JKD was not limited to any "forms". It was a free flowing style of fighting that used whatever worked. Needless to say it took hours and hours of dedicated practice for Bruce to be as efficient as he was. Here is a list of punches and kicks that Lee used to practice-
The Weight Training Way Of The Dragon
Lee realized that no martial artist could ever be the best that they could without proper strength development. Realizing that weight training was a superior form of developing strength Bruce began lifting weights. For all those "bodyweight only" training martial artists you should know that Lee also did weight training, and he did not get slow because of it. In fact he transformed from a skinny 100 pound guy to a more developed 130 pound guy who could hit you like a truck.
At first Lee did reverse curls all day to develop his forearms. Once he saw how beneficial weight training was he began on a more, well rounded weight training program. These were the routines that he often employed to build his amazing levels of strength:
Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday
The Cardio Connection
All great martial artists are known for their unbelievably well develop levels of cardio stamina and power. Bruce Lee was no exception to this fact! For lee it was essential to develop the kind of cardio that would help him maintain his stamina during a fight. He used several modalities to help him achieve his supreme levels of cardio conditioning:
The Famous Lee Midsection
One look at Lee's midsection and anyone would immediately say "I want abs like that"! Of course anyone who has tried bringing out his or her abs knows too well how tough it can be. For Lee abdominal training was more than just looking good, it was like developing a shield that would be able to withstand the punches thrown by an attacker on it. He would often have someone drop a medicine ball on his stomach while he would lie on the ground to toughen his stomach area.
Conventional abs exercises like situps, leg raises, side bends were an integral part of his ab training routine. Here is what a sample ab training workout of Bruce Lee would be like, he trained abs everyday:
!Ab Workout:
Feeding The Dragon
For a guy who went from 100 pounds to 130 pounds, nutrition had to play a huge part in it. He used to experiment with high protein weight gain drinks that he blended himself and supplemented with ginseng, royal jelly, and massive doses of vitamins. He was particular about his food intake that he never consumed foods that could harm his body. Although he drank tea, he never drank coffee instead he consumed milk.
A fan of Chinese food, Lee enjoyed it fully. According to him Chinese foods placed enough emphasis on carbohydrates from vegetables, rice, unlike western foods which emphasized heavily on proteins and fats. According to him carbs were essential for a person with very high levels of physical activity like him. He was also a fan of 4 to 5 meals a day eating pattern.
Bruce Lee Inspired Training
To Get Fitter And Stronger For Regular Guys.
Having gone through the routines employed by Bruce Lee you can understand that he used to train for many hours each day. It is great for someone whose job is to train, but what about regular guys who are not athletes and cannot spare so much time to train? Surely such high volume training program cannot be fully fitted into their daily lives. If you are such an individual, then fear not I will offer you a Bruce Lee inspired training program that will fit in with your busy schedule.
3 Day Program
If you have about 1 hour to train 3 days a week then try the following program:
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
6 Day Program
Now what if you happen to be busy in a different way? That is you can spare time 6 days a week, but cannot spare more than about 30 minutes each day? Well I have a sample program for you too. Here it is:
Days: 1,4
Days 2,5:
Days 3,6:
For decades people have been amazed by the speed, strength and flexibility of Bruce's body. In fact Joe Weider had once described Lee's physique as the most defined body he had ever seen. Of course Bruce never trained solely for the purpose of looking good. His aim was to develop a functional body, and the appearance was a by product of his training. Bruce Lee often referred to training as the art of expressing the human body.
Enter The Dragon's Fitness
However Bruce was not always so strong and fit. An incident in Bruce Lee's life made him reconsider all his training methods and design methods that were more functional and effective. It all started when Lee was challenged to a fight by a guy called Wong Jack Man. The reason for this challenge was that Bruce was teaching the ancient "secrets" of the Chinese fighting system to westerners, who were bigger and stronger than the Chinese. This of course negated whatever advantage the Chinese had in self defense against westerners. The challenge was that whoever lost the fight would have to close down his martial arts school.
Fists (And Kicks) Of Fury
I guess no conversation about Bruce Lee can be complete without discussing his martial arts practice. Having started learning martial arts from the late grandmaster Yip Man in the Wing Chun style of Kung Fu, Bruce Lee later went on to develop his own method called Jeet Kune Do (JKD). Unlike traditional styles JKD was not limited to any "forms". It was a free flowing style of fighting that used whatever worked. Needless to say it took hours and hours of dedicated practice for Bruce to be as efficient as he was. Here is a list of punches and kicks that Lee used to practice-
Punches: Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Lee would often tell everyone that when you hit a heavy bag, do not hit passively! Imagine that the bag is your worst enemy and give it all that you have. Also it is important to keep yourself covered and never keep yourself exposed for an attack while practicing. Lee also emphasized on continuously moving, feinting, side stepping while training on the heavy bag to simulate a real fight. According to Bruce, a martial artist who does not take practice time seriously will never be able to transfer what he learns in the dojo to the streets effectively. - Jab-Speed Bag, Foam Pad, Top and Bottom Bag
- Cross-Foam Pad, Heavy Bag, Top and Bottom Bag
- Hook-Heavy Bag, Foam Pad, Top and Bottom Bag
- Overhand Cross-Pad, Heavy Bag
- Combinations- Heavy Bag, Top and Bottom Bag
- Platform Speed Bag Workout
- Side Kick
- Hook Kick
- Spin Kick
- Rear and Front Thrust
- Heel Kick
The Weight Training Way Of The Dragon
Lee realized that no martial artist could ever be the best that they could without proper strength development. Realizing that weight training was a superior form of developing strength Bruce began lifting weights. For all those "bodyweight only" training martial artists you should know that Lee also did weight training, and he did not get slow because of it. In fact he transformed from a skinny 100 pound guy to a more developed 130 pound guy who could hit you like a truck.
At first Lee did reverse curls all day to develop his forearms. Once he saw how beneficial weight training was he began on a more, well rounded weight training program. These were the routines that he often employed to build his amazing levels of strength:
Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday
Routine 1:
The routines followed by Bruce Lee were truly well ahead of his times. The concept of functional strength which is thrown around so often nowadays was practiced by Bruce in the 60's. Of course Lee did a lot of researching and reading to come up with effective weight training programs to help him develop his strength.- Clean and Press: 2 sets of 8 reps
- Squat: 2 sets of 12 reps
- Pullover: 2 sets of 8 reps
- Bench Press: 2 sets of 6 reps
- Good Morning: 2 sets of 8 reps
- Curl: 2 sets of 8 reps
- Clean and Press: 4 sets of 6 reps
- Squat: 4 sets of 6 reps
- Good Morning: 4 sets of 6 reps
- Bench Press: 4 sets of 5 reps
- Curl: 4 sets of 6 reps
The Cardio Connection
All great martial artists are known for their unbelievably well develop levels of cardio stamina and power. Bruce Lee was no exception to this fact! For lee it was essential to develop the kind of cardio that would help him maintain his stamina during a fight. He used several modalities to help him achieve his supreme levels of cardio conditioning:
Running:
Bruce started Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with a run of several miles. He would love to run 4 miles a day in 24 to 25 minutes. He would change his tempo while running. After several miles of constant even strides, he would sprint several feet and then return to easier running (sounds familiar like interval running doesn't it, again Lee was well ahead of his times). He would also shuffle his feet while running. For Lee running was also a form of meditation. It was the time for him to be alone with his own thoughts.
Rope Skipping:
Skipping rope not only helped Lee develop his stamina and leg muscles, but also helped him get light on his feet. He would usually do this on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 30 minutes of rope skipping will be hugely beneficial for any martial arts enthusiast. Start with around 3 minutes of skipping and 1 minute of rest and then repeat in that order. As you get good at it omit the rest periods so that you are doing 30 minutes of non stop rope skipping.
Cycling:
Bruce started Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with a run of several miles. He would love to run 4 miles a day in 24 to 25 minutes. He would change his tempo while running. After several miles of constant even strides, he would sprint several feet and then return to easier running (sounds familiar like interval running doesn't it, again Lee was well ahead of his times). He would also shuffle his feet while running. For Lee running was also a form of meditation. It was the time for him to be alone with his own thoughts.
Rope Skipping:
Skipping rope not only helped Lee develop his stamina and leg muscles, but also helped him get light on his feet. He would usually do this on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 30 minutes of rope skipping will be hugely beneficial for any martial arts enthusiast. Start with around 3 minutes of skipping and 1 minute of rest and then repeat in that order. As you get good at it omit the rest periods so that you are doing 30 minutes of non stop rope skipping.
Cycling:
On Tuesdays, Thursday, and Saturdays in addition to rope skipping, Lee would also do cycling to further develop his cardiovascular system. He often rode at high speeds for 45 minutes on the exercycle.
The Famous Lee Midsection
One look at Lee's midsection and anyone would immediately say "I want abs like that"! Of course anyone who has tried bringing out his or her abs knows too well how tough it can be. For Lee abdominal training was more than just looking good, it was like developing a shield that would be able to withstand the punches thrown by an attacker on it. He would often have someone drop a medicine ball on his stomach while he would lie on the ground to toughen his stomach area.
Conventional abs exercises like situps, leg raises, side bends were an integral part of his ab training routine. Here is what a sample ab training workout of Bruce Lee would be like, he trained abs everyday:
!
- Side Bends: 5 sets to failure
- Leg Raises: 5 sets to failure
- Situps: 5 sets to failure
Feeding The Dragon
For a guy who went from 100 pounds to 130 pounds, nutrition had to play a huge part in it. He used to experiment with high protein weight gain drinks that he blended himself and supplemented with ginseng, royal jelly, and massive doses of vitamins. He was particular about his food intake that he never consumed foods that could harm his body. Although he drank tea, he never drank coffee instead he consumed milk.
A fan of Chinese food, Lee enjoyed it fully. According to him Chinese foods placed enough emphasis on carbohydrates from vegetables, rice, unlike western foods which emphasized heavily on proteins and fats. According to him carbs were essential for a person with very high levels of physical activity like him. He was also a fan of 4 to 5 meals a day eating pattern.
Bruce Lee Inspired Training
To Get Fitter And Stronger For Regular Guys.
Having gone through the routines employed by Bruce Lee you can understand that he used to train for many hours each day. It is great for someone whose job is to train, but what about regular guys who are not athletes and cannot spare so much time to train? Surely such high volume training program cannot be fully fitted into their daily lives. If you are such an individual, then fear not I will offer you a Bruce Lee inspired training program that will fit in with your busy schedule.
3 Day Program
If you have about 1 hour to train 3 days a week then try the following program:
Day 1:
Weights:
Combat practice:
- Squat: 2 sets of 12 reps
- Bench Press: 2 sets of 6 reps
- Good Morning: 2 sets of 8 reps
Combat practice:
- Practice the various punches on the heavy bag for 10 minutes
- Practice various kicks on the heavy bag for 10 minutes
- Running: Run for 15 minutes. Try to build upto running 2 miles in 15 minutes
- Side Bends: 2 sets to failure
- Leg Raises: 2 sets to failure
- Situps: 2 sets to failure
Day 2:
Combat practice:
- Practice the various punches on the heavy bag for 15 minutes
- Practice various kicks on the heavy bag for 15 minutes
- Skipping Rope: Start skipping rope for 2 minutes followed by 1 minute of rest. Repeat 5 times. With time work upto doing 15 minutes of non stop skipping rope.
- Cycling: Ride a cycle for full 15 minutes. As you get better at it try to go faster and faster to keep you huffing and puffing.
- Side Bends: 1 set to failure
- Leg Raises: 1 set to failure
- Situps: 1 set to failure
Day 3:
Weights:
Same as Day 1.
Combat practice:
25 minutes of mixing kicks and punches thrown on the heavy bag.
Running:
Same as Day 1.
Abs circuit:
Same as Day 1.
Same as Day 1.
Combat practice:
25 minutes of mixing kicks and punches thrown on the heavy bag.
Running:
Same as Day 1.
Abs circuit:
Same as Day 1.
6 Day Program
Now what if you happen to be busy in a different way? That is you can spare time 6 days a week, but cannot spare more than about 30 minutes each day? Well I have a sample program for you too. Here it is:
Days: 1,4
Combat practice:
Practice the various kicks for 20 minutes on a heavy bag.
Abs circuit:
Practice the various kicks for 20 minutes on a heavy bag.
Abs circuit:
- Side Bends: 2 sets to failure
- Leg Raises: 2 sets to failure
- Situps: 2sets to failure
Days 2,5:
Weights:
Running:
Run for 15 minutes. Build up to running 2 miles in 15 minutes.
- Clean and Press: 2 sets of 8 reps
- Squat: 2 sets of 12
- Bench Press: 2 sets of 6
- Good Morning: 2 sets of 8
Running:
Run for 15 minutes. Build up to running 2 miles in 15 minutes.
Days 3,6:
Combat practice:
Practice the various punches on a heavy bag for 20 minutes.
Skipping Rope:
Start skipping rope for 2 minutes followed by 1 minute of rest. Repeat 5 times. With time work upto doing 15 minutes of non stop skipping rope.
So there you have two sample programs that can be fitted into your busy schedules. Give the above mentioned programs a try and send me your feedback on how they worked out for you.
Practice the various punches on a heavy bag for 20 minutes.
Skipping Rope:
Start skipping rope for 2 minutes followed by 1 minute of rest. Repeat 5 times. With time work upto doing 15 minutes of non stop skipping rope.