Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee (November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973), was a Chinese American martial artist and actor who is widely regarded as among the most influential martial artists of the 20th century. Lee's few movies, especially his performance in the Hollywood-produced Enter the Dragon, elevated the traditional Hong Kong martial arts film to a new level of popularity, paving the way for future martial artists actors such as Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Chuck Norris.

Physical Training, Fitness, and Nutrition

Bruce Lee worked a fitness routine and tracked the evolution of his training in personal notes and diary, which have been recollected and published in The Bruce Lee Library by John Little, a "martial arts historian" from Bruce Lee's Estate. Bruce Lee used electric current as an aid to strength training, because of the alleged leanness the muscles gained in working against themselves. However, this muscle stimulator was only one of many pieces of equipment and exercise routines Lee used to achieve his on-screen physical appearance.

Related Topics:
John Little - Strength training

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Bruce investigated nutrition and developed an interest in health foods and high-protein drinks. "Several times a day, he took a high-protein drink made up of powdered milk, ice water, eggs, eggshells, bananas, vegetable oil, peanut flour and chocolate ice cream,". "He also drank his own juice concoctions made from vegetables and fruits: apples, celery, carrots and so on, prepared in an electric blender."

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Upperbody

• At the invitation of Ed Parker, Lee appeared in the 1964 Long Beach International Karate Championship and performed repetitions of two-finger pushups (using the thumb and the index finger) with feet at approximately a shoulder-width apart.
• In the same Long Beach event he also performed a so-called "one inch punch", the description of which is as follows: Lee stood upright, his right foot forward with knees bent slightly, in front of a standing, stationary partner. Lee's right arm was partly extended and his right fist approximately an inch away from the partner's chest. Without retracting his right arm, Lee then forcibly delivered the punch to his partner while largely maintaining his posture, sending the partner backwards and falling into a chair placed behind the partner to prevent injury to the partner.

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• The weight training program Lee used during a stay in Hong Kong in 1965, indicated bicep curls of 80 pounds and 8 repetitions{{fn|2}} for endurance. This translates to an estimated one-repetition-maximum of 110 pounds{{fn|4}}, placing Lee in approximately the 100th percentile for the 121 to 140 pound weight class{{fn|3}}.

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• Lee typically exhibited a very lean and muscular appearance in his films, particularly in his upperbody.

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Circuit training

Bruce Lee was quick to discover the concept of circuit, which was currently in development in several forms. Circuit training is a method of performing several exercises in order, for a predetermined period of time, with a predetermined period of rest between the exercises. He would use these exercises to develop cardiovascular ability, martial technique, and would also use exercises that developed coordination, and balance. He would frequently train his students in such programs.

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Later on in his career, with the purchase of a marcy circuit training machine, he began a modified routine of circuit training with weights. These exercises included lat pull downs, bench presses, shoulder lifts, squats, biceps curls, tricep extensions, etc. This routine is largely responsible for the ultra defined physique seen in his last movie, Enter the Dragon.

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