Getbig.com: American Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure
Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: Bluto on June 08, 2008, 11:35:27 AM
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discuss
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(http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/8/85/The.Way.Of.The.Dragon.1972.Bruce.Lee.flex.front.jpg)
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Looks like he could fly.
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For 132# with a 26-28 inch waist-that is one hell of a lat spread......and his BF is pretty low, all drug free.
He was in reality a BBer. Bantam weight of course. ::)
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For 132# with a 26-28 inch waist-that is one hell of a lat spread......and his BF is pretty low, all drug free.
He was in reality a BBer. Bantam weight of course. ::)
Haha he admitted to juicing.
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discuss
You mean this "bone spread"?
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He admitted juicing? Source please. He admitted chewing cannabis leaves (quite common in southern china)
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You mean this "bone spread"?
Bruce Lee could have been a bantam weight National champion BBer.
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Haha he admitted to juicing.
Who told you that lie?????
Bruce Lee never used steroids and never made any "admission" that he did.
He admitted juicing? Source please. He admitted chewing cannabis leaves (quite common in southern china)
Never happened. Brucee Lee never took AAS.
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Cue the parade of losers now that will say a natural can't be as big as and cut as Bruce Lee! LOL
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Who told you that lie?????
Bruce Lee never used steroids and never made any "admission" that he did.
Never happened. Brucee Lee never took AAS.
You're right - he didn't say it himself, but a family member who wrote a book about him said he used them.
Personally I don't think he looks like he ever used steroids.
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You're right - he didn't say it himself, but a family member who wrote a book about him said he used them.
Personally I don't think he looks like he ever used steroids.
I used to be a Bruce Lee nut as a kid and its widely known he dabbled in Steroids and fat burners.Lots of athletes who have been caught look like they have never touched a steroid, people use them for other reasons than to increase the size of their muscles.
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You're right - he didn't say it himself, but a family member who wrote a book about him said he used them.
Personally I don't think he looks like he ever used steroids.
A family memeber wrote it in a book-why didn't you say so. Then IT MUST BE TRUE!
The guy was a 132# with 13 inch arms, and you think he was juicing??? Please!
BTW, which "family member" was it??? And what book??? Since only 1 person would have that knowledge, his wife Linda.
I used to be a Bruce Lee nut as a kid and its widely known he dabbled in Steroids and fat burners.Lots of athletes who have been caught look like they have never touched a steroid, people use them for other reasons than to increase the size of their muscles.
Hahah...More "expert witness" testimony! And it must be TRUE because you were a Bruce lee nut!
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I used to be a Bruce Lee nut as a kid and its widely known he dabbled in Steroids and fat burners.Lots of athletes who have been caught look like they have never touched a steroid, people use them for other reasons than to increase the size of their muscles.
Name one.
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Since only 1 person would have that knowledge, his wife Linda.
Haha
ya only one person could ever know that, not the dealer or witnesses, or people he told, friends etc....
just linda ::)
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Name one.
Too easy, this guy (dutch soccer player frank de boer) was tested positive for nadrolone.
(http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/inchieste/doping/200105/08/3af8127904769/itaola9p.jpg)
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Name one.
Peter Korda, John Mcenroe.any number of tour de france racers etc etc , list is too long for me to bother writing up, I can find it if you want.
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ya only one person could ever know that, not the dealer or witnesses, or people he told, friends etc....
just linda ::)
Yes, people who use roids blab about it to everyone. I have heard they even run it in the local papers just in case word was not out ::)
And thsi is especially true of celebrity personalities, so they can build there good reputations. Just look at Barry Bonds! ;D
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Too easy, this guy (dutch soccer player frank de boer) was tested positive for nadrolone.
(http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/inchieste/doping/200105/08/3af8127904769/itaola9p.jpg)
Big difference. Soccer players are lazy. They need roids so they can workout LESS.
Lee has been working out his whole life, everyday ridiculously long. I doubt he juiced, he was very small and light. Also, if you run a few miles every day, you don't need fatuburners, especially IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN FAT.
all stupid gibberish, you guys are idiots if you believe you need roids to look like this. Constant intense training is the key, think about that.
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which back exercises did bruce lee do?
chins?
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brutal 10 inch arms and being dead ::)
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http://www.tinajuanfitness.info/articles/art083199.html
Fitness Lessons from Bruce Lee
Part One
As I was writing last week's article on 'fitness kickboxing', Louie Buenaventura, instructor of Bakbakan International, pointed out that if you really want to be fit, it's not enough to only do kickboxing. Louie cited famed martial artist Bruce Lee as a prime example of someone who believed in the benefits of cross training or doing different exercise activities to keep fit and advised me to read the book "Bruce Lee: The Art of Expressing the Human Body".
Author John Little, who has devoted himself to documenting the life and career of Bruce Lee, writes that people have always been intrigued by how Lee, a five foot, seven-and-a-half inch and 135-pound man, could have achieved such an impressive physique. "Certainly he wasn't born with such a body, nor with such awesome physical ability. He must have created it - but how? If it was simply the result of martial art training, then, by definition, anyone who practiced martial art - and Lee's martial art of jeet kune do in particular - would have a similar if not identical physique. And this clearly was not the case."
The book clears up misconceptions that have grown over the years about Lee's training methods since it is a compilation of Lee's own records and notes as well as recollections by close associates. Lee's widow, Linda Lee Caldwell, just recently made the private papers concerning his exercise beliefs public in 1997. The book details all the different training methods that Bruce Lee used to achieve a body that has been admired by the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Chuck Norris.
However, for me, the true value of the book is Bruce Lee's personal fitness philosophy. Whether you are male or female, professional athlete or "week-end warrior", novice exerciser or hardcore fitness buff, we all have much to learn from this remarkable man.
It's not what you have; it's what you do with it.
According to his wife, Bruce Lee was not an especially genetically gifted youngster. Lee's mother remembers that "Bruce was a skinny little kid". Little says that the book "should forever put to rest the misbegotten notion that Bruce was somehow a "natural" who didn't have to work - and work hard and often - to obtain every ounce of muscle he developed". Kareem Abdul-Jabbar noted that "he didn't weigh that much but he got the most out of what he had. He was very strong and the weight that he did have was all muscle." This is such an inspiration for so many of us who have less than perfect bodies. It's not what you have; it's what you do with what was given to you by Mother Nature.
There is always room for improvement.
The turning point in Bruce Lee's career in terms of fitness came in 1965 when he had to fight with a kung fu master to defend his right to teach martial arts to non-Chinese people. At that time, the traditional belief was that martial arts should only be taught to fellow Chinese. Lee quickly finished off his opponent but like Linda Lee says, "He was surprised and disappointed at the physical condition he was in. Although it took all of three minutes, he thought that the fight had lasted way too long and that it was his own lack of proper conditioning that made it such a lengthy set-to. He felt inordinately tired and winded afterward." Bruce Lee was in top physical shape and yet was humble enough to accept that there was still room for improvement and that he would have to look outside his sport for the answer.
Have a scientific approach towards fitness.
In Lee's search for alternative methods of exercise, he used the scientific approach. Little writes that Lee did not only subscribe to every commercial muscle magazine he could get his hands on but also bought exercise science books written by professors of physiology and kinesiology. He was an avid student of anatomy. Lee quickly learned to cut through the "hype and sales pitches" of the magazines and retain only the knowledge that he could confirm through scientific research and his own experiments.
Never stop learning.
As more research comes along, remove the old and adapt the new. Don't get stuck with your same old exercise routine simply because "that's the way I've always done it". Bruce Lee's exercise programs were constantly evolving as he learned new information. Linda Lee comments that "with the explosion of the fitness-health-wellness industries in the past decades, there certainly is a great amount of information available to the inspired student. Bruce would have immersed himself in the new research and would encourage you to do likewise."
Apply what you learn.
All the knowledge in the world will not help you achieve a fit body unless you apply what you learn. Bruce Lee said, "Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do."
If you want results, expect to work hard.
Little cautions the readers of his book not to "expect Bruce Lee-like results unless you're willing to put in Bruce Lee-like hours to achieve them." Linda Lee says, "Bruce built up his outstanding physique through sheer application and willpower; through intense training."
Make time in your schedule.
When people would ask Linda Lee how her husband was able to find the time to do all those hours of training, she answered saying "that was how he decided to spend his time. The choices he made in each of his 24-hour days included devoting several hours to training his body and mind in order to be the best that he could be." I am not saying we should spend hours a day in physical training, but we can learn from Bruce Lee by "choosing" to set aside time in our daily schedules to keep our bodies fit. In short, the choice is ours. No matter how busy we are, we can keep fit if we make fitness one of our top priorities.
Correction: Last week's article stated that John Little was a close friend of Bruce Lee. This is incorrect. It was Allen Joe, who wrote the foreword, who was the close friend.
Note: The Association of Fitness Professionals of the Philippines will be holding a one-day seminar for instructors and enthusiasts at the U.P. Diliman Campus on Saturday, September 11, 1999. Topics will include "Current Exercise Controversies", "Active-Isolated Stretching", "Yoga for Group Exercise Classes", and "Fitness Kickboxing". For more details call Ellen at 871-2420 or Lorna at 807-5820 or email Shirley at napq@skyinet.net.
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http://www.tinajuanfitness.info/articles/art090799.html
Fitness Lessons from Bruce Lee
Part Two
You don't have to be an aspiring martial arts expert to benefit from reading the book "Bruce Lee: The Art of Expressing the Human Body" by John Little. Bruce Lee's fitness beliefs are an inspiration to anyone who wants to be the best that they can be both physically and mentally.
Develop a "total" approach to fitness.
Bruce Lee's exercise regimen, unlike those of most of his contemporaries, involved all the components of "total" fitness - strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination, rhythm, timing, and so on. This is the way it should be for the rest of us also. You cannot consider yourself to be truly fit if your entire exercise program consists of, let's say, running. Your heart will be strong and your legs will not tire easily but your upper body will be flabby.
Strength train for a purpose.
According to Little, after poring over many scientific books, Lee came away convinced that strength was a prerequisite to all physical activities. Bruce Lee said that "techniques alone are no good if you don't support them with strength and flexibility". Exercise experts now agree that even golfers and bowlers would benefit much from a solid strength-training program.
However, Little points out that although Lee was famous for his amazing V-shaped body, he did not lift weights simply to get bigger muscles. Little mentions Dan Inosanto, a close friend and the man chosen by Lee to assist him in teaching martial arts, as saying that Bruce Lee was only interested in strength that could readily be converted into power. Strength that had a purpose besides just looking good and being "macho" enough to bench press a large amount of weight.
According to Lee, the strength developed in the gym had to be translated into quick and efficient power in the real world for it to be worth any good. Therefore, he cautioned that "the athlete who is building muscles through weight training should be very sure to work adequately on speed and flexibility at the same time" because "a man can be strong, but if he cannot use that strength quickly, he is not powerful".
Cardiovascular endurance is important.
Little writes that Bruce Lee believed that "technique is useless if you lack the requisite endurance to carry it out." Many an athlete has discovered this, to his or her dismay, in the last minutes of competition. When you take two athletes or two teams of equivalent skills, it will probably be their physical stamina to last to the bitter end that will make the difference between victory and defeat. Bruce Lee's favorite form of endurance training was running which he tried to do every day, rain or shine, though he also did interval training on a regular basis also.
Crosstrain.
Little claims that Bruce Lee was the original cross-trainer. I don't know if he really was the first person to cross train but, judging from the many kinds of exercise that he did, he was definitely a great believer. Little says that "the constant variety Lee infused into his workouts not only staved off the possibility of motivational boredom, but he also kept his muscles adapting to new and constantly changing training stimuli". For example, in his strength training program, Lee used all kinds of strength-building exercises and equipment. He used free weights, cables, compression machines, heavy bags, spring-loaded devices, etc.
Little says the "cornerstone of Lee's training belief was experimentation and a refusal to become a slave to any one approach. Lee believed that the moment one locks in one way of doing anything, the potential for true learning, growth, and development is shut down. Therefore, Lee employed and experimented with many different training methods throughout his lifetime."
Don't forget the "minor" muscles.
Many people work on the "obvious" muscles - the chest, upper back, waist, legs, buttocks, etc. and tend to forget about the "minor" muscles like the shins, forearms, wrists, and rotator cuffs (deep shoulder muscles that cannot be seen). What most people don't realize is that the smaller muscles work as assistants for the larger muscles and are the 'weak' links that can be prone to injury. Lee understood that the whole body has to be strengthened. He said, "If you are talking about sport, that is one thing. But when you are talking about combat - as it is - well then, baby, you'd better train every part of your body."
Strengthen your abs.
Lee said, "My strength comes from the abdomen. It's the center of gravity and the source of real power. The abdominal and waist region coordinate all parts of the body and act as the center or generator. Therefore, you can promote the ability to control the body's action and master your will more easily."
Lee also cautioned his students about the mistaken notion of using abdominal exercises as a means to remove fat. In this, he was ahead of his time. To this day, there are still people who believe that doing one hundred crunches a day will strip off the fat layer around their midsections. Just look at all the abdominal exercise devices that are being sold on TV informercials.
Bruce Lee told his students that abdominal exercises would only build muscle and that if one wanted to reduce fat deposits, you had to pay strict attention to your eating habits and the pace of your workouts. So true!
Bruce Lee achieved his phenomenal abdominals the old-fashioned way -- through "a lifetime of sacrifice, denial at the dinner table and tremendous dedication at the gym".
You are what you eat.
Bruce Lee's eating philosophy was quite simple. He believed in 'consuming only the calories your body actually needs, rather than simply indulging in culinary pleasures". Linda Lee states that mealtimes were not the primary focus of their lives. She says that eating was simply considered the "fuel" that kept all the members of the Lee family on the go. Little writes that Lee believed in staying away from foods with empty caloric content and little nutritive value and found it especially helpful to avoid refined sugars, excessive fats, fried food and alcohol.
Always exercise safely.
Bruce Lee learned the hard way that if you don't pay attention to safety issues like warming-up, you get into serious trouble. One day in the early 70's, he did the 'good morning' exercise (this requires you to bend from the waist until your upper body is at a ninety-degree angle with your legs) without warming up. To make matters worse, he was also using an excessive amount of weight (135 pounds, his own body weight). He paid the price by damaging a nerve in his lower back. Little writes that, as a result, Lee experienced intense back pain for the rest of his life. Lee called himself "stupid" for executing the exercise in that manner. Don't make the same mistake. You only have one body. It doesn't come with cheap spare parts. Always exercise safely.
Note: The Association of Fitness Professionals of the Philippines will be holding a one-day seminar for instructors and enthusiasts at the U.P. Diliman Campus on Saturday, September 11, 1999. Topics will include "Current Exercise Controversies", "Active-Isolated Stretching", "Yoga for Group Exercise Classes", and "Fitness Kickboxing". For more details call Ellen at 871-2420 or Lorna at 807-5820 or email Shirley at napq@skyinet.net.
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http://www.mikementzer.com/blee.html
"WARM MARBLE" The Lethal Physique of Bruce Lee
By John Little
Introduction by Mike Mentzer
It is absolutely amazing how much of an impact that Bruce Lee's strength and physical development have had on athletes, bodybuilders and average men all over the face of the globe. As a young boy in high school, I can clearly recall all of the talk among my friends about the great Bruce Lee; they all were intimately familiar with Bruce's films; and they would discuss not just his epochal martial arts skills, but, also, his incredible strength and lean, shredded physique.
Bruce LeeAs Mr. Little reports in his article, even such a personage as Joe Weider remarked on the astounding muscular refinement and definition of Lee's physique, especially the master's abs. As Mr. Little also explains, Bruce Lee's physique had a remarkable influence on some of today's top physique champs. Bodybuilding luminaries, including Lou Ferrigno, Lee Haney, Dorian Yates, Rachel Mclish, Lenda Murray, Flex Wheeler and Shawn Ray have all spoken on record concerning the enormous impact the physique of Bruce Lee had on them. Why? Why would the physique of the mighty mite, never massively developed along the lines of the bodybuilding greats I just enumerated, but described by some "as the most defined physique in the world." I leave that unanswered, as author, John Little, will provide an incisive, eloquent answer...
Subsections in the article will titillate the legion of existing Lee fanatics, and whet the appetite of those for whom this article will serve as their initial introduction to the subject. For instance, Functional Strength, Unbelievable Strength, A Battle in San Fransisco, The Bodybuilding Connection and The Routine, will rivet the reader's focus such that he will finish this article in one reading, and prompt him to want to re-read it and re-re-read it.
I've been extremely impressed over the years as to how many bodybuilders are also highly trained martial artists. In fact, over the years I having personally supervised the training of many martial artists, with many of my phone clients already being rabid Lee fans, and martial artists seeking the most efficient manner of training for strength and speed; which was the goal of Lee's training. Also, I receive more e-mails, letters and phone calls from martial artists than any other type of athlete. This I believe follows from Lee's well known concern with weight training to develop efficiency and strength.
I am extremely proud to say that one of my best friends, for the past 22 years, wrote this article, which is excerpted from one of the 11 books he's written on Bruce Lee. I first met John Little at Eaton's department store in Toronto where Arnold, Franco and I had made an appearance for Weider and the IFBB, in 1979. We hit it off immediately, as John was philosophically oriented, along with having a passionate interest in bodybuilding. After that initial meeting, we met at Lou Hollozi's gym in Toronto in 1980, where I conducted a seminar; and, with that, John and I further cemented our friendship. Subsequently, John made a number of trips to Los Angeles, where he'd usually stay with me in my apartment in West Hollywood. His primary purpose in traveling to southern California was to pursue the subjects of those he wrote books about, including Steve Reeves and Lou Ferrigno.
It was finally, in 1992, that Joe Weider brought John to Los Angeles to write for Flex. This only lasted three years, as John was more interested in writing freely about his passion, namely - philosophy, martial arts, the philosophy of Bruce Lee's, who, too, was a fervent student of philosophy, his personal library packed with philosophy books that extended from the floor to the ceiling and spanned the length of the room. His quest for the truth saw him avidly studying philosophies ranging from that of Krishnamurti's to our most revered, Ayn Rand.
Bruce Lee's life was most interesting as he rose from a starving, poor boy in Hong Kong to the world's most celebrated movie star in Hollywood, having a greater impact on more people than that of Elvis Presley's, James Dean's and Marilyn Monroe's combined!
I trust that you, dear reader, will gain much knowledge from John Little's article, along with the added inspiration that will act to have you approach your own training with greater inspiration and motivation than ever before. Above all else, I ardently desire that you will read John Little's superlative article mostly for the sheer pleasure of it.
Mike Mentzer
"If you're talking about combat -- as it is -- well then, baby you'd better train every part of your body!" -- Bruce Lee (from the video, Bruce Lee: The Lost Interview)
There's an anecdote that has endured some 28 years concerning the texture of the muscles that adorned the physique of the late martial arts pioneer/philosopher, Bruce Lee.
It concerns a lady named Ann Clouse, the wife of Robert Clouse, the man who directed Lee's last film Enter the Dragon for Warner Bros. It seems that Clouse's wife had ventured onto the set of the film and was mesmerized by Lee's incredible physique as he went through his paces choreographing the fight scenes for the film, stripped to the waist under the hot and humid Hong Kong sun. In between takes, Ann approached the young superstar and asked if she could "feel his biceps." "Sure," Lee responded -- it was a request he'd received on numerous occasions -- tensing his arm and inviting her to check it out for herself. "My God!" she exclaimed, drawing her hand back instantly, "It's like feeling warm marble!"
Bruce LeeIt's fascinating that almost three decades later, people are still talking about the body of Bruce Lee -- although it is by no means surprising. The Lee physique, once described by no less an authority on such matters than bodybuilding magnate Joe Weider as "the most defined body I've ever seen!" has attracted (much like the man's martial art and philosophy) a following that not only rivals but exceeds those of Elvis Presley, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe -- combined! Certainly his following exceeds that of any bodybuilder of a similar vintage. And even more fascinating is the fact that almost everyone gets something different out of Bruce Lee -- martial artists revere his physical dexterity, power, speed and the genius he displayed in bringing science to bear on the world of martial arts; moviegoers are impressed with the man's screen presence and animal magnetism, along with the fact that he single-handedly created a new genre of action film thus opening the door to the Stallones, Schwarzeneggers and Jackie Chans who were to follow in his footsteps; philosophers are impressed with Lee's ability to bridge the philosophical chasm separating East and the West and to synthesize the best aspects of both cultures. But there exists another pocket of humanity that sees in Lee something else -- although not entirely unrelated -- the bodybuilders. Bodybuilders, young and old, know from one quick glance at Lee's physique exactly how much labor went into its creation -- and they are, one and all, very impressed.
Ironically, bodybuilding luminaries of no less stature than Flex Wheeler, Shawn Ray, Rachel McClish, Lou Ferrigno, Lee Haney, Lenda Murray and former Mr. Olympia, Dorian Yates -- that is to say, the best in the business - have all spoken on the record regarding the impact the physique of Bruce Lee had on their bodybuilding careers. "How could this be?" I can hear you ask, perhaps somewhat incredulously. After all, Lee was only 5'7" tall and checked in at a weight that fluctuated between 126 to 145 pounds! What could a behemoth like Dorian Yates, for example, see in Bruce Lee's physique that would give him grounds for any form of inspiration? The answer, in a word, would be quality.
There has seldom been seen - this side of a jungle cat -- the incredible sinewy and ripped-to-the-bone quality of muscle displayed by Bruce Lee. He was ripped in places that bodybuilders are just now (28 years later) learning they can train. Every muscle group on his body stood out in bold relief from its neighbor -- not simply for show (unlike many bodybuilders) but for function. Lee was, to quote his first student in the United States, Seattle's Jesse Glover, "above all else, concerned with function." Lee's body was not only a thing of immense grace and beauty to watch in action, but it was supremely functional. Leaping eight feet in the air to kick out a light bulb (as evidenced in Lee's office-wrecking scene in the MGM movie Marlow), landing a punch from five feet away in five-hundredths of a second and catching grains of rice -- that he'd thrown into the air -- with chopsticks were things Lee had trained his body (and reflexes) to accomplish. In fact, during his famous "Lost Interview" Lee referred to his approach to training as "the art of expressing the human body." Indeed, perhaps never before has there been such an incredible confluence of physical attributes brought together in the form of one human being -- lightening fast reflexes, supreme flexibility, awesome power, feline grace and muscularity combined in one total -- and very lethal -- package.
Furthermore, the Lee physique was balanced and symmetrical and, while not everyone can be said to admire the massive musculature of our Olympians, everyone -- or so it would seem (including the world's greatest bodybuilders) admire the "total package" that was Bruce Lee.
See one of the best and most controversial championships of all-time
Who should have won? Judge for yourself.
All of the aforementioned champion bodybuilders have indicated that Bruce Lee was a major influence on their bodybuilding careers, which is no small accomplishment when one considers the fact that Lee never entered a physique contest in his life. Ironically, despite his influence being, felt by the hardest of hard-core bodybuilders, Lee himself was never interested in developing a massive musculature. One of Lee's closest friends and an instructor in Lee's art of Jeet Kune Do, Ted Wong, recalls that "Bruce trained primarily for strength and speed." The physique -- while certainly appreciated by Lee -- came almost as a by-product of such training.
According to those who met him, from Hollywood producers to his fellow martial artists, Lee's muscles carried considerable impact. Taky Kimura, one of Lee's closest friends (in fact, the best man at Lee's wedding in 1964) recalls that Lee was never loath to remove his shirt and display the results of his labors in the gym -- often just to see the reactions of those around him. "He had the most incredible set of lats I'd ever seen," recalled Kimura, "and his big joke was to pretend that his thumb was an air hose, which he'd then put in his mouth and pretend to inflate his lats with. He looked like a damn cobra when he did that!"
Lee's physique holds up under scrutiny and has survived the passage of time simply because it possessed what many consider to have been the perfect blend of razor-sharp cuts, awesome muscularity, great shape and an almost onion skin definition. The muscles that bulged and rippled across the Lee physique were thick, dense, well-chiseled from their neighbor and, above all, functional.
Functional Strength
Dan Inosanto, another of Lee's close friends and himself an instructor in Lee's art, adds that Lee was only interested in strength that could readily be converted to power. "I remember once Bruce and I were walking along the beach in Santa Monica, out by where the 'Dungeon' (an old-time bodybuilding gym) used to be," recalls Inosanto, "when all of a sudden this big, huge bodybuilder came walking out of the Dungeon and I said to Bruce, 'Man, look at the arms on that guy!' I'll never forget Bruce's reaction, he said 'Yeah, he's big -- but is he powerful? Can he use that extra muscle efficiently?"
Power, according to Lee, lay in an individual's ability to use the strength developed in the gym quickly and efficiently; in other words, power was the measure of how quickly and effectively one could summon and coordinate strength for "real-world" purposes. On this basis, according to those who worked out with Lee from time to time such as martial arts actor Chuck Norris, Bruce Lee -- pound for pound-- might well have been one of the most powerful men in the world.
Bruce LeeUnbelievable Strength
Lee's feats of strength are the stuff of legend; from performing push-ups - on one hand! - or thumbs only pushups, to supporting a 125-pound barbell at arms length in front of him (with elbows locked) for several seconds, or sending individuals (who outweighed him by as much as 100 pounds in some instances) flying through the air and landing some 15 feet away as a result of a punch that Lee delivered from only one-inch away, the power that Bruce Lee could generate -- at a mere bodyweight of 135 pounds -- is absolutely frightening. Not to mention some of his other nifty little habits like thrusting his fingers through full cans of Coca-Cola and sending 300 pound heavy bags slapping against the ceiling with a simple side kick.
Strength training -- qua strength training -- was Lee's primary objective with resistance exercise. Later, as we shall soon see, his training evolved into more specialized applications that were beneficial to his specific goals as a martial artist. But before we get to there, let's first take a look at how Lee was first drawn to bodybuilding.
Ideals & Possibilities
For a number of years, Lee had made a concerted study of exercise physiology and anatomy. Refusing to merely accept tradition for tradition's sake - a stance that made him increasingly unpopular with the majority of his fellow martial artists who had been raised and were now in the process of passing on (without questioning) the various martial traditions of the East -- Lee's background in physiology and kinesiology had imbued him with the ability to discern a useful exercise from an unproductive one and therefore he was able to avoid the obstacle of wasted time in any of his workouts. Lee believed that the student of exercise science should aim at nothing less than physical perfection, with all that it implies in its totality; he should want great strength, great speed, great coordination, exuberant health, and, by no means least, the muscular beauty of form which distinguishes a physically perfect human being. To Lee, the whole secret of success in bodybuilding lay in the principle of progressive resistance, but he also recognized that there was another component that had won a place in the vocabulary of physical culture and that word was persistence.
Certainly Lee was nothing if not persistent in his quest to fully explore and express the potential of his body, a physique that not only looked phenomenal on a movie screen but that also possessed a musculature that was geared for function. Given the physiological fact that a stronger muscle is a bigger muscle, it was only natural that Lee would in time come to appreciate the superior health-building benefits of bodybuilding -- but I'm getting ahead of myself.
Let us now examine the situation that first caused Lee to appreciate bodybuilding and then we shall focus on what routine he utilized to build the muscles that served him with such tremendous efficiency. While Lee may have been aware of the general benefits to be had from a program of progressive bodybuilding exercises, it took a violent encounter to make him fully cognizant of the merits that a more regular and dedicated approach to bodybuilding could provide.
A Battle in San Francisco
One evening while Lee was preparing to teach a class to a group of select students in his modest San Francisco kwoon (kung fu school), the door to his school suddenly flew open and in walked a group of Chinese martial artists led by a practitioner who was considered to be their best fighter and the designated leader of the troupe.
According to Lee's wife, Linda, who was both present and eight months pregnant with the couple's first child, Brandon, at the time, Lee had on a prior occasion been served with an ornate scroll saying in bold Chinese characters that he had an ultimatum: stop teaching non-Chinese students Gung fu (the Cantonese pronunciation of Kung Fu) or be prepared to fight with San Francisco's top Kung Fu man. Now, the day of reckoning had come.
Lee handed the scroll disdainfully back to their leader. "I'll teach whomever I choose," he said calmly. "I don't care what color they are." While Lee's non-racist views are today generally applauded, in San Francisco's Chinatown in the mid 1960s they were tantamount to treason -- at least within the Chinese community. Indeed, teaching Chinese combative "secrets" to non-Chinese races was perceived as the highest form of treason in the martial arts community. By his words and demeanor, Lee had effectively thrown the gauntlet back at the feet of his would-be challenger and, while Lee had many virtues, it is well known among his friends, family and students that patience in suffering fools and their ignorance was not one of them.
A fight immediately broke out and, in a matter of seconds, Lee had the previously bold and self-righteous kung fu "expert" running for the nearest exit. Finally, after much legwork, Lee was able to throw his man to the floor and extract a submission from him. In a rage, Lee threw the entire troupe off the premises, cursing them out in Cantonese, en route. However, Lee quickly learned -- to his shock, given that the fight had lasted all of three minutes -- that he had expended a tremendous amount of energy in the altercation. "He was surprised and disappointed at the physical condition he was in," recalled Linda of the occasion. "He'd thought that the fight had lasted way too long and that it was his own lack of proper conditioning that made it such a lengthy set-to. He had felt inordinately winded afterwards."
It was this fight more than any other single event that had given Lee sufficient cause to thoroughly investigate alternate avenues of physical conditioning. His conclusion? He would need to develop considerably more strength -- of both his muscles and cardiovascular system -- if he was ever to become the complete martial artist he had envisioned becoming.
The Bodybuilding Connection
Knowing that the muscle magazines were the only existing source of current health and strength training information, Lee immediately began to subscribe to all of the bodybuilding publications he could find. He ordered bodybuilding courses out of the magazines and tested their claims and theories. He made a habit out of frequenting second-hand bookstores and purchasing books on bodybuilding and strength training, including one written by Eugene Sandow entitled Strength & How to Obtain It -- which was originally published in 1897. Lee's hunger for knowledge in the field of bodybuilding ran so high, that he purchased everything he could get his hands on -- from "hot off the press" courses to back list classics. No price was too high for knowledge, particularly if its application resulted in the acquisition of greater bodily strength, power and physical efficiency.
From this point on until his eventual death in July of 1973 (of a cerebral edema), Bruce Lee amassed a tremendous personal library of books on philosophy, martial art and an extensive selection of tomes that dealt extensively with physical fitness, bodybuilding, physiology and weight lifting. Lee would underline certain passages of text that he found particularly meaningful and would constantly jot down thoughts of how this information could be applied to martial art in the margins of the books. "Bruce used to come into his school in L.A.'s Chinatown with an armful of articles from the muscle magazines," recalls Inosanto. "He'd say 'look at this: these bodybuilders all say that they do this in order to increase their strength -- it's a common denominator running throughout all of their writings.' He'd look for consistency in things like that and would compare and eliminate the additional data that he felt was superfluous."
The Routine
After much research, and with the help of two bodybuilders who were also his close friends and students in the San Francisco Bay area, Lee devised a three-day-per-week bodybuilding program that he felt fit his strengthening and bodybuilding needs perfectly. According to one of these men, Allen Joe, "James Lee and I introduced Bruce to the basic weight training techniques. We used to train with basic exercises like squats, pullovers and curls for about three sets each. Nothing really spectacular but we were just getting him started." This program actually served Lee well from 1965 through until 1970 and fit in perfectly with Lee's own philosophy of getting the maximum results out of the minimum -- or most economical -- expenditure of energy.
The every-other-day workout allowed for the often neglected aspect of recovery to take place. Lee coordinated his bodybuilding workouts in such a way so as to insure that they fell on days when he wasn't engaged in either endurance-enhancing or overly strenuous martial art training. The program worked like magic; increasing Lee's bodyweight from an initial 130 pounds to -- at one point -- topping out at just over 165 pounds!
According to Glover, however, Lee wasn't particularly pleased with the added mass; "I noticed that he was bigger after he was weight training. There was a time after he went to California that he went up to 165 pounds. But I think it slowed him down because that was real heavy for Bruce. He looked buff like a bodybuilder. And then, later on I saw him and this was all gone. I mean, one thing that Bruce was [about] was function -- and if stuff got in the way, then it had to go. Bruce wanted his weight training to complement what he did in the martial arts. A lot of what Bruce was doing was about being able to maintain arm positions that nobody could violate in a fight. Like, if you take most people who are into bodybuilding or weight training, most of them are interested in simply building up their muscles to a bigger size, particularly the major muscle groups -- not much attention is paid to the connective tissues, like ligament and tendon strength. Well, Bruce's thing was 'let's build up the connectors and we won't worry so much about the size of the muscle.' Again, Bruce was about function."
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Gearing his training for function, Lee's bodybuilding routine incorporated the three core tenets of total fitness- stretching for flexibility, weight training for strength and cardiovascular activity for his respiratory system -- the original cross-trainer!
Bruce Lee's "Lethal Physique" Bodybuilding Program
(performed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays)
Exercise Sets Repetitions
Clean & Press 2 8
Squats 2 12
Pullovers 2 8
Bench Presses 2 6
Good Mornings 2 8
Barbell Curls 2 8
The Breakdown of the Routine:
1.) Clean & Press: Lee would begin this movement by taking a shoulder-width grip on an Olympic barbell. Bending his knees, he would squat down in front of the resistance and, with a quick snap of his arms and a thrust from his legs, clean the barbell to his chest and stand up. After a brief pause, Lee would then thrust the barbell to arms length overhead, pause briefly, and then lower the barbell back to the top of his chest. After another brief pause, he would lower the barbell back to the floor (the starting position). With absolutely no rest, Lee would then initiate his second repetition of the movement and continue to do so until he had completed eight repetitions. After a very brief rest, so as to take full advantage of the cardio-respiratory benefits as well as the strength-building benefits, Lee would perform a second -- and final -- set.
2.) Squats: This staple of bodybuilding movements was the cornerstone of Bruce Lee's barbell training. He had dozens of articles that he'd clipped out on the mechanics and benefits of squats and he practiced many variations of this exercise. In his routine, however, he performed the exercise in the standard fashion. Resting a barbell across his shoulders, Lee would place his feet approximately shoulder-width apart. Making sure that he was properly balanced, Lee would slowly ascend to a full squat position. With absolutely zero pause in the bottom position, Lee would then immediately return -- using the strength of his hips, glutes, hamstrings, calves and quadriceps -- to the starting position, whereupon he would commence rep number two. Lee would perform 12 repetitions in this movement and, after a short breather, return and re-shoulder the barbell for one more set of 12 reps.
3.) Pullovers: Although there exists no physical evidence that Bruce Lee supersetted barbell pullovers with squats, there is reason to believe that this was case -- if only for the fact that such was the method advocated in the articles he read. Squats were considered a great "overall" muscle builder, whereas pullovers were simply considered a "rib box expander" or "breathing exercise." Consequently, the fashion of incorporating pullovers in the late 1960s and early 1970s was as a "finishing" movement for squats. This being the case, Lee would perform the movement in the standard fashion; i.e., by lying down on his back upon a flat bench and taking a shoulder-width grip on a barbell that he would then proceed to press out to full extension above his chest. From this position, Lee would lower the barbell -- making sure to keep a slight bend in his elbows so as not to strain the elbow joint -- behind his head until it touched the floor ever so slightly and provided a comfortable stretch to his lats. From this fully-extended position, Lee would then slowly reverse the motion through the contraction of his lats, pecs and long-head of the triceps. He would repeat this movement for two sets of eight repetitions.
4.) Bench Presses: Bruce Lee was able to develop an incredible chest musculature. His upper pecs were particularly impressive, bunching and splitting into thousands of fibrous bands. And, as far as his personal training records indicate, the only direct barbell movement he performed to develop his chest was the good old fashioned bench press. Lying down upon a flat bench, and again taking a shoulder-width grip on an Olympic barbell, Lee would press the weight off the support pins to arms length above his chest. From this locked-out position, Lee would then lower the barbell to his chest and, exhaling, press it back up to the fully-locked out (or starting) position. He would repeat this movement for six repetitions and then, after a brief respite, return to the bench for one more set of six reps.
5.) Good Mornings: A word of caution about this exercise. Lee performed this movement to strengthen his lower back. However, one day in early 1970 he loaded up the bar with 135 pounds (his bodyweight at the time) and -- without a warm up -- proceeded to knock off eight repetitions. On his last rep he felt a "pop" and found out later that he had damaged the fourth sacral nerve of his lower back. The result was the Lee had to endure incredible back pain for the remainder of his life. This is not to say that the movement is without merit, just make sure that you perform an adequate warm-up prior to employing, it. Placing a barbell across his shoulders, Lee would place his feet three inches apart (Lee would later confide to Dan Inosanto "You really don't need any weight but the empty bar on your shoulders Dan -- it's more of a limbering movement") and bend over from the waist keeping his hands on the barbell at all times. Lee would bend over until his back was at a 90 degree angle to his hips and then return to the upright position. Lee performed two sets of eight repetitions of this movement.
6.) Barbell Curls: Bruce Lee performed barbell curls not only in his garage gym on Roscomare Avenue in Bel Air, but also in his studio office in Hong Kong. They were a staple or "core" movement in his weight training routine and were also responsible for building a very impressive pair of biceps on Lee -- not to mention incredible pulling power, which he used to such good effect in all of his sparring sessions! To perform this movement properly, Lee would take a comfortable shoulder-width grip on the barbell with his palms facing forwards. Keeping a slight bend in his knees for stabilization purposes, Lee would then contract his biceps and curl the barbell up to a point level with his upper pecs. Pausing briefly in this fully-contracted position, Lee would then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position. Two sets of eight repetitions of this movement would typically wrap up Lee's bodybuilding routine.
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Going Beyond "Routine"
According to Inosanto, Lee didn't just train with the above listed exercises. He would also incorporate weight training into his martial art workouts. "Bruce would always shadow box with small weights in his hands and he'd do a drill in which he'd punch for 12 series in a row, 100 punches per series, using a pyramid system of 1,2,3,5,7 and 10-pound weights -- and then he'd reverse the pyramid and go 10, 7, 5, 3, 2, 1 and finally "zero" weight. He had me do this drill with him and -- Man! -- what a burn you'd get in your delts and arms!"
It didn't stop there however. When Lee wasn't training with weights in his martial art workouts or during one of his three designated whole-body training sessions, he could be found curling a dumbbell in the office in his house. "He was always using that dumbbell," recalls Linda in looking back on her husband's training habits. "Bruce had the unique ability to be able to several things at once. It wasn't all unusual for me to find him watching a boxing match on TV, simultaneously performing a full side splits, while reading a book in one hand and pumping a dumbbell in the other."
Incredible Abs
By far the most impressive of all of Lee's bodyparts was his abdominal muscles, which he trained daily. "Bruce always felt that if your stomach wasn't developed, then you had no business sparring," recalls Wong. "He was a fanatic about abdominal training," concurs Linda, "he was always doing sit-ups, crunches, Roman Chair movements, Leg Raises and V-ups." Chuck Norris has gone on record recalling the time that he went to visit the Lee family and seeing Bruce lying on the living room floor bouncing his son Brandon on his abdomen while simultaneously performing dumbbell flyes for his pecs and leg raises for his abs - and watching television to boot!
Forearms of Steel
In order to improve his gripping and punching power, Lee became an avid devotee of forearm training, While many champion bodybuilders shy away from direct forearm training, Lee made it a point to train his forearms daily. "He was a forearm fanatic," laughs Linda in retrospect. "If ever any bodybuilder -- such as Bill Pearl -- came out with a forearm course, Bruce would have to get it." Bruce even commissioned an old friend of his from San Francisco, George Lee (no relation) to build him several "Gripping machines" to which Lee would add weight for additional resistance. "He used to send me all of these designs for exercise equipment," recalls George Lee, "and I'd build them according to his specs. However, I wasn't altogether foolish," he says with a laugh, "I knew that if Bruce was going to use it, it must be effective, so I'd build one to send to him and another for me to use at home!"
Allen Joe recalls that Lee had a favorite dumbbell exercise that he used to train his forearms with constantly: "Bruce was always working on his forearms. He'd pick up a weight and go to the edge of the sofa and start doing wrist curls while he was watching TV. Then he'd do his abdominal work -- and then he'd return to his forearm training. The dumbbell curl he liked best was a Zottman curl, where you would curl the weight up one side of your body and then you twist it and bring it down on the other side. He'd do that all the time!"
Knowledge Is Power
For the past seven years I've been hard at work compiling all (and I mean ALL) of Bruce Lee's training programs, notes and annotations on physical training for a book series that, like Lee's training methods, has proved to be constantly evolving (the training material has been presented in the book entitled The Art of Expressing The Human Body, Tuttle Publishing, Boston). And what amazes me after having looked through all of his materials is just how thorough his knowledge of training actually was. Lee collected over 140 books on bodybuilding, weight training, physiology and kinesiology during his lifetime, in addition to well over 2,000 books on philosophy and the martial arts. Lee believed that you could never know "too much" about a subject that could benefit your health and he lived his entire life trying to acquire as much knowledge about health and fitness as he could.
Although Lee is no longer with us, his teachings and his example live on. Certainly this is so in the realm of exercise science. Lee epitomized the athletic ideals of diligence, hard work, bearing up under adversity and refusing to short-change either oneself or one's potential. "Low aim is the biggest crime a man can commit," he once told Tae Kwon Do Master, Jhoon Rhee. "Remember, Life is a journey, not a destination."
The Roman philosopher Seneca once said that, "Life, if thou knowest how to use it, is long enough." If this is so, then Bruce Lee's life was long enough to be a fulfilling one, perhaps - given what he accomplished and the enduring influence of his example -- it might just be considered one of the more meaningful lives of the twentieth century. And it was Lee's commitment to excellence - and to a principled approach to training - that resulted in the creation of one of the greatest physiques in modern history.
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Vital Statistics
Bruce Lee:
Height: 5' 7ｽ" (1.71m)
Weight: 135lbs (62kg) ;D ;D
Lowest Weight: 125lbs (57kg) (in 1973) ;D ;D ;D
Waist size: high 30" (76cm); low 26" (66cm)
Measurements*
Body Part Start After
*based on a 1965 bodyweight of 140 lbs
Chest Relaxed 39" (99cm); expanded 41ｽ" (105cm) Relaxed 43" (109cm); expanded 44ｼ" (112cm)
Neck 15ｼ" (38cm) 15ｽ" (39cm)
Left Biceps 13" (33cm) 13ｾ" (35cm) <== Lots of juice needed to reach this!!
Right Biceps 13ｽ" (34cm) 14ｽ" (36cm)
Left Forearm 11" (28cm) 11ｾ" (30cm)
Right Forearm 11ｾ" (30cm) 12ｽ" (32cm)
Left Wrist 6ｼ" (16cm) 6ｾ" (17cm)
Right Wrist 6ｽ" (16.5cm) 67/8" (17cm)
Left Thigh 21" (53cm) 22ｽ" (57cm)
Right Thigh 21ｼ" (54cm) 22ｽ" (57cm)
Left Calf 12ｼ" (31cm) 127/8" (32cm)
Right Calf 12ｽ" (32cm) 13" (33cm)
Acknowledgement: European Metric Measurements (metres, centimetres, kilos) of Bruce Lee's vital stats. was kindly supplied by Mr Ti.
[Back To Top]
Training Schedule
Warning: Please consult a doctor and fitness instructor before entailing on any form of excercise, as I cannot be held responsible for any injuries that may occur through the training schedule shown here.
Here is a week in the life of Bruce Lee's punishing training schedule which he noted down daily in his training diary:
Excerpt from Bruce Lee's Diary for January, 1st-5th, 1968
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
9:20-9:30 AM:
Warm up (leg & Stomach)
9:30-9:49 AM:
Running
12:00-12:45 PM:
Punch: 500
Finger jab: 300
3:00-3:55 PM:
1. Leg squat
2. Leg stretching:
a. Pulley
b. Stand
3. Hook kick:
a. Left & right
b. Front & rear
7:30-7:50 PM:
Finger jab: 100
Punch: 200
9:00-9:30 PM:
Sit-up: 4 sets
Side bend: 4 sets
Leg raise: 4 sets
Total: 2 hrs, 59 minutes 9:20-9:25 AM:
Warm up (waist, legs, stomach)
9:27-9:41 AM:
Run
11:30-12:35 PM:
Punch: 500
Finger jab: 400
3:00-3:45 PM:
Squat
Punching
1. Weight: 3 sets
2. Light bag: 20 minutes
3. Heavy bag: 3 sets (emphasizing left cross)
5:15-5:45 PM:
Sit-ups: 5 sets
Side bends: 5 sets
Leg raises: 5 sets
8:20-8:24 PM:
Forearm (isometric)
Total: 2 hrs, 53 minutes 7:00-9:00 AM:
Gung fu workout (Sticking hand - all present)
9:00-9:15 AM:
Warm up (waist, leg, stomach)
9:20-9:50 AM:
Punch (back fist): 500
Skip rope: 3 sets
10:00-10:30 AM:
Finger jab: 500
11:05-11:15 AM:
Run
3:05-4:00 PM:
1. High kick stretching (left & right): 4 sets
2. Side leg stretching (left & right): 4 sets
3. Pulley hip extension: 3 sets
4. Right leading hook kick:
a. heavy bag: 3 sets
b. paper: 3 sets
5. Rear left hook kick:
a. heavy bag: 3 sets
b. paper: 3 sets
4:15-4:35 PM:
Stomach & waist
3 exercises of 4 sets each
Forearm isometric 10:35-10:45 AM:
Warm up
11:15-12:20 PM:
Punch (left): 500
Punch (right): 500
12:53-1:07 PM:
Run
3:05-3:25 PM:
Punching, weight, paper
Skip rope
10:05-10:53 PM:
Sit-up: 4 sets
Leg raises: 4 sets
Side bends: 4 sets
Forearm/wrist (isometrics) 9:10-9:25 AM:
Warm up
9:25-10:13 AM:
Punch:
(right): 500
(left): 500
11:00 AM:
Chuck Norris (chi sao practice)
4:10-5:00 PM:
Leg stretching
Pulley & stand (hip)
Straight & side
Work on left side kick
8:30 PM:
Sit-up: 5 sets
Leg raise: 5 sets
Side bend: 5 sets
Forearm/wrist (isometric)
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Diet & Nutrition
Warning: Please do not take any of the vitamins or supplements which are shown here without consulting a doctor and nutritionist first, as I cannot be held responsible if it causes undesirable effects if taken.
"Bruce didn't eat a lot of baked goods, primarily because they were made from refined flour and contained nothing but empty calories. He had no interest in consuming calories that wouldn't do anything for his body. Bruce would eat probably three to five meals a day but he didn't eat large portions, mainly because everything was centered around his working out and fitting that into the day. He might have, depending on how his schedule was on a certain day - and it could have been different on any day - a couple of protein drinks, he might have juice, or go out for a Chinese lunch and then have sort of a normal dinner. Like most people, he ate better if he spread it out over the day. His favourite foods would be almost anything Chinese, and things like spaghetti or pasta."
-- Linda Lee Cadwell --
The following table shows examples of what Bruce Lee's requirements were for his nutritional needs and also the type of diet he use to follow:
Bruce Lee's Supplement & Diet Intake
Nutritional
(in the form of a high-protein drink) Vitamins & Minerals Balanced Diet
Ingredients:
* Noninstant powdered milk
* Water or juice
* Ice cubes
* 2 Eggs - sometimes with their shells
* 1 Tablespoon of wheat germ or wheat germ oil
* 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter
* Banana for it's carbohydrates and potassium (and/or other fruit for flavouring)
* 1 Tablespoon of brewer's yeast
* Inositol
* Lecithin (in granular form) Energizer "67" (200 tab)
Lecithin granules
Hi Bee Pollen with C
Natural vitamin E
Natural protein
Rose hips (liquid)
Wheat germ oil
Natural protein tablets (chocolate)
Acerola-C (250)
B-Folia (180)
B-Folia (360)
A-Veg (500)
E-Plex (250) Breakfast
Food: A bowl of muesli cereal, comprised of whole grains, nuts, and dried fruits, plus 2% milk.
Beverage: Orange Juice and/or tea.
Snack
Juice or Protein Drink: Protein powder, noninstant powdered milk made with water or juice, eggs (sometimes with their shells), wheat germ, bananas pr other fruit, and even peanut butter were often added. Brewer's yeast was frequently added.
Lunch
Food: Meat, vegetables, and rice.
Beverage: Tea.
Snack
Juice or Protein Drink: see ingredients for morning-snack protein drink.
Dinner
Food: Spaghetti and salad, or another meal of rice, vegetables, and meat, chicken, or seafood.
Beverage: One glass of 2% milk and/or tea.
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Surprised to know that he was same height as me.
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good to see bruce lee even back then supported the sport by buying supplements and magazines!
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Vital Statistics
Measurements*
Body Part Start After
*based on a 1965 bodyweight of 140 lbs
Chest Relaxed 39" (99cm); expanded 41ｽ" (105cm) Relaxed 43" (109cm); expanded 44ｼ" (112cm)
Neck 15ｼ" (38cm) 15ｽ" (39cm)
Left Biceps 13" (33cm) 13ｾ" (35cm) <== Lots of juice needed to reach this!!
Right Biceps 13ｽ" (34cm) 14ｽ" (36cm)
Left Forearm 11" (28cm) 11ｾ" (30cm)
Right Forearm 11ｾ" (30cm) 12ｽ" (32cm)
Left Wrist 6ｼ" (16cm) 6ｾ" (17cm)
Right Wrist 6ｽ" (16.5cm) 67/8" (17cm)
Left Thigh 21" (53cm) 22ｽ" (57cm)
Right Thigh 21ｼ" (54cm) 22ｽ" (57cm)
Left Calf 12ｼ" (31cm) 127/8" (32cm)
Right Calf 12ｽ" (32cm) 13" (33cm)
My god what a beast :o
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My god what a beast :o
Yes, i think he was on 2g dianabol ed, 400mg DNP for fat loss and 3g of assorted diuretics to be as shredded and dry as he was.
It's impossible to become this strong and big naturally. ::) ::)
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all drugs
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all drugs
All muscletech
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I used to be a Bruce Lee nut as a kid and its widely known he dabbled in Steroids and fat burners.Lots of athletes who have been caught look like they have never touched a steroid, people use them for other reasons than to increase the size of their muscles.
Are you retarded? What is your source for that? Why would he need fatburners when he took cardio to extremes. Do steroids help you hit harder?
Bruce had a BBers ego but he never let his physique impair his speed and power.
Bruce lee fan huh? Yeah right ::)
The photo was from Way of the dragon which he was at his biggest weight. He lost a lot of that size in Enter the Dragon in order to build up his speed. He was more ripped in ETD. He made Samo TAP ;D
Nice posts Dkong - Bruce was an inspiration to me as a kid. Not just as a martial artist but his philiosphical attitude towards life.
Water can Flow-or it can crash
Be water
-Bruce Lee
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quite a latspread huh
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Are you retarded? What is your source for that? Why would he need fatburners when he took cardio to extremes. Do steroids help you hit harder?
Bruce had a BBers ego but he never let his physique impair his speed and power.
Bruce lee fan huh? Yeah right ::)
The photo was from Way of the dragon which he was at his biggest weight. He lost a lot of that size in Enter the Dragon in order to build up his speed. He was more ripped in ETD. He made Samo TAP ;D
Nice posts Dkong - Bruce was an inspiration to me as a kid. Not just as a martial artist but his philiosphical attitude towards life.
Water can Flow-or it can crash
Be water
-Bruce Lee
i agree, he was a very wise man with a superb attitude. never giving up, it's really a shame he died so young.
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I used to be a Bruce Lee nut as a kid and its widely known he dabbled in Steroids and fat burners.Lots of athletes who have been caught look like they have never touched a steroid, people use them for other reasons than to increase the size of their muscles.
He's referring to Adrian Marshall who wrote an unathorized autobiography of Bruce Lee. Marshall was rumored to be one of Linda Lee's ex boyfriends, and supposedly this was his way at getting back at her. Sad to see Linda and Shannon milking their husband and Dad's name to make money, and the way the Lee Estate has totally divested themelves from Guro Dan Inosanto, who took JKD where it should have gone and DIDN'T COMMERCIALIZE IT LIKE BRUCE WANTED.
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Big difference. Soccer players are lazy. They need roids so they can workout LESS.
Lee has been working out his whole life, everyday ridiculously long. I doubt he juiced, he was very small and light. Also, if you run a few miles every day, you don't need fatuburners, especially IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN FAT.
all stupid gibberish, you guys are idiots if you believe you need roids to look like this. Constant intense training is the key, think about that.
that concept is too complex to comprehend and will never catch on.
a guy that does martial arts training for a hours per day and weighs 130lbs must be on drugs...lol
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that concept is too complex to comprehend and will never catch on.
a guy that does martial arts training for a hours per day and weighs 130lbs must be on drugs...lol
It depends on the destruction of your tissue. You cant lift heavy weight and train long time. I understand you. But martial arts training is like hard dancing.
I was a swimmer when i was a high school student and i was swimming almost whole day and i was ok.
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Synthol.
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that concept is too complex to comprehend and will never catch on.
a guy that does martial arts training for a hours per day and weighs 130lbs must be on drugs...lol
lol
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well we cant be sure can we now
he didnt look like he was smoking the herb now was he but nevertheless he did so we cant really tell lads thats what im saying
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well we cant be sure can we now
he didnt look like he was smoking the herb now was he but nevertheless he did so we cant really tell lads thats what im saying
He wasn't smoking, he was chewing the leaves occasionally.
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He wasn't smoking, he was chewing the leaves occasionally.
maybe he was chewing steroids occasionally we cant rule that out as it's quite a possibility when we think about it
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maybe he was chewing steroids occasionally we cant rule that out as it's quite a possibility when we think about it
and maybe you're a retard - we cant rule that out as it's quite a possibility when we think about it
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He wasn't smoking, he was chewing the leaves occasionally.
James Coburn said in an interview that Lee’s father was an opium eater. Apparently lots of men of that time were.
Donkey is much more educated in eastern culture than I am, so perhaps he can verify this.
I don’t believe opium or cannabis use was as socially deviant/taboo in that part of the world at that time.
Lee’s dad has been described as a very strict military man – never a junkie.
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and maybe you're a retard - we cant rule that out as it's quite a possibility when we think about it
meltdown
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James Coburn said in an interview that Lee’s father was an opium eater. Apparently lots of men of that time were.
Donkey is much more educated in eastern culture than I am, so perhaps he can verify this.
I don’t believe opium or cannabis use was as socially deviant/taboo in that part of the world at that time.
Lee’s dad has been described as a very strict military man – never a junkie.
Lee's dad was a classical chinese actor not a military man. He and Bruce never got along with each other.Bruce rebelled against his dads discipline and was sent to the US because Mr Lee didnt want him to associate with the HK street gangs thar ran amok during those times.
In the end Mr Lee's wisdom paid off he also introduced bruce to a Wing Chun master thus beginning the legendary journey to greatness.
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meltdown
meltdown-no
Laughing at your bizzare posts = yes ;)
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Lee's dad was a classical chinese actor not a military man. He and Bruce never got along with each other.Bruce rebelled against his dads discipline and was sent to the US because Mr Lee didnt want him to associate with the HK street gangs thar ran amok during those times.
In the end Mr Lee's wisdom paid off he also introduced bruce to a Wing Chun master thus beginning the legendary journey to greatness.
Bruce also got into a serious fight at age 18 and beat the guy up pretty badly, another reason to leave.
Bruce was also a boxing champion in Hong Kong as well a a dance champion-Cha Cha dancing.
Last, Bruce was trained in Wing Chun Gung Fu by Yip Man's top students. When others refused to train with Bruce because he was born in America, Yip Man trained Bruce personally.
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Bruce also got into a serious fight at age 18 and beat the guy up pretty badly, another reason to leave.
Bruce was also a boxing champion in Hong Kong as well a a dance champion-Cha Cha dancing.
Last, Bruce was trained in Wing Chun Gung Fu by Yip Man's top students. When others refused to train with Bruce because he was born in America, Yip Man trained Bruce personally.
Actually Yip Man was too old to teach by the time Bruce arrived so his senior student took up the task of doing the training. Yip-Man is still credited as being his teacher though.
Yeah - I read that he was sent back to the US to avoid having go to jail. Luckily Mr Lee had a lot of influence in HK and was able to convince the cops that he would discipline his son.
Mod should move this thread to MMA board
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Actually Yip Man was too old to teach by the time Bruce arrived so his senior student took up the task of doing the training. Yip-Man is still credited as being his teacher though.
Yeah - I read that he was sent back to the US to avoid having go to jail. Luckily Mr Lee had a lot of influence in HK and was able to convince the cops that he would discipline his son.
Mod should move this thread to MMA board
Ypi Man is in a pic with Bruce, and he looks like he could teach to me....but I was not there.
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James Coburn said in an interview that Lee’s father was an opium eater. Apparently lots of men of that time were.
Donkey is much more educated in eastern culture than I am, so perhaps he can verify this.
I don’t believe opium or cannabis use was as socially deviant/taboo in that part of the world at that time.
Lee’s dad has been described as a very strict military man – never a junkie.
totally on spot. cannabis leaves were chewed as a sort of relaxant, you can in no way compare this to smoking cannabis as the amounts were different.
As for the Opium, well the Brits did a lot for its popularity in that part of the world. It's quite a nasty story, whoever wants input on this, here's an introduction:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars
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Ypi Man is in a pic with Bruce, and he looks like he could teach to me....but I was not there.
I read a short article by one Bruce's close friends who had also trained in the same school. Unicorn (I can't remember his real name)
mentioned that fact when the interviewer brought up YipMan's age. I presume the theory portion was handled by Yipman and the physical training was probably conducted by his senior student.
Unicorn was always in Bruce's movies. He was the head waiter in Way the Dragon. Bruce tried to help make him a star but the directors weren't that impressed by him.
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A family memeber wrote it in a book-why didn't you say so. Then IT MUST BE TRUE!
The guy was a 132# with 13 inch arms, and you think he was juicing??? Please!
BTW, which "family member" was it??? And what book??? Since only 1 person would have that knowledge, his wife Linda.
Hahah...More "expert witness" testimony! And it must be TRUE because you were a Bruce lee nut!
Dude, your arguments are so full of flaws. Because he weighed 132 pounds and had 13" arms he didn't take roids???? Ever hear of Ben Johnson, the runner? Forgot how MASSIVE he was. ::)
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Dude, your arguments are so full of flaws. Because he weighed 132 pounds and had 13" arms he didn't take roids???? Ever hear of Ben Johnson, the runner? Forgot how MASSIVE he was. ::)
Aren't you the guy with the "Danimal" tattoo??
(http://s2.thisnext.com/media/230x230_no_border/Dannon-Danimals-Lowfat-Cherry_50D78E7C.jpg)
No one will ever take you seriously again. ;D ;D
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if bruce lee was so smart how come he's so dead
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if bruce lee was so smart how come he's so dead
Bluto, you better get into the Zone again.
Jesus also died young. Are you saying Jesus was dumb? ::) ::)
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Bluto, you better get into the Zone again.
Jesus also died young. Are you saying Jesus was dumb? ::) ::)
Hahaha. Hilarious!
Joke aside, With affection and love toward Jesus,some phylosophers and people iluminated say he was a dumb.
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Hahaha. Hilarious!
Joke aside, With affection and love toward Jesus,some phylosophers and people iluminated say he was a dumb.
This thread is about Bruce Lee, not Jesus.
Bruce Lee would kick Jesus' ass, that's for sure.
(http://www.oomsa.com/files/admin/bruce-lee-enter-the-dragon.jpg)
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This thread is about Bruce Lee, not Jesus.
Bruce Lee would kick Jesus' ass, that's for sure.
(http://www.oomsa.com/files/admin/bruce-lee-enter-the-dragon.jpg)
Haha. Agreed. But Jesus will knock him out with his miracle!
Joke aside Damn how monster sized Bruce is copied.
(http://www.nikkeibp.co.jp/style/biz/person/interview/051104_01.jpg)
(http://books.yahoo.co.jp/images/tachiyomi/36/16/tachiyomi_07160238_1.jpg)
(http://www.fistofthenorthstar.it/tvseries2.jpe)
(http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005FP8P.09.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)
(http://news.ameba.jp/imgs/0311hoku.jpg)
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if bruce lee was so smart how come he's so dead
You're a retard and still alive..... a mystery that baffles getbiggers all over the world. ;)
Wasnt kenshiro modelled on Bruce? + including the ear splitting shriek.
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Haha. Agreed. But Jesus will knock him out with his miracle!
Joke aside Damn how kenshirou is copied with monster sized Bruce.
(http://www.nikkeibp.co.jp/style/biz/person/interview/051104_01.jpg)
お前はも・・・死んでいる。 ;D ;D
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You're a retard and still alive..... a mystery that baffles getbiggers all over the world. ;)
Wasnt kenshiro modelled on Bruce? + including the ear splitting shriek.
You are right. I fixed my composition. ;D
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お前はも・・・死んでいる。 ;D ;D
(http://www.hokutonoken-online.jp/news/questionnaire/images/qt02/ph_e_01_06_02.gif)
(http://images.google.co.jp/url?q=http://www.hokutonoken-online.jp/news/questionnaire/images/qt02/ph_b_01_06_02.gif&usg=AFQjCNE4whMCoSrqCxhHAog3PndA87ZCbg)
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You are right. I fixed my composition. ;D
I was addressing bluto not you dude
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Addressing the thread. Yes, best lat spread for a Martial Artist. Way better than Van Damm's
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You're a retard and still alive..... a mystery that baffles getbiggers all over the world. ;)
Wasnt kenshiro modelled on Bruce? + including the ear splitting shriek.
99% of your life consists of bruce lee and comic book worshipping you sure you're not the retarded one? :D
could've fooled me
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99% of your life consists of bruce lee and comic book worshipping you sure you're not the retarded one? :D
could've fooled me
Damn - touched a nerve there didnt I? ;D
Stop being such a crybaby - You've been laughed at by everyone on getbig.
Harden the fuck up and stop making retarded posts
:D
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Sad to see Linda and Shannon milking their husband and Dad's name to make money, and the way the Lee Estate has totally divested themelves from Guro Dan Inosanto, who took JKD where it should have gone and DIDN'T COMMERCIALIZE IT LIKE BRUCE WANTED.
So the family has nothing to do with Inosanto?
I know he was not portrayed in that biographical Bruce Lee movie they made with Jason Scott Lee around 93, and I often wondered about that.
Really, the only time you hear from or about Dan is in the documentaries they do about Bruce.
Is he still teaching?
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So the family has nothing to do with Inosanto?
I know he was not portrayed in that biographical Bruce Lee movie they made with Jason Scott Lee around 93, and I often wondered about that.
Really, the only time you hear from or about Dan is in the documentaries they do about Bruce.
Is he still teaching?
Yes he is. He put out a JKD/Escrima instructional DVD awhile back.
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;) That seems a bit like commercialization to me, but what the hell...
These people have to make a living, too.
I believe I have the Arnis book Dan wrote years ago. It’s probably stashed away with my Balisong manuals (by Jeff Imada – Brandon’s buddy) and the plethora of Fumio Demura’s Okinawan weapon books I accumulated over the years.
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;) That seems a bit like commercialization to me, but what the hell...
These people have to make a living, too.
I believe I have the Arnis book Dan wrote years ago. It’s probably stashed away with my Balisong manuals (by Jeff Imada – Brandon’s buddy) and the plethora of Fumio Demura’s Okinawan weapon books I accumulated over the years.
In retrospect i don't think he called it JKD per se but it does have some JKD techniques. Mostly Fillipino Escrima/Dumog. Still pretty damn fast for his age.
I remember the balisong knife craze - had a few knives myself + a few scars to go along with 'em ;D
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In retrospect i don't think he called it JKD per se but it does have some JKD techniques. Mostly Fillipino Escrima/Dumog. Still pretty damn fast for his age.
I remember the balisong knife craze - had a few knives myself + a few scars to go along with 'em ;D
there is no such thing as JKD techniques.
JKD = fighting. Everything is JKD and JKD is nothing. It's what he said himself, if you start calling this and that JKD, stop using the name, as it is just a name.
Form is emptiness and emptiness is form. 色即是空、空即是色
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there is no such thing as JKD techniques.
JKD = fighting. Everything is JKD and JKD is nothing. It's what he said himself, if you start calling this and that JKD, stop using the name, as it is just a name.
Form is emptiness and emptiness is form. 色即是空、空即是色
Dont speak about 般若心経 or TAO. The thread will be end.
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there is no such thing as JKD techniques.
JKD = fighting. Everything is JKD and JKD is nothing. It's what he said himself, if you start calling this and that JKD, stop using the name, as it is just a name.
Form is emptiness and emptiness is form. 色即是空、空即是色
Okay wise guy- you got me.
Lets just say that I had to refer to it as something. JKD seemed convenient for that purpose even if it goes against what bruce said. Can't exactly say Dan teaches everything and nothing to someone without elaborating further.
:)
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Dont speak about 般若心経 or TAO. The thread will be end.
lol
Okay wise guy- you got me.
Lets just say that I had to refer to it as something. JKD seemed convenient for that purpose even if it goes against what bruce said. Can't exactly say Dan teaches everything and nothing to someone without elaborating further.
:)
I cannot follow you, sorry.
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lol
I cannot follow you, sorry.
Easier to give a name as an umbrella for the techniques. It helps identify one style from another- even hybrid arts that use many different styles combined. Eg - Pat Miletich uses a hybrid of several styles and calls it MFS
Even though Bruce said "Everything is JKD and JKD is nothing" he still called it JKD to distinguish it from...say TKD. It's just a name.
When someone wants to know what you teach merely saying everything and nothing would just prompt further questions or confusion.
I think his intention was to keep it simple and not have people get caught up in the "name" game and compare styles.
Some people get too caught up in the Kung Fu Vs Karate type debates. Bruce didnt want to commercialize his style so when prompted to explain what JKD is he followed up with "if you start calling this and that JKD, stop using the name, as it is just a name".
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Easier to give a name as an umbrella for the techniques. It helps identify one style from another- even hybrid arts that use many different styles combined. Eg - Pat Miletich uses a hybrid of several styles and calls it MFS
Even though Bruce said "Everything is JKD and JKD is nothing" he still called it JKD to distinguish it from...say TKD. It's just a name.
When someone wants to know what you teach merely saying everything and nothing would just prompt further questions or confusion.
I think his intention was to keep it simple and not have people get caught up in the "name" game and compare styles.
Some people get too caught up in the Kung Fu Vs Karate type debates. Bruce didnt want to commercialize his style so when prompted to explain what JKD is he followed up with "if you start calling this and that JKD, stop using the name, as it is just a name".
i see we agree on this. ;D
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who cares anyway, in our modern societies,if you' re a wealthy and smart citizen, kung fu or whatever crap martial art is useless; what a waste of time to "learn" anything related to it.
I guess it's ok if you see it only as a healthy physical activity that helps you master your feelings and keep you focused and dedicaced, but fighting for the sake of fighting is a non sens nowadays.
It's like candidizzle who wants to become mr olympia because in his foolish immature and insecure mind he thinks it will help him have a better life and get more positive attention from people who despise him in his everyday life. He absolutely missed the point of it because he's just too fucking dumb. Like the wanabee cage fighters.
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the man was legendary
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Damn - touched a nerve there didnt I? ;D
Stop being such a crybaby - You've been laughed at by everyone on getbig.
Harden the fuck up and stop making retarded posts
:D
arnt you the crybaby that cant take criticism of your child/adult hood hero bruce without melting? dont project that shit on me dude, i couldnt care less about bruce lee, chuck norris or your super hero comics
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arnt you the crybaby that cant take criticism of your child/adult hood hero bruce without melting? dont project that shit on me dude, i couldnt care less about bruce lee, chuck norris or your super hero comics
If you are a super hero yourself, you don't need comic books!
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If you are a super hero yourself, you don't need comic books!
cartoons is where it's at
or in your case, video games
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cartoons is where it's at
or in your case, video games
Yes, i am guilty.
I am sorry i am not as cool and brave as you are. ;D
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Yes, i am guilty.
I am sorry i am not as cool and brave as you are. ;D
you're a kidnapper and it took that guy mario to put you in your place
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you're a kidnapper and it took that guy mario to put you in your place
I didn't do anything to Princess Peach! ;D
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I didn't do anything to Princess Peach! ;D
it wasnt her you kidnapped it was pauline
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it wasnt her you kidnapped it was pauline
WTF? You're a true connaisseur of video games my friend!
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WTF? You're a true connaisseur of video games my friend!
actually i just looked that up ;D
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who is this chump Dreadlord ? and how dare he enter my thread and be disrespectful
thats like walking into metroflex gym and starting shit with ronnie coleman >:(
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actually i just looked that up ;D
lol, did i miss on the spelling? i was too lazy to look if the spelling was ok.
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lol, did i miss on the spelling? i was too lazy to look if the spelling was ok.
apparantely theyre two different bitches. peach doesnt come into the picture until super mario or something like that
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apparantely theyre two different bitches. peach doesnt come into the picture until super mario or something like that
Shit, i never knew that!!
That means either Mario was left by that bitch or he offed her.
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Dude, your arguments are so full of flaws. Because he weighed 132 pounds and had 13" arms he didn't take roids???? Ever hear of Ben Johnson, the runner? Forgot how MASSIVE he was. ::)
Ben Johnson looked like a fucking BBer dipshit. You have to be the biggest retard posting here.
HTH "Danimal".... ;D
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So the family has nothing to do with Inosanto?
I know he was not portrayed in that biographical Bruce Lee movie they made with Jason Scott Lee around 93, and I often wondered about that.
Really, the only time you hear from or about Dan is in the documentaries they do about Bruce.
Is he still teaching?
Yes, Inosanto has a school in Marina Del Rey, by the closed down World Gym.
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i thought they call that a rat spread.
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What's with all the PM's Bluto? You sound like a date raped sophomore.
Settle down Chuckleberry and get yourself a nice big tall glass of "Shut the hell up". ;D
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Actually Yip Man was too old to teach by the time Bruce arrived so his senior student took up the task of doing the training. Yip-Man is still credited as being his teacher though.
Yeah - I read that he was sent back to the US to avoid having go to jail. Luckily Mr Lee had a lot of influence in HK and was able to convince the cops that he would discipline his son.
Mod should move this thread to MMA board
Bruce's main teacher was Wong Sheung Leong, the wing chun clan's top fighter. Years later William Chueng claimed to have been his main teacher. I met master Wong before his death at the HK athletic club. Bruce wasn't being being discriminated because he was born in America, but because he was 1/4 German.
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Bruce's main teacher was Wong Sheung Leong, the wing chun clan's top fighter. Years later William Chueng claimed to have been his main teacher. I met master Wong before his death at the HK athletic club. Bruce wasn't being being discriminated because he was born in America, but because he was 1/4 German.
Really? I knew about the German blood but I wasnt aware that that was the reason for discrimination.
Wong was Yip mans senior student right?
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discuss his latspread not all that other gayshit
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Bruce's main teacher was Wong Sheung Leong, the wing chun clan's top fighter. Years later William Chueng claimed to have been his main teacher. I met master Wong before his death at the HK athletic club. Bruce wasn't being being discriminated because he was born in America, but because he was 1/4 German.
Thanks for the correction, I had forgotten the exact reason Bruce was persona non grata, and being part German would be all the reason needed.
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Lee ---> ecto ---> epic fail
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Thanks for the correction, I had forgotten the exact reason Bruce was persona non grata, and being part German would be all the reason needed.
Actually, William Cheung was the Si Hing to Wong. Wong was the best fighter, though. Bruce was discriminated for more than just being German. His parents were somewhat well to do and had influence in HK, he had a serious attitude as well. My Sifu is a student of Wong Long, who was a student of Yip Man.