Bruce engaged in a comprehensive training program to maximize his potential as a martial artist. His training focused on improving endurance, strength, flexibility, and power. He trained every day except Sunday to give his body time to recover.
A man can be strong, but if he cannot use that strength quickly, he is not powerful. Bruce Lee
Endurance
He engaged in endurance activities six days a week to make sure he had enough energy in a fight. He would run, cycle, and jump rope.
Strength
He did weight training three times a week and focused on his legs, chest, arms. He used weights to develop his strength for punching and kicking. Exercises included the clean and press, squat, pullover, bench press, and curls.
Flexibility
He was not naturally flexible and so he stretched six days a week. Stretches included the front stretch, side stretch, hurdle stretch, sit stretch, and sliding stretch.
Martial Arts
He engaged in martial arts training six days a week. This included punches and kicks using the kick shield, heavy bag, speed bad, and sparring. His routine included the side kick, hook kick, spin kick, rear front thrust kick (push), and heel kick (push). His punches included the jab, cross, hook, overhand cross, and punching combinations.
Power, Timing, Distances, and Accuracy
Bruce Lee used the heavy bag to improve his power. This relates to Newton’s Second Law of Motion which states, “Force = mass x acceleration” (Straight, page 13). Lee said strength (mass) was producing a great force while power was using that strength as quick as possible (acceleration). Lee suggested his students use the heavy bag with 3 sets of 50 on each punch including combinations. He would use the bag to see which angles of attack would be the most powerful. He also wanted his students to have “emotional content” while hitting the bag. You should be passionate about it and not like a robot. He also used the bag to help improve his timing and distance. Once he developed his power using the heavy bag he reduced his use of it and used the speed bag, shields, or sparring to focus on timing, distance, speed, and accuracy (Art 149-155).
“One time we were training and Bruce was hitting the heavy bag – and he was going wild, like he was pissed off with the heavy bag. He was snorting and really whacking the bag…I asked him, “What was that about?’ He said, ‘That’s Jeet Kune Do – you’ve got to be emotionally involved when you train.” Richard Bustillo
Health Warning
This is for general informational purposes only. You should always consult a medical professional before engaging in any exercise program. Bruce Lee would have encouraged you to explore these training methods to see what works for you. Do not be afraid to modify this plan and adjust based on your own personal experience. “Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.” Bruce Lee
Resource:
The Art of Expressing the Human Body, John Little, Editor, Tuttle Publishing, 1998. Volume 4 of the Bruce Lee Library, commissioned by the Bruce Lee Estate. Includes workouts, circuit training, weight lifting, and stretching. Put together by John Little, Bruce Lee historian.
Pixabay (Stretching images),
The Straight Lead: The Core of Bruce Lee’s Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, Teri Tom, Author, Tuttle Publishing, 2005. A detailed breakdown of the straight lead punch under Jeet Kune Do.
AI Narration provided by elevenlabs. Bruce Lee quotes read by AI.
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