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The Bruce Lee Diet - Bruce Lees Diet and Nutrition Protocol Bruce Lee is famous for his devotion to martial arts and his great abilities in this field. He was not only an exceptional martial artist, but also a serious bodybuilder. He firmly believed that diet and nutrition played a very important role in achieving his objectives. However, he was not an expert in nutrition, he gained most of his information from bodybuilding magazines and experimented with different supplements in addition to eating a well balanced healthy diet. For Bruce Lee a good diet was one that provided him with the energy and nutrients to maximize his physical training. The following diet rules are based on what is known about Bruce Lees daily eating regime. There are many references to The Bruce Lee Diet, but really such a diet simply attempts to replicate Bruce Lees dietary and eating patterns, as well as his fitness regimes, to try to attain a physique similar to that of Bruce Lee.
Bruce Lees diet and exercise regime meant that he had close to zero percent body fat. Following this diet regime could help you to lose belly fat as well as improve muscular growth.
Non-instant powdered milk - which is reported to have a higher concentration of calcium than other forms of powdered milk Eggs - sometimes with the shells Wheat germ / wheat germ oil Peanut butter Banana Brewers yeast (contains concentrated B vitamins, which are essential in the release of energy from carbohydrates). Inositol supplement (Inositol is found in many foods, particularly in cereals with high bran content. Inositol plays an important part in the health of cell membrane, in particular the specialized cells in the brain, bone marrow, eyes and intestines. The function of the cell membrane is to regulate the contents of the cell, which makes effective functioning of the cell possible). Lecithin - taken in granular form. (Lecithin is a mixture of glycolipids, triglycerides, and phospholipids. It is needed by every cell in the body and is a key building block of cell membranes; without it, they would harden. Lecithin protects cells from oxidation).
All ingredients would be mixed thoroughly in a food blender. Bruce Lee suggested that for better results (i.e. for gaining more muscle mass quicker) milk and cream can be added too.
Please bear in mind that the supplements Bruce Lee took were popular when he was researching bodybuilding during the 1960s and early 1970s, these supplements may now be superseded by new ones producing better results. Also bear in mind that all supplements may have side effects if taken to excess. It is best to check with your doctor/GP before starting a bodybuilding diet.
Vitamin C Lecithing granules Bee Pollen Vitamin E Rose hips (liquid form) Wheat germ oil Natural protein tablets (chocolate flavour) Acerola C B-Folia
Juicing fresh fruits and vegetables is a great way to consume high quality carbohydrates. Juicing allows the body to assimilate many nutrients more easily. The enzymes in the juiced vegetables are also organic catalysts that increase the rate at which food is broken down and absorbed. Many enzymes are destroyed when vegetables are cooked, especially if boiled, therefore consuming raw fruit and vegetables is best. Some nutritionists suggest that for better health and more energy, approximately half of the carbohydrates consumed should come from raw fruit and vegetables.
Breakfast
Food: A bowl of muesli cereal, comprised of whole grains, nuts, and dried fruits, plus 2% milk (semi skimmed). Beverage: Orange Juice and/or tea.
Snack
Juice or Protein Drink: Protein powder, non-instant powdered milk made with water or juice, eggs, wheat germ, bananas, peanut butter. Brewers yeast was frequently added.
Lunch
Snack
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.
Reference:
The Art of Expressing the Human Body by Bruce Lee and John R. Little. Tuttle Publishing. 1998. ISBN-10: 0804831297. (available from Amazon.com)
If you combine this Bruce Lee workout with a fitness plan you will get excellent results very quickly. Each day Bruce Lee would train to improve his physique and his martial ability. However, Bruce Lee also stated that it was important to never train the body so hard on any given day, to the point where the body is too weak on the following days to train more or to fight. From a martial perspective it is essential to never over-train, as although in the long term intensive training can make the body stronger quicker, in the short term it is not a good martial practice to leave yourself weak to fight. Here we look at his weight training routines including isometrics, his abdominal workouts, we take a brief look at his cardio routines and stretching. Finally we present a review of The Art of Expressing the Human Body, a fantastic book that provides so many insights into Bruce Lees life and training. First we take a look at his training philosophy.
good grounding in the importance of good form, as kung-fu, and other martial arts, use forms for training and honing fighting techniques. Good form is essential in martial arts, as it can help to determine the strengths and weaknesses of a student, condition the body to react and move in the correct way, as well as strengthen the muscles, ligaments and joints. Poorly executed form can lead to poorly executed martial application, which can be fatal. Bruce Lee was interviewed on the Pierre Berton Show in 1971. The interview starts with the the question of Bruce Lee making films in Mandarin, when he can only speak Cantonese. Surprising, in the early Bruce Lee films the voices are dubbed, as the early Bruce Lee films were first shot without sound. To me, a motion picture is motion. You gotta keep the dialogue down to a minimum Bruce Lee, 1971. Then they discuss the secret of the success of the Big Boss, namely that it broke the mould because the fighting was real. Bruce talks about how martial arts has deep meaning to his life and that martial arts have shaped all parts of his life. Martial Arts include all the combative arts like karate, Judo, Chinese kung-fu, Aikido .. some have become sport, but some not, such as kicking to the groin, jabbing fingers to eyes. Bruce Lee, 1971. On being asked if he could break five or six pieces of wood with his hand or foot, Bruce Lee replies,Ill probably break my foot. Bruce then talks about his theory of the art of expressing the human body. Combining instinct and control to have harmony, to prevent either becoming mechanical or wild unnatural naturalness, or natural unnaturalness. Under the sky, under the heaven, there is but one family. It just so happens that people are different Bruce Lee, 1971. At the end of the video he talks about how style is meaningless, and that he does not teach style. Everyone has two arms and two legs, so for fighting, style is only restrictive. In the end of this part Bruce Lee talks about The Warrior, and how martial arts are relevant in Westerns, but not the modern world, as now people carry guns.
Bruce Lees Weight Training Routine Bruce Lee Clean and Press 2 sets of 8 reps
The clean and press is a classic weight lifters exercise. Unlike bodybuilding exercises, which work muscles in isolation, Bruce Lees weight lifting/power
lifting exercises work muscles together, i.e. they are compound movements. Bruce Lee performed clean and presses in a very intensive fashion, that is, without rest between reps. This made the exercise a cardio and endurance exercise as well as a weight training exercise. In the clean and press a barbell is lifted from the floor, and in one explosive movement the weight is lifted up to rest on the front of the shoulders this is the clean. Afterwards, the weight is then pressed upwards, and held overhead. It is then lowered to the floor in one movement, and repeated. A good form is essential in the clean and press, it is also important not to attempt to lift too much weight, as injuries to the lower back are common in poorly executed clean and presses.
Bruce Lee used to perform a simple routine using 8 different isometric exercises. Each exercise is performed just once. The aim is to work to maximum effort in each exercise for 6-12 seconds. To perform these exercises you need a power cage or a similar weight training bench with a bar that is too heavy to move. If you have enough weights you can put them all on a bar so that it is too heavy for you to lift. This can actually aid your training, as rather than knowing it is impossible to move the bar, you can tell yourself that if you push harder, you may move it! 1. Press Lockout. Set a bar in a power cage at about 3 inches below your lockout position for a shoulder/military press. Grasp the bar as you would normally for a press, and then push the bar upwards as hard as possibly for 6 to 12 seconds. 2. Press Start. This is the second position for the press. Start with the bar at chin height, just above the lowest position on your usual military press. Exert maximum force for 6 to 12 seconds. 3. Rise on toes. Set the bar in a position just above your shoulders where you can touch it enough to apply pressure when on tip toes. Then position yourself under the bar, rise on toes, and push the bar as hard as possible for 6 to 12 seconds. 4. Pull. The bar is set in a similar position to where you start an upright row, just below waist level. Stand in front of the bar and with a shoulder width grip, pull it upwards as hard as possible while also rising on your toes for 6 to 12 seconds. 5. Parallel Squat. Set the bar at the lower position of a barbell squat at the point where your thighs are parallel to the floor. Position yourself in the usual squat position and then try to lift the bar as you would in a squat. Push as hard as you can for 6 to 12 seconds. 6. Shoulder shrug. Position the bar in the power cage at the start of the shoulder shrug position, so that you can grab the bar but with the shoulders down. Then with all your effort attempt to perform a shoulder shrug. 7. Deadlift. The isometric deadlift is performed with the bar about 2 inches below your knees. Then perform the usual deadlift with your feet set shoulder width apart, hips down and back flat, pushing as hard as possible with the legs and pulling up for 6 to 12 seconds.
8. Quarter squat. The second squat position. Set the bar about 4 inches below your standing position in a barbell squat. Position yourself, and then push upwards on the bar as hard as possible for 6 to 12 seconds. See weight training exercises for descriptions and guides on performing these. As you can see, in principal the exercises are easy. All are performed for 6-12 seconds. Remember that you are aiming to work to failure still, in that you will be putting so much effort into pushing or pulling the isometric bar that by the time your reach 10 seconds your muscles should be screaming in pain. To perform these isometric exercises well you need to first really learn the moving versions, as form is very important and unless you have performed squats and deadlifts before, you may position yourself incorrectly resulting in a muscular injury. Bruce Lee always emphasized good form over brute force. If you perform these exercises with maximum effort then one set of these exercises may be enough for you. Do not underestimate how much work the muscles are doing in not moving an object. Your body will be attempting to get all of your muscles to work together to move the stationary bar. Isometric exercises should not replace other weight training exercises. Remember also that diet and nutrition are vital to strength and muscle development. What makes this type of training so different is that you only have your body and willpower to listen to. Nothing moves, you just push and sweat! If Bruce Lee said it worked for him, then there is a good chance that it will work for you too.
3. Work your abs like any other muscle. Add weight constantly so you dont stagnate. Bruce Lee taught that abdominal exercises never reduce the waist
Waist twists 4 sets of 90 repetitions Sit-up twists 4 sets of 20 repetitions Leg raises 4 sets of 20 repetitions Leaning twists 4 sets of 50 repetitions Frog kicks 4 sets of 50 repetitions
Lee firmly believed that proper nutrition was essential for developing the perfect set of abs. What you eat determines the thickness and density of the outer tissue covering the abdominal muscles. Once the belly fat has been worked off through a calorie controlled diet combined with aerobic and endurance fitness training, the abs are then relatively easy to maintain through a good healthy diet and regular abdominal exercising. He did a lot of martial arts and was especially adept at kicking. Lots of the muscles used to power a kick come from the core region and as such he worked his abs out in different ways. He was constantly changing his abs routine, which meant that his abs never become too efficient at performing the same exercise. Overall this all helped him to achieve a very complete development. Bruce Lees final advice is to exercise abs daily, and that with patience and perseverance, results will be seen in time. This advice goes against what many athletes and bodybuilders advise. Today people suggest that you treat your abdominals as any other muscle and ensure that it is rested for at least 2 days after exercising.
Stretch for improved health and fitness. Strong and supply joints are essential to being healthy and fit. Reduce injury. A greater range of motion means that you are less likely to put the weakest points under too much strain when working out or competing. Stretching is a good way to warm up and prepare the muscles for the task ahead Stretching after a workout can reduce muscle soreness and quicken recovery Being more flexible makes you a better athlete A good stretch routine should be a pleasure to perform, and is a great way to start or finish the day
Ideally you should stretch for 10 to 15 minutes before your main workout, but after warming up. As part of a stand alone fitness regime, you should aim to stretch 4 times per week to help strengthen and tone the body. Pilates and yoga can be considered advanced forms of stretching for this purpose. When stretching, you should apply constant gentle pressure that increases over time. Do not bounce. Always relax into the stretch. When doing seated forward stretches look forwards, not down, to avoid hunching the back.
These stretches are performed as a warm up by most martial arts clubs today. These were also Bruces standard stretches (photos coming soon!):
Seated Hamstring Stretch stretches the rear thigh muscle Hurdlers Stretch stretches the hamstrings and groin Seated Groin Stretch opens the hips and stretches the groin and inner thighs Standing Hip Stretch stretches the hip and buttocks Lunging Stretch stretches the hips, buttocks and front thighs Thigh Stretch stretches the large muscles on the front of the thighs Calf Stretch stretches the back of the lower legs Lower Back Stretch vital stretch to warm up the lower back before exercising. Side Stretch stretches the muscles along the core
In addition to stretching muscles, it is also wise to limber up before exercising. This involves loosening the muscles with small gentle exercises. Typically the neck, shoulder, wrists, knees and ankles are limbered up and gentle stretched. This helps to get the blood flowing and warm the tendons.
The Art of Expressing the Human Body (see our review below) Warm Marble The Lethal Physique of Bruce Lee by John Little From Icon to Lifestyle, the Marketing of Bruce Lee A New York Times piece on Bruce Lee.
If you want to look like Bruce Lee, the Bruce Lees The Art of Expressing The Human Body is ideal as it details many of his training methods and his diet and nutrition rules. Much of what we know about Bruce Lee is found in this one book. In this book we can learn about the various methods Bruce Lee used throughout his career. He changed his methods as his body developed. He moved from traditional kung-fu training drills to incorporate more functional strength training. We can also learn about his diet, with insights from Linda Lee on what he liked to eat, the supplements he took, even the home made juice blends that he drank. One of the most inspirational things about this book is that it shows his actually training logs. Bruce Lee was a great believer in documenting all his training. He believed that only by keeping a log of his workouts was he able to progress and improve. Strength training is a key feature of the book. Bruce loved isometric exercises, and the book explains how they provide the raw strength required for martial arts. And he developed isometric exercise far beyond the basic horse stance. Obviously the book documents his famous 1 inch punch, and goes some way to explain how he trained his body and his mind to enable him to accomplish such feats. Part of his success was trying new techniques, even having fitness equipment custom made to meet his requirements, to strive to improve his physical self. There are whole workouts dedicated to wrist and forearm strength (essential for martial artists and grapplers). Plus his back exercise routines are simply awesome. He provides details on stretching too. The Art of Expressing the Human Body is still as relevant today as it was when Bruce Lee started penning his notes in the early 1970s. Modern day martial arts classes would not be as dynamic today if it were not for Bruce Lee, and what he taught to others through his classes, and through his books. Every serious martial artist should read this book. The Art of Expressing the Human Body by Bruce Lee (available from Amazon.com)
Further Reading
Learn what Bruce Lee Ate The Bruce Lee Diet Jeet Kune Do The Way if the Intercepting Fist.
Bruce Lees Kickboxing Workouts Workouts Dos Lee De Bruce: Treinamento Da Fora
1. Roadwork
Jog (1 minute) Sprint at your max for as long as possible Walk (1 minute) in as many sets as you can. This is an intensive interval training in its simplest all you need is a pair of trainers / running shoes.
a. Shadow kick-boxing3 minutes (1 minute rest) This first exercise is to get you loosened up, warmed up, and ready for the more strenuous exercises.
b. Shadow kick-boxing3 minutes (1 minute rest) Repeat the same sequence, but during this exercise work harder, push yourself to your limits, and concentrate on developing speed and power in all strikes. c. Skip rope5 minutes (1 1/2 minutes rest) Dont just perform your favourite jump, vary your jumps and challenge yourself. d. Heavy bag3 minutes (1 minute rest) Start with individual punches, focus on jabs and then combinations hooks, upper cuts, crosses etc. Improving speed, accuracy and strength of the basic jab is essential. e. Heavy bag3 minutes (1 minute rest) Start with individual kicks, then do combination kicks. f. Light bag3 minutes The light bag is to develop endurance, start with individual punches and add some combinations, but keep it light and fast to tire the muscles. Keep you guard up at all times. g. Shadow kick-boxing2 minutes acts as a cool down and loosener after the bag work.
1. Forward bend 2. Stride stretch 3. High kick 4. Side leg raise 5. Elbow touching 6. Waist twisting 7. Alternate splits on chair 8. Sitting bends 9. Leg stretchstraight, side 10. Arched bridge position
Bruce Lee used to perform thousands of punches and kicks everyday. Although he did a lot of bodybuilding later in his life, the core of his conditioning was from kung-fu / kickboxing workouts. Follow his footsteps to develop superior strength, speed and power.
Step and slide shuffles, forwards and backwards the step and slide
shuffle involves taking a very small step with your lead foot, immediately followed by sliding your rear foot the same distance forward. This step is used as an adjustment during fighting. Also known as mouse steps in some styles. Backwards step and slide shuffles are as above but by leading with the rear leg, going backwards
Slide shuffles, forwards and backwards slide your rear foot until it meets
your lead foot, as this happens, step forward with your lead foot so that you end up back in the same stance as started. For a Slide step backwards, slide your lead foot so that it meets your rear, and then step with your rear foot. Once you have gone through these steps for a few minutes, you should then do some stretches to limber up, including forward stretches, side stretches, groin stretches and hurdles and splits. Then, he would use a side pulley and a front pulley to give an extra stretch if you are training with a partner then pulleys are not required, as you can push/pull each other to aid with the stretching. Once stretched, you should be ready for the next stage of the leg workout, the kicks.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Forward straight heel kick 3 sets of 12 Forward shovel kick 3 sets of 12 Side kick 3 sets of 12 Low side kick 3 sets of 12 Low toe kick 3 sets of 12 Groin toe kick 3 sets of 12 Hook kick (medium & high) 3 sets of 12 Spinning back hook kicks 3 sets of 12
These are the basic kicking routines. Once you are proficient with the kicks, start to add the footwork, i.e. the slide shuffle into a quick front kick or to position for a side kick. Practice on pads with a partner, or on a heavy bag. When the heavy bag is moving, try to time the kicks to make maximum impact, to improve timing. Aim to improve your technique each time your train, while at the same time increasing power and accuracy. Without accuracy, power is wasted, so use strike pads as well as heavy bags. Training with a partner, or in a club, really helps to improve your kicking techniques, as does sparring and ring work. Happy kicking.
3 minutes of shadow boxing to loosen up the arms 3 minutes of shadow kicking to loosen up the legs 5 minutes of skipping to get some more cardio in 3 minutes of punching on the heavy bag performing single punches and some combos 3 minutes of kicking on the heavy bag, single power kicks plus combos 3 minute punching on the light bag, fast continuous punching 2 minutes shadow kicking to cool down
Each exercise would be followed by 1 minute of complete rest. This is a great cardio workout as well as a fantastic conditioning workout. Every martial artist can benefit from this.
Skipping to warm up and loosen up Shadow boxing warm up; fast punching; maximum intensity Shadow boxing loosen up; maximum intensity; warm down Jab training top and bottom bag; heavy bag; focus mitt Hook punch training Heavy bag; focus mitt Cross training Spinning back fists Finger jabs (biu jee)
Elbow smash inward; outward (elbow smashes are designed for break joints and bones)
Jab Finger jab Hook Cross Upper cut Palm strike Elbow
Bruce Lees training logs also reveal that he did a lot of endurance training to develop his punching power. He was well aware from personal fighting experiences that you could soon lose steam in a fight if you did not have the required muscular endurance to punch hundreds of times. So he simply trained punching for hours on end to develop his skills. Here is a typical session from January 1968:
10 minutes general warm up 500 punches on left arm 500 punches on right arm 15 minute run 20 minutes of punching with weights and punching through paper (to develop the snap)
According to his training diaries he usually finished a session off with 500 more punches. He referred to these as supplemental punches, which suggests that they are not planned in his routines, although he performed 500 at the end of most routines. By February 1968 he had developed his punching routines further still, adding even more reps. In one training session he performed 2000 right arm punches followed by 100 left. The following day he did 1000 right arms followed by 200 left. On the 2nd March 1968 he performed 2000 right arm punches followed by 500 on his left arm. A sign that he was moving away from symmetrical training and starting to focus on building maximum strength in his right arm, his leading arm. Although he liked the Western boxing approach he still fought in the kung-fu stance with his strong hand leading.
This is not all the combinations that Bruce performed, but these form the most important combos for boxing training. Remember, high means a head shot and low means a body shot. So when training do not swing your arms about your head height or below your waist line. Aim for your imaginary opponents ribs and solar plexus on the low shots. 1. Single jab or double jab 2. Low right jab followed by high right jab or right hook 3. Inside right jab followed by outside right hook 4. Right jab, right back fist 5. Right jab, left cross or left hook 6. High right jab, low left cross 7. Low right jab, high left hook, high left cross 8. Outside high right jab, left body cross/hook to low right hook 9. High right jab, low left cross, high left hook 10.Low left cross, right jab, high left hook 11.Low right jab, high right hook/jab, low left cross/hook 12.Low right jab, high left cross, high right hook, low left hook 13.High right jab, high left cross/hook, high right hook, high left cross, low right hook 14.High inside right jab, high centre right jab, high right hook, low left cross/hook 15.Low right jab, high right hook, low left cross, high right hook 16.High right jab, high right hook, high left cross, low right hook 17.High right jab, medium right jab, high right hook, low inside left cross 18.Low right jab, high right hook, low right jab In addition to performing these routines over and over on the heavy bag Bruce also would add in feints, so for some initial attacks he would perform a feint and not jab, then perform the subsequent strikes. This trains you to still strike with force when you are not rebounding from the original strike. It is important to learn that sometimes you miss and when this happens your momentum is easily thrown offbalance. It is also a way to improve your feints. This is really just the tip of the iceberg of Bruce Lees punching training. In addition to the routines mentioned above he incorporated many strike routines into the stepping training. Also in addition to the standard weight training he performed isometric exercises to strengthen his punches, such as isometric upper cuts and hooks. This type of training is rarely seen in martial arts gyms today.
What is most revealing when looking through Bruce Lees training journals is the sheer volume of training he performed. He was truly dedicated to training. Remember that these punching exercises were done in addition to kung-fu training, kicking workouts, strength training, stretching routines and teaching his students and later making films. To build the power, speed and endurance that Bruce Lee was famous for you need to train hard for 6 days a week, for many hours every day. Proper nutrition and rest are essential, only a full-time fighter can really train to these levels, but you should be able to take something from his punching drills to improve your own skills. Just doing 2 heavy bag workouts each week with 9 of the routines trained for 5 minutes each will give you two intensive 45 minute punching sessions. Put on your favorite music and give that bag hell. Reference: The Art of Expressing the Human Body Further Resources: Bruce Lees Workouts Bruce Lee Diet Jeet Kune Do The Way if the Intercepting Fist.