Bruce Lee's Weight training routine

[Kante]

I was in the IMDB boards a few minutes ago, specificaly the Bruce Lee board, well there was a thread there that discussed his body and training and this guy posted saying that there was a magazine that had his weight lifting routine in it, he said that his training allowed him to gain muscle strength but without losing his flexibility and speed which is what he wanted and he had like %9 body fat:

Shoulders

Clean and presses: 2 sets, 8 reps

Lats

Barbell pullovers: 2 sets, 8 reps

Biceps

Barbell curls: 2 sets, 8 reps

Chest

Bench-presses: 2 sets, 6 reps

Lower Back/Glutes/Hams

Good mornings: 2 sets, 8 reps

Quads

Squats: 2 sets, 12 reps

Abs

Waist Twists: 4 sets, 90 repetitions

Sit up Twist: 4 sets, 20 repetitions

Leg Raises: 4 sets, 20 repetitions

Leaning Twist: 4 sets, 50 repetitions

Does anyone know anything about this?

[bushido_man96]

I have a book on Bruce Lee's training ideas. I think that his body type made it so he could look the way he did, along with his diet.

As long as you continue to stretch with your training, you will not lose flexibility.

[learning kempo-karate]

Hello, Bruce Lee not only lift weights, but later in life he was training about 8 hours a day.

He once said he did not want to live long because the training was long and never ending.

If Bruce Lee was still alive and an older man...it would be interesting on his thoughts on training and the martial arts for an older person.

Like many masters before him and now....there thoughts and theories do change with time....

Weight lifting does improve everyones strenght. Just make sure you have the proper guidences' and the right foods too!

[baronbvp]

I struggle with this also. I like to lift weights, and I am not very flexible, so I stretch a lot.

The big thing I notice about the routine you listed is the quickness. That routine won't take very long to do or fatigue any muscles. Two sets of 8 reps is a toning routine. He would have had more trouble staying flexible if he was doing four sets with lower reps and heavier weight. I think Bruce Lee's fighting training kept him flexible for fighting.

[TigerDude]

Two sets of 8 reps is a toning routine.

Not really. This is right in the range of a normal set. Gains after 2 sets drop off.

[baronbvp]

For the average person perhaps, or for a busy circuit. But if you're building mass, a 4-set pyramid is pretty standard these days. Something like 8-6-4-8 or 12-10-8-12, with increasing weight as reps reduce and light weight for the last set.

[bushido_man96]

I think Bruce Lee's fighting training kept him flexible for fighting.

Bruce Lee was flexible because of this...and because he stretched in his training. Back in the day, martial artists would not train with heavy weights because they believed they would lose flexibilty by gaining muscle. Then, along came Joe Lewis, and tossed that theory right out the window. He was a weightlifter, and big, and fast, and flexible. It is all in how you train your flexibility.

[baronbvp]

Bruce Lee was flexible because of this...and because he stretched in his training. Back in the day, martial artists would not train with heavy weights because they believed they would lose flexibilty by gaining muscle. Then, along came Joe Lewis, and tossed that theory right out the window. He was a weightlifter, and big, and fast, and flexible. It is all in how you train your flexibility.

Great point. I have noticed that if I lift heavy, my muscles tighten up. Since I am naturally not very flexible in my hips and groin, I have to balance lifting with stretching. Right now I have stopped heavy leg work to try and get more flexible, faster.

[bushido_man96]

Let me know how that works out for you, Baron. I don't think not lifting is going to help you gain the flexibility any faster, but I could be wrong. Everyone is different. However, since I have started doing my conditioning drills and lifting more with my legs, I have not noticed any decrease in flexibility, or an increase in tightness in the muscles.

[baronbvp]

Copy all, Bushido Man. I miss the composite motion leg machine we had on the ship. The leg press on my home gym is a little hard on the knees, but I still use it. I just don't lift heavy like I used to. If I lift, I get sciatic pain in my left hip and thigh which can slow down my stretching. It's a big balancing act.

Glad to know that it isn't hindering you, though. Makes me think I should just stop WHINING!