Bruce Lee, the man known for being an expert in martial arts, has fans who remember him both in the West and the East.
Born in America to a Chinese family, Bruce Lee was not only a legend in martial arts but also played many other roles before his name gained prominence.
In his early years, he was a child actor starring in many Chinese films when he moved back to Hong Kong with his family in the early 40s.
During his high school days, Lee was a dancer, later he ended up completing his major in philosophy at the University of Washington. Soon, he was to open his own martial arts school in Seattle, Washington.
At that time, he used to have both types of students: ones who were the same ethnicity as him and ones who belonged to a Western household. He taught his students a distinct type of self-made martial arts style: Jeet Kune Do or “The Way of the Intercepting Fist.”
He rose to fame as an action hero when he stepped up his game in the Hollywood TV industry by debuting in the TV series “The Green Hornet” from 1966-67.
After that, his success catapulted beyond Asia when he landed two major films, “The Big Boss” in 1971 and “The Fist Fury” one year later.
He showcased his acrobatic and impressive theatrical fighting skills in these and more of his movies and shows, which became a valid reason for his fame across the World.
Bruce Lee understood that with a great body comes great responsibility to maintain it and take care of it by undergoing strict workout regimes and following a suitable diet plan along with it.
He was very devoted to intense physical training and experimenting with various workout routines as if it came to him naturally.
Bruce Lee suffered from brain edema in 1973, which led him to lose his life. Years after still today, he is remembered among other celebrities due to the uniqueness he left permanently in people’s minds.
Bruce Lee’s physical training is an example of involving discipline, dedication, and passion in your workout regimes to come out as the best version of yourself.
Being a philosophical thinker, he always stuck to thinking that life is all about balance – between your mind and your outside. A person should know how to keep a balance in his or her life.
In this article, we’ll be going through Bruce Lee’s workout routine and diet plan, which helped him be a man of strength and agility.
Bruce Lee Biographical Details
| Born | November 27, 1940, California, San Francisco, US |
| Died | July 20, 1973, Hong Kong, China |
| Weight | 64 Kg |
| Height | 1.71 m (5’6”) |
| Known for | Kung-Fu Master, Martial Artist, Actor and filmmaker |
Bruce Lee Intense Workout Routine
According to Lee’s philosophy, “using no way as a way,” he set up a training mindset that kept him motivated to follow his workout routine religiously.
He was a firm believer in experimenting with various workout methods. Most of his physical training came from performing martial arts that included kung fu (in which he specialized), fencing, boxing, etc.
His approach towards physical well-being was beyond the idea of gaining enormous bulk or looking handsome with those abs. Instead, it’s about his passion for martial arts and its various forms that demand him to maintain a good body so he can do what his soul finds peaceful.
He taught people discipline and explained various aspects of life in his inspirational, philosophical talks.
Bruce Lee’s workout routine is incomplete without these principles:
Cardio Warm-ups
Each morning, before starting his day working out, he would warm up his body, going out for early morning walks and running for at least 30 minutes.
On days when he’s not running four miles for three days, he would replace it with cycling or rope skipping for 45 minutes.
Isometric Exercises
Isometric exercises include gaining strength in stiff or static muscle areas. Bruce Lee would perform a list of isometric exercises for sufficient strength and agility, such as a difficult one called the “Dragon Fly” exercise in which he would take the support of his shoulders and upper back to lift his body horizontally.
Bruce Lee’s workout comprises of:
Warmup:
Perform this before every workout.
- 15 minutes cardio
- 10 reps bear crawls
- 40 reps Down Dog into Plank
Monday
- Back Squats (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Push-ups (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Single-arm dumbbell push press (3 sets, 12 reps)
- Barbell Bench Press (4 sets, 12 reps)
- Barbell Clean-ups (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Weighted Chin up (4 sets, 10 reps)
- Face pull-ups (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Planks (3 sets, 1 min)
Tuesday:
Core routine:
- Sit-ups (3 sets, 25 reps)
- Planks (3 sets, 1 min)
- 1600m jog
Endurance routine:
- Deadlifts (5 sets, 5 reps)
- Pull-ups (5 sets, 10 reps)
- Kettlebell swings (5 sets, 20 reps)
- Burpees (5 sets, 15 reps)
- Run 100m (5 sets)
Wednesday
- Squats (4 sets, 12 reps)
- Lunges (4 sets, 10 reps)
- Light front squats (3 sets, 15 reps)
- Straight leg deadlift (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Hamstring curls (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Situps (3 sets, 25 reps)
- Planks (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Box jumps (3 sets, 10 reps)
- 700m jog
Thursday
- Deadlifting (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Pullups (3 set, 10 reps)
- Single kettlebell swings (For each side, 3 sets, 10 reps)
- Cable pull-off press (3 sets 12 reps)
- Inverted rows (3 sets, 12 reps)
Friday
- Run 1km
- Leg raises (5 sets, 50 reps)
- Burpees (5 sets, 30 reps)
- Single-arm dumbbell snatches
- Pushups (5 sets, 50 reps)
- Double Unders (5 sets, 20 reps)
Bruce Lees’ Diet Plan
Bruce Less was very specific about the things he would put inside his body. He wouldn’t do cheat meals and remain committed to his diet for as long as it was needed, along with the workouts.
He practiced eating a nutritious, balanced diet with a mix of proteins, carbs, healthy veggies, and essential fats. His diet plan was designed to make his day meals break into smaller portions instead of a couple of huge portions in one day. He believed in eating with an increased eating frequency.
His protein intake was quite high, especially when he used to perform martial arts training or was to become a part of a big movie role.
His great weightlifting abilities, muscle control, and strength came with the food he consumed. He took protein in the form of lean meat, pulses, shakes, etc.
He also kept a thorough check on his overall calorie consumption; he would abstain from eating fatty foods, carbohydrates, and all kinds of processed and canned foods that can lead to harmful health side effects.
Here’s the diet timetable that Bruce Lee made for his intense training workout:
Breakfast
- Eggs
- Veggie bowl
- An apple or any other fruit is available.
Afternoon snack
- Protein bar and shake
Lunch
- Grilled beef steak
- Oyster sauce
- Avocados
- Tofu
Dinner
- Brown rice
- Grilled chicken
- Brocolli
To raise his metabolism, Lee didn’t underestimate the importance of staying hydrated during intense workout periods when you’re drenching in sweat. He kept himself well hydrated by drinking liters of water and drinking more water for optimal physical performance and recovery.
Conclusion
- Bruce Lee, the man known for being an expert in martial arts, has fans who remember him both in the West and the East.
- He rose to fame as an action hero when he stepped up his game in the Hollywood TV industry by debuting in the TV series “The Green Hornet” from 1966-67. After that, his success catapulted beyond Asia when he landed two major films, “The Big Boss” in 1971 and “The Fist Fury” one year later.
- His approach towards physical well-being was beyond the idea of gaining enormous bulk or looking handsome with those abs. Instead, it’s about his passion for martial arts and its various forms that demand him to maintain a good body so he can do what his soul finds peaceful.
- He practiced eating a nutritious, balanced diet with a mix of proteins, carbs, healthy veggies, and essential fats. His diet plan was designed to make his day meals break into smaller portions instead of a couple of huge portions in one day. He believed in eating with an increased eating frequency. He also kept his calorie consumption in check and drank a lot of water.
- He died on 20 July 1973 at the age of 32 as a result of cerebral edema.