The Bruce Lee Diet
Bruce Lee is known for being one of, if not the greatest martial artists of all time. Apart from being an exceptional actor and a true fighter, he was a serious bodybuilder as well. What was the Bruce Lee diet? How did Bruce Lee workout and what exercises worked best for him?
Lee considered a good diet one that could provide nutrients that maximized his physical training. His diet and exercise regime meant he had close to zero percent body fat. There are many references to “The Bruce Lee Diet” but we bring you the specific dietary rules Lee followed to achieve his fitness goals.
Lee avoided refined flour. Baked food provided nothing but “empty calories”, which went against his philosophy of eating only what provided some benefit to the body. He also avoided dairy foods, which he didn’t like, except as a part of protein drinks. The artist preferred Chinese over Western food. This was because he thought that the latter emphasized too much on protein and fats and not enough on carbohydrates from vegetables, rice, pasta, etc.
Bruce Lee Workout And Diet
Another rule in the Bruce Lee diet was to eat smaller portions, while eating more portions a day to speed up metabolism. In between, he was known to enjoy protein drinks and fruit smoothies. He took dietary supplements as well, which helped him develop muscle mass along with his diet.
Bruce Lee’s exercise and workout schedule was based on his philosophy of training as hard a you fight. “Above all, never cheat on any exercise, use the amount of weight that you can handle without undue strain.”, the martial artist said once. The Bruce Lee Workout should be intensive enough to require recovery days.
Some of his routines included Clean and Press (2 sets of 8 reps), Barbell Squats (2 sets of 12 reps), Barbell Pullover (2 sets of 8 reps), Barbell Curls (2 sets of 8 reps) and some isometric training. Additionally, core exercises included speed punching a bag, and also included practicing kicks. With the proper nutrition, Bruce Lee trained his abs for speed and explosiveness. All these routines were always preceded and followed by long stretches which allowed Bruce to be flexible and light on his feet.