BRUCE LEE’S
EXERCISES
Excerpt from the book
Celebrity Training Secrets
KEEP ON WINNING, SMILING AND LIVING THE DREAM
1
Copyright © 2014 by Steve Agyei
To view one of Bruce Lee’s stretching routines, watch his film Way of
the Dragon. In the final act, before fighting Chuck Norris at the Roman
Coliseum, he performs one of his pre-fighting warm-up and stretches,
to reveal a suppleness of limb that would make an Olympic gymnast
envious. Unlike many other action movies, what Bruce displayed on film
was true to his methods.
BRUCE LEE’S FIVE MAIN REASONS TO STRETCH
1. Stretching for improved health and fitness
Strong and supple joints are essential to being healthy and fit.
2. Stretching reduces the risk of 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.
3. Stretching is a good way to warm up/cool down for other types
of training sessions
A stretching programme improves neuromuscular coordination and
prepares the muscles for the task ahead. And when stretches are
performed immediately after a workout, they can reduce muscle
soreness and quicken recovery.
4. Stretching improves athletic performance
A more flexible artist makes a better martial artist, and a more flexible
athlete makes a better athlete. Any athlete who’s more flexible than
another automatically has a physiological and psychological edge.
5. When done correctly, stretching is fun
A good stretch routine should be a pleasure to perform, and is a
great way to start the day and prepare the body for the tasks faced
in the day ahead.
Lee believed anyone interested in improving their flexibility should
stretch for at least 10 to 15 minutes a day, and aim to stretch four times
a week. For a stretching programme to be truly effective as a warmup, he believed 10 to 15 minutes was best, and should include flexibility
exercises for every part of the body. The same flexibility workout also
acts as an excellent cool down following a strenuous martial art or
weight-training workout, and you can be amazed at how quickly the
muscles recuperate after post-workout stretching.
BRUCE LEE’S FAVOURITE FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES
Lee’s knowledge of exercise science was constantly expanding.
Nowhere was this more evident than in his pursuit of flexibility. Here are
some of the flexibility exercises that Lee found particularly effective. I
have added breathing counts to help regulate your breathing to get the
most out of the routine.
2
Copyright
© 2014 by Steve
Agyei
KEEP ON WINNING,
SMILING
AND LIVING THE DREAM
Seated Hamstring Stretch
Starting Position: Sitting upright with both legs extended fully, straight
in front of you. Take a deep breath in and lift arms above head. On an
exhale, lengthen the spine and relax forward over your legs, grabbing
onto your calves, ankles or feet, depending on your flexibility. Inhale
for a count of four. Exhale to a count of four, trying to stretch further.
Continue this for five rounds of breathing, always trying to stretch further
on the exhale.
When completed, put chin to chest and roll up through spine and shake
out legs.
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Copyright © 2014 by Steve Agyei
Standing Hamstring Stretch
Find a table, windowsill or stable chair at a height you can put your foot
on and straighten your leg.
Starting position: Feet together, toes facing the stable surface. On an
inhale of four counts, lift the right knee, and then on an exhale of four
counts, place the right heel on top of your stable surface, with the toes
facing up towards the ceiling. The left foot should still be facing towards
the stable surface. Take a deep breath in and lift arms above head. On an
exhale, lengthen the spine and relax forward over your legs, grabbing onto
your calves, ankles or feet, depending on your flexibility. Inhale for a count
of four. Exhale to a count of four, trying to stretch further. Continue this for
five rounds of breathing, always trying to stretch further on the exhale.
When completed, put chin to chest and roll up through spine, place right
foot back on the floor and give your legs a shake.
Then repeat on the other side.
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Copyright
© 2014 by Steve
Agyei
KEEP ON WINNING,
SMILING
AND LIVING THE DREAM
Hurdler’s Stretch
Starting Position: Sitting upright with right leg extended fully, straight in
front of you and left knee bent out to the side at a 90-degree angle
to the right leg. Take a deep breath in and lift arms above head. On an
exhale, lengthen the spine and relax forward over your legs, grabbing
onto your calves, ankles or feet, depending on your flexibility. Inhale
for a count of four. Exhale to a count of four, trying to stretch further.
Continue this for five rounds of breathing, always trying to stretch further
on the exhale. When completed, put chin to chest and roll up through
your spine and shake out legs.
Then repeat with left leg extended fully, straight in front of you, and right
knee bent out to side at a 90-degree angle to the left leg.
When completed, put chin to chest and roll up through spine and shake
out legs.
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Copyright © 2014 by Steve Agyei
3.
Seated Groin Stretch
Starting Position: Soles of feet together, hands on inner thighs near
knees, torso upright. Push knees towards floor to open up the hips and
stretch the groin and inner thighs. Then place your hands on your ankles,
and inhale for a count of four. As you exhale, lean forward with a straight
back, easing your head towards the floor for a round of five breaths.
Then repeat with a rounded back, trying to put your head on your feet.
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Standing Hip Stretch
Starting Position: Stand on one leg, inhale for a count of four, and lift
the other knee up. Exhale for four and grasp leg with hands as far as
possible to stretch the hip and buttocks. Hold for a round of five breaths.
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Copyright
© 2014 by Steve
Agyei
KEEP ON WINNING,
SMILING
AND LIVING THE DREAM
Lunging Stretch
Starting Position: Stand with feet together, bend at waist and place
the hands on the floor. On an inhale of four, step forward with one leg,
bending it fully. Exhale for four, and keep the other leg straight to stretch
the hips, buttocks and front thighs. Hold for a round of five breaths. Then
place hands on hips and lift the torso upright for five breaths. Finally,
inhale for four and lift the hands, clasped together, above your head
on an exhale. Pull the belly button into the spine and push your hips
forward towards the bent leg. Arch the back and lengthen the spine and
arms further. Hold for a round of five breaths continuing to lengthen the
spine and arms. Then return to starting position and repeat on other leg.
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Thigh Stretch
Starting Position: Standing upright on an inhale of four, bend the right
leg, keeping the knees together, and grab the ankle behind you, keeping
the torso upright. On an exhale, push the right hip forward and pull the
right heel into the bum to stretch the large quadriceps muscles on the
front of the thighs. Hold for a round of five breaths, and then repeat on
the left side.
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Copyright © 2014 by Steve Agyei
2.
Calf Stretch
Starting position: Facing a wall or partner, place your hands on the wall
or partner at shoulder height. With the right leg in front, bend it, and keep
the left leg straight, with both heels flat on the floor and the torso upright,
to stretch the back of the lower legs. Hold for a round of five breaths
then repeat on the other side.
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Copyright
© 2014 by Steve
Agyei
KEEP ON WINNING,
SMILING
AND LIVING THE DREAM
Side Stretch
Starting position: Stand erect, with your head upright, knees straight,
feet together and arms at your sides. On an inhale of four, raise and fully
extend your right arm then on an exhale of four, bend as far over as
possible to the left side, to stretch the side muscles alongside the core.
Hold for a round of five breaths, then repeat on the other side.
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For over 20 years to stay at the very top of the martial arts world, Bruce
Lee had masterful stretching and flexibility skills, besides wicked physical
strength, freakish cardio ability, and speed only replicated by machines
– flexibility and agility were his top priorities.
Along with Muhammad Ali and Daley Thompson, Bruce Lee was one of
my main childhood heroes. A massive influence and inspiration on my life
and training. He was a true innovator in advancing the development of
the human body and mind.
He would often say he would become a common household name
“like Coca-Cola”.
Consider some of his unequalled feats. Lee’s striking speed from three
feet with his hands down by his side reached five hundredths of a
second. Lee’s combat movements were at times too fast to be captured
on film at 24 fps (frames per second), so many scenes were shot in 32 fps
to put Lee in slow motion. Normally at that time, martial arts films were sped
up. In a speed demonstration, Lee could snatch a dime off a person’s
open palm before they could close it, and leave a penny behind.
Want some more? Lee could perform push-ups using only his thumbs.
Lee performed one-hand push-ups using only the thumb and index
finger. Lee could throw grains of rice up into the air and then catch them
in mid-flight using chopsticks. From a standing position, Lee could hold
a 125-lb (57 kg) barbell straight out. Lee could break wooden boards
6 inches (15 cm) thick. Lee could use one finger to leave dramatic
indentations on pinewood.
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Copyright © 2014 by Steve Agyei
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CELEBRITY
TRAINING
SECRETS
STEVE AGYEI
10
Copyright
© 2014 by Steve
Agyei
KEEP ON WINNING,
SMILING
AND LIVING THE DREAM