How The Philosophy of Bruce Lee Will Impact Your Workouts
"Empty your mind. Be formless. Shapeless. Like water. Be water my friend."
-Bruce Lee
Martial arts legend Bruce Lee is remembered for his devastating kicks, lightning fast punches and chiseled physique, all with good cause, but lesser known are his remarkably insightful philosophical writings. All who have ever considered the interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit can learn from this man who was not only a brilliant and highly disciplined athlete but a profound thinker who committed his life to, in his words "finding the true meaning of life-peace of mind". Lee observed many people struggling to achieve this and commented "the ultimate goal of all human beings is self-improvement and from this self-knowledge". There are various notions that animate people to workout but how many have examined in totality, the considerations for their efforts?
Very often people adopt a mind set that physical exercise is a dull, mindless expenditure of time, necessary to prevent the accumulation of body fat and reduce the incidence of various metabolic diseases. This attitude generally leads people to find an exercise modality that requires the least amount of thought or concentration and very often has a television in front of it. Compare that scenario with Lee's comments "The most important thing to me is, how in the process of learning to use my body, can I come to understand myself". Lee would regularly speak about the consideration of all things in life in "totality", stating that the human body and in fact the world works in an integrated, not isolated fashion. He went on to identify specifically the body, mind and spirit as the principal components of ones totality. In terms of physical conditioning, Lee was convinced that one must utilize an exercise system that addresses these three areas to maximize potential benefit. But how many of those who do exercise on a regular basis, do so with a true connection of their spiritual and psychological selves in addition to the physical body? Much has been written about athletes being "in the zone" or experiencing a "runners high" but do most people even feel the slightest connection of the type Lee talks about? Lee referred to the many outdated martial arts and exercise programs he observed as "organized despair", which might just be the proper description of the ineffective exercise that a large percentage of the general public participate in. Is it reasonable to imagine Bruce Lee walking into a modern day gym and exercising by performing one exercise after another on seated, fixed motion machines? Lee had complete mastery of his body, which can only be achieved through functional (non machine) exercise. Another problem is people don't exercise with passion or a sense of confidence, which may be do to an absence of connectedness. Their muscles, head and heart are not on the same page and so there can never be true, meaningful, progress and ultimate self-knowledge. Lee informed all that " knowledge is not enough, we must apply. Willingness is not enough, we must do".
Lee committed his adult life to the development of his own exercise system called Jeet Kune Do (pronounced doe), which translates to "the way of the intercepting fist". This is a martial arts system that combines the very best elements of a number of established systems, combined with Lee's innovate techniques. Although Jeet Kune was Lee's personal expression of athletic prowess, it is important to note that he was equally committed to a fitness and conditioning program that utilized many of the same principles. For example, Lee was constantly trying different types of strength training methods such as static contraction which requires no equipment and can be performed anywhere including in your own bed, where Lee advised people to do so upon waking up each day. This exercise method consists of hard contractions of various muscle groups for periods of typically three seconds for ten repetitions. This simple form of exercise is easy to learn, requires little time yet provides many benefits including increases blood flow, neuromuscular stimulation and prepares the muscular skeletal system for efficient and balanced movement. Lee also believed in training in a way that we would now term functional free weight training using dumbbells and in bodyweight exercises like pull ups and push ups performed on his fingertips. Also crucial to his training was an emphasis on the core muscles as he commented, "my strength comes from the abdomen. It's the center of gravity and the source of real power". Lee was also keen on running to build cardiovascular endurance and stay lean. These exercise are a few examples of what would comprise the Yang or hard/aggressive part of his workout while stretching, yoga and meditation would account for the Yin or soft/passive. This balance of necessary "hard" and "soft" exercise systems address the individual in totality and in consideration to the mind and spirit as well as the body. Bruce Lee's chiseled and powerful physique reflected his finely honed Yang characteristics, while his relaxed face and fluid gait spoke of his Yin. He sought and achieved balance and harmony in his too short life by virtue of his unending commitment to understanding and improving himself emotionally, spiritually and physically. It is notable is that Lee had not only learned and chronically practiced all of the above mentioned disciplines but mastered most (and many others) in his quest for enlightenment, all by the age of thirty two. This remarkable achievement of skill and intelligence acquisition is a testament to a man with a great desire to find answers to life's mysteries and the disciple to do the hard work to find the truth. Considered by many the world's greatest martial artist, he routinely told his students " I can not teach you, I can only help you explore yourself". Let the exploration begin!
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Yours in Health,
Pete