If you love life, don't waste time, for time is what life is made up of.
Bruce Lee was one of the most influential people of modern times. He was an actor, director, and philosopher, but above all, he was a mixed martial artist.
To Call Bruce the first mixed martial artist would be wrong, but he in a way certainly pioneered modern mixed martial arts.
He also had a big hand in changing people's perception of mixed martial artists and Asians -- in the United States and the world at large.
About his Physique
Bruce Lee was not a big guy but he had an exceptional physique, even a great bodybuilder like Arnold Schwarzenegger recognized it and raved about it. Here are some details about Bruce Lee's physique.
About Bruce Lee's Real Height
Bruce Lee had been speculated to be anywhere from 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall during and beyond his life. But in some of the books, Bruce's height is written as 5 feet 7½ inches.
Bruce also claimed to be just as tall in a radio interview. He was about an inch shorter than his fellow actor Chuck Norris (5'8½" in his prime), so it all adds up.
The real height of Bruce Lee was
5 ft 7½ in (171.5 cm)
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| Bruce Lee with modern action actors: The Rock (6'2½" now, 6'3" in his prime) and Brad Pitt (5'11") |
His Weight
Bruce Lee's normal weight was 135 lb (61 kg) but at one time he reached as low as 130 lb (59 kg), and at other times as high as 147 lb (67 kg) -- nearly all of which were hard-earned muscles.
Though Bruce felt that all that extra weight was slowing him down so he later went down to 130 lb again.
His Biceps Size
At his heaviest, Bruce's biceps size could have been 14 inches, but at 130 lb (59 kg) it was probably around 13 inches.
His Body Fat Percentage
Bruce Lee was renowned for his low body fat. While there is no official figure about it. However, most professionals agree that Bruce maintained around 6-8% of body fat.
Lower than that would have a negative effect on his performance and speed, and Bruce took those two very seriously to do anything otherwise. In any case, he had as lower body fat as was humanly possible without compromising his health.
His Speed
Speed is crucial in any kind of martial arts or fight and Bruce Lee was the king of speed above all.
It is said that his kicks were so fast that the camera had trouble recording him properly, and by what videos of him are available it is clear to see why.
He was amazingly fast. Even most modern martial artists agree that there has not been a faster guy than Bruce in the martial arts world.
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| Bruce Lee with modern mixed martial artists: Conor McGregor (5'8½"), and Stipe Miocic (6'3½") |
You don't become a legend without having a legendary personality. Here are some of Bruce Lee's legendary quotes.
On goals.
A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.
The right mindset.
Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.
Self-improvement.
Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, and add what is uniquely your own.
On attitude.
Are you going to let the obstacles in your life be stumbling blocks or stepping stones? Choose the positive. You are the master of your attitude.
The expectations of others.
I'm not in this world to live up to your expectations and you're not in this world to live up to mine.
Be yourself.
Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, and do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.
On knowledge.
Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.
On mistakes.
Mistakes are always forgivable if one has the courage to admit them.
Go beyond the limits.
If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.
On overthinking.
If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you'll never get it done.
How to be immortal?
The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering.
Be flexible.
Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.
On showing off.
Showing off is the fool's idea of glory.
On love.
Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.
Possession of something.
The possession of anything begins in the mind.
You become as you think.
As you think, so shall you become.
Cut the unessential parts.
It's not the daily increase but the daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential.
On expansion and growth.
Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one's potential.
On anger.
A quick temper will make a fool of you soon enough.
On effort.
The less effort, the faster and more powerful you will be.
On opportunities.
To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities.
Do what it takes.
Take things as they are. Punch when you have to punch. Kick when you have to kick.
Real living.
Real living is living for others.
On a productive human.
Man, the living creature, the creating individual, is always more important than any established style or system.
On practice.
I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.
Consistency beats intensity.
Long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity.
On impossibility.
When you say something is impossible, you have made it impossible.
Be like water.
Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.
Success is a journey.
Remember, success is a journey, not a destination. Have faith in your ability. You will do just fine.
Control your emotions.
Emotion can be the enemy, if you give in to your emotion, you lose yourself. You must be at one with your emotion because the body always follows the mind.