Bruce Lee - Vev

Bruce Lee

Un article de Vev.

Jump to: navigation, search

Modèle:Pp-semi-vandalism Modèle:Infobox Chinese actor and singer

Image:Zhongwen.svg This article contains Chinese text.
Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters.

Bruce Lee (Modèle:Zh-tspcy; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was an American-born martial artist, philosopher, instructor, martial arts actor and the founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts system, widely regarded as the most influential martial artist of the 20th century and a cultural icon.<ref name="time"> Stein , Joel 



       (1999)
     
   
 
.    TIME 100: Bruce Lee 
. Time Magazine

. Retrieved on 2007-07-29. </ref> He was the father of actor Brandon Lee and of actress Shannon Lee.

Lee was born in San Francisco, California and raised in Hong Kong. His Hong Kong and Hollywood-produced films elevated the traditional Hong Kong martial arts film to a new level of popularity and acclaim, and sparked the first major surge of interest in Chinese martial arts in the West. The direction and tone of his films changed and influenced martial arts and martial arts films in Hong Kong and the rest of the world as well. Lee became an iconic figure particularly to the Chinese, as he portrayed Chinese national pride and Chinese nationalism in his movies.<ref name=Bio-KOKF>"Bruce Lee King of Kung-Fu", Dennis, Felix & Atyeo, Don, Straight Arrow Books, U.S. (1974) First Printing, ISBN 0-87932-088-5</ref> Many see Lee as a model blueprint for acquiring a strong and efficient body and the highest possible level of physical fitness, as well as developing a mastery of martial arts and hand to hand combat skills.

Sommaire

[modifier]

Early life

Lee Jun Fan was born in the hour of the dragon, between 6-8 a.m., in the Year of the Dragon according to the Chinese zodiac calendar, November 27, 1940 at the Chinese Hospital in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the United States.<ref name="BLFoundationBio"> Bruce Lee Bio 

 (PDF)
. Kevin Taing Foundation 
 
   (2006)

. Retrieved on 2007-07-06. </ref> His father, Lee Hoi-Chuen (李海泉), was Chinese, and his Catholic mother, Grace (何愛瑜), was of Chinese and German ancestry.<ref name="mother11">Modèle:Cite book</ref><ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref><ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref><ref name="mother59">Modèle:Cite book</ref><ref name=mother>Yang, Jeff, et all. Eastern Standard Time: A Guide to Asian Influence on American Culture. Boston/New York: Meridian/Houghton Mifflin, 1997.</ref><ref>Washington State History</ref> Lee and his parents returned to Hong Kong when he was three months old. He was a citizen of the United States by birth and did not hold any other citizenships.

[modifier]

Education and family

At age 12, Lee entered La Salle College and later he attended St. Francis Xavier's College. In 1959, at the age of 18, Lee got into a fight and badly beat his opponent, getting into trouble with the police.<ref> Burrows , Alyssa 



     (2002)
   
.    Bruce Lee 
. HistoryLink

. Retrieved on 2007-17-16. </ref>His father became concerned about young Bruce's safety, and as a result, he and his wife decided to send Bruce to the United States to live with an old friend of his father's. Lee left with $100 in his pocket and the titles of 1958 Boxing Champion and the Crown Colony Cha Cha Champion of Hong Kong.<ref name="BLFoundationBio" /> After living in San Francisco, he moved to Seattle to work for Ruby Chow, another friend of his father's. In 1959, Lee completed his high school education in Seattle and received his diploma from Edison Technical School. He enrolled at the University of Washington as a drama major and took some philosophy classes.<ref> 100 Alumni of the Century 

. University of Washington

. Retrieved on 2007-08-06. </ref> It was at the University of Washington that he met his future wife Linda Emery, whom he would marry in 1964.

He had two children with Linda, Brandon Lee (1965-1993) and Shannon Lee (1969-). Brandon, who also became an actor like his father, died in an accident during the filming of The Crow in 1993. Shannon Lee also became an actress and appeared in some low-budget films since the mid 1990s, but has since quit acting.

[modifier]

Names

Lee's Cantonese given name was Jun Fan (振藩; Mandarin Pinyin: Zhènfán).<ref name=Bio-TBLS>"The Bruce Lee Story", Lee, Linda & Bleecker, Tom, OHRA PUBLICATIONS INC., U.S. (1989) First Printing, ISBN</ref> At his birth, he additionally was given the English name of "Bruce" by a Dr. Mary Glover. Though Mrs. Lee had not initially planned on an English name for the child, she deemed it appropriate and would concur with Dr. Glover's addition.<ref name=Bio-BLTUS>"Bruce Lee The Untold Story", Lee, Grace & Unique Pub. Editors, CFW Enterprise UNIQUE PUBLICATIONS, U.S. (1980) First Printing, ISBN</ref> However, his American name was never used within his family until he enrolled in La Salle College (a Hong Kong high school) at the age of 12,<ref name=Bio-TBLS/> and again at another high school (St. Francis Xavier's College in Kowloon), where Lee would come to represent the boxing team in inter-school events.

Lee initially had the birth name Li Yuen Kam<ref name=Bio-KOKF/>(李炫金); Mandarin Pinyin: Lǐ Xuànjīn) given to him by his mother, as at the time, Lee's father was away on a Chinese opera tour. This name would later be abandoned because of a conflict with the name of Bruce's grandfather, causing him to be renamed Jun Fan upon his father's return. Also of note is that Bruce Lee was given a feminine name, Sai Fung (細鳳, literally "small phoenix"), which was used throughout his early childhood in keeping with a Chinese custom, traditionally thought to hide a child from evil spirits.

Lee's screen names were respectively Lee Siu Lung (in Cantonese), and Li Xiao Long (in Mandarin) (李小龍; Cantonese pengyam: Ley5 Siu² Long4; Mandarin Pinyin: Lǐ Xiǎolóng) which literally translate to "Lee the Little Dragon" in English. These names were first used by director 袁步雲 of the 1950 Cantonese movie 細路祥, in which Lee would perform. It is possible that the name "Lee Little Dragon" was based on his childhood name of "small dragon", as, in Chinese tradition, the dragon and phoenix come in pairs to represent the male and female genders respectively. The more likely explanation is that he came to be called "Little Dragon" because, according to the Chinese zodiac, he was born in the Year of the Dragon.

[modifier]

Acting career

Image:EntertheDragonMirror.jpg
Bruce Lee in Enter The Dragon

Lee's father Hoi-Chuen was a famous Cantonese Opera star. Thus, through his father, Bruce was introduced into films at a very young age and appeared in several short black-and-white films as a child. Lee had his first role as a baby who was carried onto the stage. By the time he was 18, he had appeared in twenty films.<ref name="BLFoundationBio" />

While in the United States from 1958-1964, Lee abandoned thoughts of a film career in favor of pursuing martial arts. However, after Lee's high-profile martial arts demonstration at the 1964 Long Beach Karate Tournament, he was seen by some of the nation's most proficient martial artists--as well as the hairdresser of Batman producer William Dozier.<ref>BruceandBrandon.info</ref> Dozier soon invited Lee for an audition, where Lee so impressed the producers with his lightning-fast moves that he earned the role of Kato alongside Van Williams in the TV series The Green Hornet. The show lasted just one season, from 1966 to 1967. Lee would also play Kato in three episodes of the series Batman, produced by the same company as The Green Hornet. This was followed by guest appearances in a host of television series, including Ironside (1967) and Here Come the Brides (1969).

In 1969, Lee made his first major film appearance in Marlowe which was based on one of Raymond Chandler's novels. In the film, Lee's henchman character is hired to intimidate private detective Philip Marlowe (played by James Garner) by smashing up his office with leaping kicks and flashing punches, only to later accidentally jump off a tall building while trying to kick Marlowe off. In 1971, Lee appeared in four episodes of the television series Longstreet as the martial arts instructor of the title character Mike Longstreet (played by James Franciscus). Bruce would later pitch a television series of his own tentatively titled The Warrior. Allegedly, Lee's concept was retooled and renamed Kung Fu, but if so, Warner Bros. gave Lee no credit. The role of the Shaolin monk in the Wild West, known to have been coveted by Bruce, was awarded to non-martial artist David Carradine, purportedly because of the studio's belief that a Chinese leading man would not be embraced by the American public.

Not happy with his supporting roles in the U.S., Lee returned to Hong Kong and was offered a film contract by legendary director Raymond Chow and his production company Golden Harvest. Lee played his first leading role in The Big Boss (1971) which proved an enormous box office success across Asia and catapulted him to stardom. He soon followed up his success with two more huge box office successes: Fist of Fury (1972) and Way of the Dragon (1972). For Way of the Dragon, he took complete control of the film's production as the writer, director, star, and choreographer of the fight scenes. In 1964, at a demonstration in Long Beach, California, Lee had met karate champion Chuck Norris. In Way of the Dragon Lee introduced Norris to moviegoers as his opponent in the final death fight at the Colosseum in Rome, today considered one of Lee's most legendary fight scenes.

In 1973, Lee starred as the lead role in Enter the Dragon (1973), his first film to be produced jointly by Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. This film would skyrocket Lee to fame in the U.S. and Europe. However, only a few months after the film's completion and three weeks before its release, the supremely fit Lee mysteriously died. Enter the Dragon would go on to become one of the year's highest grossing films and cemented Lee as a martial arts legend. It was made for US$850,000 in 1973 (equivalent to $4 million adjusted for inflation as if 2007).<ref name=bls>U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Inflation Calculator</ref> To date, Enter the Dragon has grossed over $200 million worldwide.<ref>Bruce Lee.Time 100.</ref> The movie sparked a brief fad in the martial-arts epitomized in songs like "Kung Fu Fighting" and TV shows like Kung Fu.

Robert Clouse, the director of Enter the Dragon, attempted to finish Lee's incomplete film Game of Death which Lee was to also write and direct. Lee had shot over forty minutes of footage for Game of Death before shooting was stopped to allow him to work on Enter the Dragon. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a student of Bruce Lee, also appeared in the film, which culminates in Lee's character, Billy Lo (clad in the now-famous yellow track suit) taking on the 7'2" basketball player in a climactic fight scene. In a controversial move, Robert Clouse finished the film using a Bruce Lee look-alike and archive footage of Lee from his other films and released it in 1978 with a new storyline and cast. However, the cobbled-together film contained only 15 minutes of actual footage of Lee while the rest had a Lee lookalike, Tai Chung Kim, and Yuen Biao as stunt doubles. The unused footage Lee had filmed was recovered 22 years later and included in the Bruce Lee documentary Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey.

[modifier]

Challengers on the set

Bruce Lee's celebrity and martial arts prowess often put him on a collision course with a number of street thugs, stunt men and martial arts extras, all hoping to make a name for themselves. Lee typically defused such challenges without fighting, but felt forced to respond to several persistent individuals.

Bob Wall, USPK karate champion and co-star in Enter the Dragon, recalled a particularly serious encounter that transpired after a film extra kept taunting Lee. The extra yelled that Lee was "a movie star, not a martial artist," that he "wasn't much of a fighter." Lee answered his taunts by asking him to jump down from the wall he was sitting on. Bob Wall described Lee's opponent as "a gang-banger type of guy from Hong Kong," a "damned good martial artist," and observed that he was fast, strong, and bigger than Bruce. <ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>

Wall recalled the confrontation in detail:

"This kid was good. He was strong and fast, and he was really trying to punch Bruce's brains in. But Bruce just methodically took him apart."<ref name = leg>Modèle:Cite book</ref>
"Bruce kept moving so well, this kid couldn't touch him...Then all of a sudden, Bruce got him and rammed his ass into the wall and swept him, he proceeded to drop his knee into his opponent's chest, locked his arm out straight, and nailed him in the face repeatedly."<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>

After his victory, Lee gave his opponent lessons on how to improve his fighting skills. His opponent, now impressed, would later say to Lee, "You really are a master of the martial arts."<ref name = leg/>

[modifier]

Hong Kong legacy

There are a number of legacies surrounding Bruce Lee that still exist in Hong Kong culture today. One is that his early 70s interview on the TVB show Enjoy Yourself Tonight cleared the busy streets of Hong Kong as everyone was watching the interview at home.

Another topic is that his moment of birth is often used as a modern cultural proof of the existence of the Four Pillars of Destiny concept, having been born in the year of the dragon and hour of the dragon along with other astrological alignment.

[modifier]

Martial arts training and development

Bruce Lee's first introduction to martial arts was through his father, Lee Hoi Cheun. He learned the fundamentals of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan from his father.<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref> Lee's sifu, Wing Chun master Yip Man, was also a colleague and friend of Hong Kong's Wu style Tai Chi Chuan teacher Wu Ta-ch'i.

Lee trained in Wing Chun Gung Fu from age 13-18 under Hong Kong Wing Chun Sifu Yip Man. Lee was introduced to Yip Man in early 1954 by William Cheung, then a live-in student of Yip Man. Like most Chinese martial arts schools at that time, Sifu Yip Man's classes were often taught by the highest ranking students. One of the highest ranking students under Yip Man at the time was Wong Shun-Leung. Wong is thought to have had the largest influence on Bruce's training. Yip Man trained Lee privately after some students refused to train with Lee due to his ancestry.<ref>FunTrivia.com. Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information</ref>

Bruce was also trained in Western boxing and won the 1958 Boxing Championship match against 3-time champion Gary Elms by knockout in the 3rd round. Before arriving to the finals against Elms, Lee had knocked out 3 straight boxers in the first round.<ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000045/bio</ref> In addition, Bruce learned western fencing techniques from his brother Peter Lee, who was a champion fencer at the time.<ref>Divine Wind</ref> This multi-faceted exposure to different fighting arts would later play an influence in the creation of the eclectic martial art Jeet Kune Do.

[modifier]

Jun Fan Gung Fu

Main article: Jun Fan Gung Fu

Lee began teaching martial arts after his arrival in the United States in 1959. Originally trained in Wing Chun Gung Fu, Lee called what he taught Jun Fan Gung Fu. Jun Fan Gung Fu (literally Bruce's Gung Fu), is basically a slightly modified approach to Wing Chun Gung Fu<ref>http://hardcorejkd.com/wing_chun.php</ref>. Lee taught friends he met in Seattle, starting with Judo practitioner Jesse Glover as his first student and who later became his first assistant instructor. Before moving to California, Lee opened his first martial arts school, named the Lee Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute, in Seattle.

Lee also improvised his own kicking method, involving the directness of Wing Chun and the power of Northern Shaolin kung fu. Lee's kicks were delivered very quickly to the target, without "chambering" the leg.

[modifier]

Jeet Kune Do

Image:JKD.svg
The Jeet Kune Do Emblem. The Chinese characters around the Taijitu symbol indicate: "Using no way as way" & "Having no limitation as limitation" The arrows represent the endless interaction between yang and yin.<ref>p.23, Bruce Lee: Dynamic Becoming, by James Bishop</ref>
Main article: Jeet Kune Do

Jeet Kune Do originated in 1965. A match with Wong Jack Man influenced Lee's philosophy on fighting. Lee believed that the fight had lasted too long and that he had failed to live up to his potential using Wing Chun techniques. He took the view that traditional martial arts techniques were too rigid and formalistic to be practical in scenarios of chaotic street fighting. Lee decided to develop a system with an emphasis on "practicality, flexibility, speed, and efficiency". He started to use different methods of training such as weight training for strength, running for endurance, stretching for flexibility, and many others which he constantly adapted.

Lee emphasized what he called "the style of no style". This consisted of getting rid of a formalized approach which Lee claimed was indicative of traditional styles. Because Lee felt the system he now called Jun Fan Gung Fu was too restrictive, it was developed into a philosophy he would come to call (after the name was suggested by Dan Inosanto) Jeet Kune Do or the Way of the Intercepting Fist. It is a term he would later regret because Jeet Kune Do implied specific parameters that styles connotate whereas the idea of his martial art was to exist outside of parameters and limitations.<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>

Bruce Lee certified 4 instructors. Taky Kimura, James Yimm Lee (deceased and no relation to Bruce Lee), Dan Inosanto, and Ted Wong (Bruce Lee's last private student) are the only instructors certified by Bruce Lee. Dan Inosanto holds the 3rd rank (Instructor) Directly from Bruce Lee in Jeet Kune Do, Jun Fan Gung Fu, and Bruce Lee's Tao of Chinese Gung Fu. Taky Kimura holds a 5th rank in Jun Fan Gung Fu. James Yimm Lee held a 3rd rank in Jun Fan Gung Fu. Ted Wong holds 2nd rank in Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do. Dan Inosanto and Ted Wong are the only two that hold ranks in Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do. James Yimm Lee and Taky Kimura hold ranks in Jun Fan Gung Fu, Not Jeet Kune Do; Taky received his 5th rank in Jun Fan Gung Fu after the term Jeet Kune Do existed. Also Bruce gave Dan all three diplomas on the same day, suggesting perhaps that Bruce wanted Dan to be his protege.

James Yimm Lee, a close friend of Bruce Lee, died without certifying additional students. Taky Kimura, to date, has certified one person in Jun Fan Gung Fu: his son and heir Andy Kimura. Dan Inosanto continues to teach and certify select students. Prior to his death, Lee told his then only two living instructors Inosanto and Kimura (James Yimm Lee had died in 1972) to dismantle his schools. Both Taky Kimura and Dan Inosanto were allowed to teach small classes thereafter, under the guideline "keep the numbers low, but the quality high". Bruce also instructed several World Karate Champions including Chuck Norris, Joe Lewis, and Mike Stone. Between all 3 of them, during their training with Bruce they won every Karate Championship in the United States.<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>

As a result of a lawsuit between the estate of Bruce Lee and the Inosanto Academy, the name "Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do" was legally trademarked, and the rights were given solely to the Lee estate. The name is made up of two parts: 'Jun Fan' (Bruce's given Chinese name) and 'Jeet Kune Do' (the Way of the Intercepting Fist). The Inosanto Academy now refers to the system as "The Legacy of the Intercepting Fist".

[modifier]

Jujitsu

Main article: Jujitsu

At 22 Bruce also met Professor Wally Jay. From Jay, Bruce would receive informal instruction in Jujitsu. The two would have long conversations about theories surrounding the martial arts and grew to be longtime friends<ref>Dan Inosanto Talks about Professor Wally</ref>.

[modifier]

1964 Long Beach International Karate Championships

At the invitation of Ed Parker, Lee appeared in the 1964 Long Beach International Karate Championships<ref>Long Beach International Karate Championship</ref> and performed repetitions of two-finger pushups (using the thumb and the index finger) with feet at approximately a shoulder-width apart. In the same Long Beach event he also performed the "One inch punch".<ref>Bruce Lee Two Finger Pushups (includes a short video of his feats)</ref> The description of which is as follows: Lee stood upright, his right foot forward with knees bent slightly, in front of a standing, stationary partner. Lee's right arm was partly extended and his right fist approximately an inch away from the partner's chest. Without retracting his right arm, Lee then forcibly delivered the punch to his partner while largely maintaining his posture, sending the partner backwards and falling into a chair said to be placed behind the partner to prevent injury, though the force of gravity caused his partner to soon after fall onto the floor.

His volunteer was Bob Baker of Stockton, California. "I told Bruce not to do this type of demonstration again", he recalled. "When he punched me that last time, I had to stay home from work because the pain in my chest was unbearable."<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>

[modifier]

1967 Long Beach International Karate Championships

Bruce Lee also appeared at the 1967 Long Beach International Karate Championships<ref>Long Beach International Karate Championship</ref> and performed various demonstrations, including the famous "unstoppable punch" with USKA world karate champion Vic Moore. Bruce would announce to Vic Moore that he was going to throw a straight punch to his face, and all he had to do was block it. He would take several steps back and ask if Moore was ready, when Moore nodded in affirmation, Lee would glide towards him until he was within striking range. He would then throw a straight punch directly at Moore's face and stop before impact. In eight attempts, Moore blocked zero punches. <ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>

[modifier]

Official Fights

Year Opponent Location Result Other info
1955 William Cheung Hong Kong Exchange
1957 Wong Shun-Leung Hong Kong Exchange
1955 William Cheung Hong Kong Exchange
1957 Wong Shun-Leung Hong Kong Exchange
1958 Pu Chang Hong Kong KO 2 Referee: Wong Shun-Leung
1958 Yang Huang Hong Kong KO 1 Amateur Boxing Tournament
1958 Lieh Lo Hong King KO 1 Amateur Boxing Tournament
1958 Shen Yuen Hong Kong KO 1 Amateur Boxing Tournament-Semi Finals
1958 Gary Elms Hong Kong KO 3 Amateur Boxing Tournament-Finals
1960 (unknown) Seattle, Washington KO 1 Lee scored a knockout with a backfist/Street Fight
1960 (unknown) Seattle, Washington KO 1 Street Fight
1962 (?) Uechi Seattle, Washington KO 1 Referee: Jesse Glover
1963 (unknown) Hong Kong KO
1964 Wong Jack-Man Oakland, California Outcome Pending (12/?) Result of this fight is disputed. And if further information becomes available, the result may be changed. Some sources claim the fight ended in a draw/a win for Lee.
1973 (Kung fu fighter) Hong Kong KO The KO came 30 seconds into the fight.

Bruce Lee was not a professional competitor, but he did set his sights upon the goal of being one of the fittest and strongest fighters of the world, and he went through life earnestly attempting to achieve this. Lee researched many arts in his life and used what he found was useful and rejected what he did not. He also made subtle changes where he could if what he found did not fit his specific requirements. He tended to favour techniques where he could best take advantage of his own attributes, be it his phenomenal speed, strength, elusiveness or power. Bruce Lee did say he could have beaten anybody in the world in a real fight.

Dan Inosanto said, "there's no doubt in my mind that if Bruce Lee had gone into pro boxing, he could easily have ranked in the top three in the lightweight division or junior-welterweight division." «  »

Lee had boxed in the 1958 Boxing Championships held between twelve Hong Kong schools, a tournament in which he beat the three-time champion from another school (an English boy). (Thomas, Bruce. Bruce Lee: Fighting Spirit. 1994, Frog, Ltd. page 27)

[modifier]

Physical fitness and nutrition

[modifier]

Physical fitness

Bruce Lee felt that many martial artists of his day did not spend enough time on physical conditioning. Bruce included all elements of total fitness--muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility. He tried traditional bodybuilding techniques to build bulky muscles or mass. However, Lee was careful to admonish that mental and spiritual preparation was fundamental to the success of physical training in martial arts skills. In his book The Tao of Jeet Kune Do, he wrote "Training is one of the most neglected phases of athletics. Too much time is given to the development of skill and too little to the development of the individual for participation." "JKD, ultimately is not a matter of petty techniques but of highly developed spirituality and physique".<ref>Sanchez, Leonel. Martial Arts Overview. www.hybridmartialart.com. URL last accessed January 16, 2007.</ref>

The weight training program that Lee used during a stay in Hong Kong in 1965 at only 24 years old placed heavy emphasis on his arms. At that time he could perform bicep curls at a weight of 70 to 80lbs for three sets of eight repetitions, along with other forms of exercises, such as squats, push-ups, reverse curls, concentration curls, French presses, and both wrist curls and reverse wrist curls. <ref>Lee, Linda. 1989. The Bruce Lee Story Ohara Publications, California. (p.70)</ref> The repetitions he performed were 6 to 12 reps (at the time). While this method of training targeted his fast and slow twitch muscles, it later resulted in weight gain or muscle mass, placing Bruce a little over 160 lbs. Bruce Lee was documented as having well over 2,500 books in his own personal library, and eventually concluded that "A stronger muscle, is a bigger muscle", a conclusion he later disputed. However, Bruce forever experimented with his training routines to maximize his physical abilities. He employed many different routines and exercises including skipping, which effectively served his training and bodybuilding purposes.<ref>Hatfield, Fredrick C., Ph.D. 1993. Fitness: The Complete Guide. International Sport Sciences Association, California. (p.119)</ref>

Lee believed that the abdominal muscles were one of the most important muscle groups for a martial artist, since virtually every movement requires some degree of abdominal work. Perhaps more importantly, the "abs" are like a shell, protecting the ribs and vital organs.

He trained from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., including stomach, flexibility, and running, and from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. he would weight train and cycle. A typical exercise for Lee would be to run a distance of two to six miles in 15 to 45 minutes, in which he would vary speed in 3-5 minute intervals. Lee would ride the equivalent of 10 miles in 45 minutes on a stationary bike.<ref> Uhera , Mito 




.    Feats 
. Bruce Lee: The Divine Wind

. Retrieved on 2007-07-16. </ref>

Lee would sometimes exercise with the jumping rope in 800 jumps after cycling. Lee would also do exercises to toughen the skin on his fists, including thrusting his hands into buckets of harsh rocks and gravel. He would do over 500 repetitions of this on a given day. <ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>

[modifier]

Nutrition

According to Linda Lee, soon after he moved to the United States, Bruce Lee started to take nutrition seriously and developed an interest in health foods, high-protein drinks and vitamin and mineral supplements. Bruce later realized that in order to achieve a high-performance body, one could not fuel it with a diet of junk food. With the wrong fuel, the body's performance would become sluggish or sloppy. Lee also avoided baked goods, as he believed they contained empty calories. He was not interested in consuming calories which did nothing for his body. Lee's diet included protein drinks; he always tried to consume one or two daily, but discontinued drinking them later on in his life.

Linda recalls Bruce's waist fluctuated between 26 and 28 inches. "He also drank his own juice concoctions made from vegetables and fruits, apples, celery, carrots and so on, prepared in an electric blender".[citation needed] He consumed large amounts of green vegetables, fruits, and fresh milk everyday. Bruce always preferred to eat Chinese or other Asian food because he loved the variety that it had. Bruce also became a heavy advocate of dietary supplements. Some of the well known supplements he consumed included:

[modifier]

Physique

Lee's devotion to fitness gave him a body that was admired even by many of the top names in bodybuilding community. Joe Weider, the founder of Mr. Olympia, described Bruce's physique as "the most defined body I've ever seen!" Many top body building competitors have indicated Bruce as a major influence on their bodybuilding careers including Flex Wheeler, Shawn Ray, Rachel McLish, Lou Ferrigno, Lee Haney, Lenda Murray and 6 time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates.<ref name = WarmMarble>http://www.mikementzer.com/blee.html</ref> Arnold Schwarznegger was also influenced by Bruce, and said of his body,

"Bruce Lee had a very--I mean a very defined physique. He had very little body fat. I mean, he probably had one of the lowest body fat counts of any athlete. And I think that's why he looked so believable."<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>

A doctor who knew Lee once claimed that he was "Muscled as a squirrel, and spirited as a horse" and fitter than anyone he had ever seen.<ref> Layton West's Unstoppable Fighting Power! Jeet Kune Do Street Defense 



     (2007)
   
.    Bruce Lee Death 
. JKD Street Defense.com

. Retrieved on 2007-07-16. </ref>

Lee was known to have collected over 140 books in his lifetime on bodybuilding, weight training, physiology and kinesiology. In order to better train specific muscle groups, he also created several original designs of his own training equipment and had his friend George Lee build them to his specifications.<ref>http://www.allbrucelee.com/article/equipment_manager.htm</ref>

[modifier]

Physical feats

Lee's phenomenal fitness meant he was capable of performing many exceptional physical feats.<ref name=bldw> DM 




.    Feats 
. Bruce Lee: The Divine Wind

. Retrieved on 2007-07-16. </ref><ref name = mW> Maniac World 




.    Bruce Lee - Two Finger Pushup 
. Maniac World

. Retrieved on 2007-07-16. </ref><ref name=InterceptingFist>Modèle:Cite video</ref><ref name = ArtExpress>Modèle:Cite book</ref> The following list are the physical feats that are documented and supported by reliable sources.

  • Lee's striking speed from three feet with his hands down by his side reached "five hundredths" of a second.<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>
  • Lee could spring a 235lb (107kg) opponent 15 feet (4.6 metres) away with a 1 inch punch.<ref name = ArtExpress/>
  • Lee's combat movements were at times too fast to be captured on film at 24fps, so many scenes were shot in 32fps to put Lee in slow motion. Normally martial arts films are sped up.<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref><ref> Bruce Lee answers a challenge 
 (2007)

. Retrieved on 2007-19-16. </ref><ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>

  • 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.<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>
  • Lee could perform push ups using only his thumbs<ref name = WarmMarble/><ref name= ArtExpress/>
  • Lee would hold an elevated v-sit position for 30 minutes or longer.<ref name=InterceptingFist/>
  • Lee could throw grains of rice up into the air and then "catch them in mid-flight" using chopsticks.<ref name = WarmMarble/>
  • Lee performed one-hand push-ups using only the thumb and index finger<ref name=ArtExpress/><ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref><ref name = WarmMarble/><ref name= ArtExpress/>
  • Lee performed 50 reps of one-arm chin-ups.<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>
  • From a standing position, Lee could hold a 125lb (57kg) barbell straight out. <ref name = InterceptingFist/><ref name = WarmMarble/>
  • Lee could break wooden boards 6inches (15cm) thick.<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>
  • Lee performed a side kick while training with James Coburn and broke a 150-lb (68kg) punching bag<ref name=InterceptingFist/><ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>
  • Lee could cause a 300-lb (136kg) bag to fly towards and thump the ceiling with a sidekick.<ref name = ArtExpress/>
  • In a move that has been dubbed "Dragon Flag", Lee could perform leg lifts with only his shoulder blades resting on the edge of a bench and suspend his legs and torso perfectly horizontal midair. <ref> Seal , Jack 



     (2007)
   
.    How Did Bruce Lee Get Those Washboard Abs?

. Retrieved on 2007-18-16. </ref>

  • Lee could "thrust" his fingers through unopened steel cans of Coca-Cola, at a time before cans were made of the softer aluminum metal.<ref name=TaoBruce>Modèle:Cite book</ref>
  • Lee could use one finger to leave "dramatic" indentations on pine wood.<ref name = TaoBruce/>
[modifier]

Philosophy

Modèle:Wikiquote Although Bruce Lee is best known as a martial artist and actor, Lee majored in philosophy at the University of Washington. Lee himself was well-read and had an extensive library. His own books on martial arts and fighting philosophy are known for their philosophical assertions both inside and outside of martial arts circles. His philosophy often mirrored his fighting beliefs, though he was quick to claim that his martial arts were solely a metaphor for such teachings. His influences include Taoism, Jiddu Krishnamurti, and Buddhism.

The following quotations reflect his fighting philosophy.

  • "To tell the truth....I could beat anyone in the world."[citation needed]
  • "If I tell you I'm good, you would probably think I'm boasting. If I tell you I'm no good, you know I'm lying."[citation needed]
  • "Fighting is not something sought after, yet it is something that seeks you."[citation needed]
  • "Be formless... shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle; it becomes the bottle. You put it into a teapot; it becomes the teapot. Water can flow, and it can crash. Be like water, my friend..."<ref>The Lost Interview </ref>
  • "Use only that which works, and take it from any place you can find it."<ref>p.44, Bruce Lee: fighting spirit, by Bruce Thomas, Frog, Ltd.

(1994)</ref>

  • "The more relaxed the muscles are, the more energy can flow through the body. Using muscular tensions to try to 'do' the punch or attempting to use brute force to knock someone over will only work to opposite effect."[citation needed]
  • "Mere technical knowledge is only the beginning of Gung Fu. To master it, one must enter into the spirit of it."[citation needed]
  • "There are lots of guys around the world that are lazy. They have big fat guts. They talk about chi power and things they can do, but don't believe it."[citation needed]
  • "I'm not a master. I'm a student-master, meaning that I have the knowledge of a master and the expertise of a master, but I'm still learning. So I'm a student-master. I don't believe in the word 'master.' I consider the master as such when they close the casket."[citation needed]
  • "Do not deny the classical approach, simply as a reaction, or you will have created another pattern and trapped yourself there."<ref>p.25, Tao of Jeet Kune Do, by Bruce Lee, Ohara Publications (1975). </ref>
  • "Jeet Kune Do: it's just a name; don't fuss over it. There's no such thing as a style if you understand the roots of combat."[citation needed]
  • "Unfortunately, now in boxing people are only allowed to punch. In Judo, people are only allowed to throw. I do not despise these kinds of martial arts. What I mean is, we now find rigid forms which create differences among clans, and the world of martial art is shattered as a result."[citation needed]
  • "I think the high state of martial art, in application, must have no absolute form. And, to tackle pattern A with pattern B may not be absolutely correct."[citation needed]
  • "True observation begins when one is devoid of set patterns."[citation needed]
  • "The other weakness is, when clans are formed, the people of a clan will hold their kind of martial art as the only truth and do not dare to reform or improve it. Thus they are confined in their own tiny little world. Their students become machines which imitate martial art forms."[citation needed]
  • "Some people are tall; some are short. Some are stout; some are slim. There are various different kinds of people. If all of them learn the same martial art form, then who does it fit?"[citation needed]
  • "Ultimately, martial art means honestly expressing yourself. It is easy for me to put on a show and be cocky so I can show you some really fancy movement. But to express oneself honestly, not lying to oneself, and to express myself honestly enough; that, my friend, is very hard to do."[citation needed]
[modifier]

Bruce Lee and popular culture

There are a large number of references to Bruce Lee in film, anime, manga, video games and other popular culture.

  • Fei Long from the video game Street Fighter series is based after him.
  • The anime character Rock Lee in Naruto is modeled after him, and was given his birthday.
  • The character Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop uses Lee's Jeet Kune Do fighting style.
  • The anime character Inosato Dan in Tenjou Tenge is modeled after him, is a practicioner of Jun Fan Gung Fu and wears an inverse version of Bruce's yellow/black jumpsuit (Dan's is black with yellow stripes along the edges, Bruce's was opposite of that).
  • The video game character Forrest Law in the Tekken series is also modeled after Bruce Lee. His appearance, mannerisms and fighting style are inspired by him.
  • Mortal Kombat character Liu Kang is modeled after Bruce Lee.
  • Kim Dragon from the World Heroes series of video games is based on him.
  • Jann Lee from theDead or Alive video game series is also based after him.
  • Pokémon character Hitmonlee is named after him.
[modifier]

Awards and honors

  • With his ancestral roots coming from Gwan'on in Seundak, Guangdong province of China (廣東順德均安, Guangdong Shunde Jun'An), a street in the village is named after him where his ancestral home is situated. The home is open for public access.
  • Bruce Lee was named TIME Magazine 's 100 Most Important People of the Century as one of the greatest heroes & icons, as an example of personal improvement through in part physical fitness, and among the most influential martial artists of the twentieth century.<ref name="time"/>
  • The 1993 film Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story claims to be a slightly fictionalized biographical film about Bruce Lee. However, few scenes are based on reality.
  • On March 31, 2007 Bruce Lee was named as one of History's 100 Most Influential people, according to a Japanese national survey that was televised on NTV.<ref> [100 Most Influential people: Hero Edition]. 
   April 01, 2007.
 
  </ref>

. Associated Press 
 
 (November 26, 2006)

.</ref>

  • As of 2007, he is still considered by many martial artists and fans as the greatest martial artist of all time.<ref>http://dir.yahoo.com/thespark/4375/the-greatest-martial-artist-of-all-time</ref>
  • On April 10, 2007 China's national broadcaster announced it has started filming a 40-part series on martial arts icon Bruce Lee. Xinhua News Agency said China Central Television started shooting "The Legend of Bruce Lee" over the weekend in Shunde in Guangdong province in southern China. Shunde is the ancestral home of Lee, who was born in San Francisco. It said the 50 million yuan (US$6.4 million; €4.8 million) production will also be filmed in Hong Kong and the United States, where Lee studied and launched his acting career. Chen Guokun, who plays Lee, said he has mixed feelings about playing the role of the icon, Xinhua reported. "I'm nervous and also excited, but I will do my best," Chen, who's also known as Chan Kwok-kwan, was quoted as saying. Chen, best known for appearing in the action comedy "Kung Fu Hustle," says Lee has been his role model since he was a child and that he has practiced kung fu for many years. The TV series, which is due to be aired in 2008, the year Beijing hosts the 2008 Summer Olympics Games, appears to aimed at highlighting Chinese culture in the run up to the event.<ref>http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/10/arts/AS-A-E-China-Bruce-Lee.php</ref>
[modifier]

Martial arts lineage

Lineage in Wing Chun / Jeet Kune Do
Sifu in Wing ChunYip Man (葉問)
Other instructorsSihing Wong Shun-leung (黃惇樑)

William Cheung

Notable Sparring partnerToe Dai Hawkins Cheung Note: He was Bruce Lee's friend at the time.
 
Bruce Lee (李小龍)
Creator of Jeet Kune Do
 
Instructors certified by Bruce Lee to teach Jeet Kune Do
Dan Inosanto
Taky Kimura
James Yimm Lee (Died 1972)
Ted Wong
Known students in Jun Fan
Gung Fu/Jeet Kune Do		Brandon Bruce Lee
Jesse Glover
Steve Golden
Larry Hartsell
Dan Inosanto
Tommy Carruthers
Taky Kimura
Jerry Poteet
Ted Wong
James Yimm Lee
Rusty Stevens
Numerous others...
Famous students taught
Jun Fan/Jeet Kune Do		Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
James Coburn
Joe Lewis
Roman Polanski
Lee Marvin
Stirling Silliphant
Steve McQueen
Mike Stone
Chuck Norris
Numerous others...
[modifier]

Illness and Death

Bruce Lee was doing dubbing work in Hong Kong on May 10, 1973, for Enter the Dragon at Golden Harvest studios. He collapsed in the bathroom and was rushed to Hong Kong Baptist Hospital. Doctors there that day who treated him said he almost died of cerebral edema[citation needed].

Modèle:Cleanup

[modifier]

Death by "misadventure"

Dr. Langford who treated Lee for his first collapse stated after his death that, "There's not a question in my mind that cannabis should have been named as the presumptive cause of death."<ref>p.229, Bruce Lee: fighting spirit, by Bruce Thomas, Frog LTD. (1994).</ref> He also believed that, "Equagesic was not at all involved in Bruce's first collapse."<ref>p.228, Bruce Lee: fighting spirit, by Bruce Thomas, Frog LTD. (1994).</ref> Professor R.D. Teare, who had overseen over 100,000 autopsies, was the top expert assigned to the Lee case. Dr. Teare declared that the presence of cannabis was mere coincidence, and added that it would be "irresponsible and irrational" to say that it might have triggered Lee's death. His conclusion was that the death was caused by an acute cerebral edema due to a reaction to compounds present in the prescription pain killing drug Equagesic. <ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref> Dr. Peter Wu's preliminary opinion was that the cause of death could have been a reaction to cannabis and Equagesic. Dr. Wu would later back off from this position however:

"Professor Teare was a forensic scientist recommended by Scotland Yard; he was brought in as an expert on cannabis and we can't contradict his testimony. The dosage of cannabis is neither precise nor predictable, but I've never known of anyone dying simply from taking it."<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>

The exact details of Lee's death are controversial. Bruce Lee's iconic status and unusual death at a young age led many people to develop many theories about his death. Such theories about his death included murder involving the Triad society<ref>Author James Bishop claims on p.157 of his book Bruce Lee: dynamic becoming that Bruce Lee was murdered by the American mafia via the Chinese triads.</ref> and a supposed curse on Lee and his family. The theory of the curse carried over to Lee's son Brandon Lee, also an actor, who died 20 years after his father in a bizarre accident while filming The Crow at the young age of 28. Like his father's last film, released after his death to gain cult status, Brandon's last film The Crow was also released after his death, completed with the use of computer-generated imagery and a stunt double in the few remaining but critical scenes that Brandon had left unfilmed at his death.

Upon the death of her husband, Linda returned to her home town of Seattle and had Bruce buried at lot 276 of Lakeview Cemetery. His son Brandon was buried beside him. Pallbearers at his funeral on July 31 1973 included Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Chuck Norris, George Lazenby, Dan Inosanto, Taky Kimura, Peter Chin, and his brother, Robert Lee.

[modifier]

Kowloon City

On August 22, 2007, Fruit Chan announced that he will make a film on Bruce Lee's early years, specifically, the Chinese-language movie, Kowloon City, will be produced by John Woo's producer Terence Chang. The film will be set in 1950s Hong Kong. Chang's credits include "Made in Hong Kong," "Hollywood Hong Kong" and "Durian Durian." Also, Stanley Kwan stated that he was talking with Lee's family to make a movie about the late action movie icon. Further, in April, Chinese state media announced that its national broadcaster started filming a 40-part TV series on Bruce Lee to promote Chinese culture for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.<ref>IHT, Report: Hong Kong director plans Bruce Lee biopic</ref>

[modifier]

Books authored

[modifier]

Books about Bruce Lee and/or JKD

[modifier]

Bruce Lee documentaries

  • The Intercepting Fist (2001)
  • The Unbeatable Bruce Lee
  • Curse of the Dragon (1993)
  • Death by Misadventure (1993)
  • The Man And The Legend
  • The Immortal Dragon (A&E) (1996)
  • Martial Arts Master (1993)
[modifier]

Filmography

Main article: Bruce Lee filmography
[modifier]

Television appearances

[modifier]

Other media

[modifier]

References

<references />
[modifier]

See also

[modifier]

External links

{{#tag:ImageMap| Image:Commons-logo.svg|50px|commons:Accueil default commons:Accueil desc none}}

Wikimedia Commons propose des documents multimédia libres sur Bruce Lee.

Modèle:Persondata Modèle:DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Brucear:بروس لي ast:Bruce Lee bn:ব্রুস লি bs:Bruce Lee bg:Брус Лий ca:Bruce Lee da:Bruce Lee de:Bruce Lee et:Bruce Lee el:Μπρους Λη es:Bruce Lee eo:Bruce Lee fa:بروس لی fr:Bruce Lee ko:이소룡 hr:Bruce Lee id:Bruce Lee it:Bruce Lee he:ברוס לי sw:Bruce Lee lt:Bruce Lee hu:Bruce Lee ms:Bruce Lee nl:Bruce Lee ja:ブルース・リー nap:Bruce Lee no:Bruce Lee nn:Bruce Lee oc:Bruce Lee ps:بروس لي pl:Bruce Lee pt:Bruce Lee ro:Bruce Lee ru:Ли, Брюс simple:Bruce Lee sl:Bruce Lee sr:Брус Ли fi:Bruce Lee sv:Bruce Lee ta:புரூஸ் லீ th:บรู๊ซ ลี vi:Lý Tiểu Long tr:Bruce Lee uk:Брюс Лі zh:李小龙

Récupérée de « http://herveleblouch.free.fr/vev/index.php/Bruce_Lee »