Bruce Lee is often regarded as the most influential martial artist of all time and a pop culture icon of the 20th century. Most kids grow up hearing stories of the Hong Kong-American martial artist and actor’s strength, agility, skills, and stunts.

Lee was much more than a martial artist; he was a visionary who founded the Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy that is often credited with setting the groundwork for modern-day mixed martial arts (MMA).

I have been strength training for over 17 years, but in 2024, I decided to change things up to improve my functionality, agility, and athleticism. After 20 hours of research, I adopted Lee’s philosophy, as it best fit my requirements. To make things more interesting, I took it up as a 30-day challenge to keep myself more accountable and push my boundaries.

Training Like Bruce Lee For 30 Days

Here is one of Lee’s workouts from 1965, as seen in his book The Art of Expressing the Human Body (1998):

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Weight (pounds)
Squat	3	10	95
French Press	4	6	64
Incline Curls	4	6	35
Conc Curl	3	10	70-80
Two-Handed Curl	3	8	70-80
Tricep Stretch	3	8	N/A
Dumbbell Curl	4	till Failure	18
Reverse Curl	4	6	64
Wrist Curl	4	till Failure	64
Wrist Curl	4	till Failure	10

Lee didn’t settle for just one training session a day. His days revolved around exercise and polishing his art and physique. Here is an overview of his day from one of his journal entries:

Monday, January 1, 1968

• 9:20–9:30 AM: Warm-up (leg & abs)
• 9:30-9:49 AM: Running
• 12:00–12:45 PM:
  • 500 punches
  • 300 finger jabs
• 3:00–3:55 PM:
  • Leg squat
  • Leg stretching (pulley, stand)
  • Hook kick (left & right, front & rear)
• 7:30–7:50 PM:
  • 100 finger jabs
  • 200 punches
• 9:00-9:30 PM:
  • Sit-up: 4 sets to failure
  • Side bend: 4 sets to failure
  • Leg raise: 4 sets to failure

• Total Training Time: 2 hrs, 59 minutes

Lee’s Bodybuilding Workout

As he started to gain international fame, Lee focused on building a more aesthetically appealing physique via hypertrophy-focused training. Interestingly, his workouts also comprised Olympic lifts to develop overall strength and explosiveness, translating to better performance in other compound exercises.

Without further ado, here is Lee’s bodybuilding workout:

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Clean and Press	2	8-12
Barbell Curl	2	8-12
Behind-the-Neck Press	2	8-12
Upright Row	2	8-12
Barbell Squat	2	12-20
Barbell Row	2	8-12

All these workouts can feel overwhelming — at least, they initially did to me. However, Lee’s fitness regime isn’t just about exercise; it is a philosophy and a way of life.

Components of Bruce Lee’s Training

Lee combined the physical with the mental. Here is everything you must know about his training style before embarking on a fitness challenge of your own:

• Strength: Lee’s training wasn’t just about brute force but about functional power. Hence, he balanced weight training with calisthenics.
• Flexibility: The Dragon had the fluidity of water. Strength without agility is useless for a martial artist. Plus, pliability helps improve overall performance and limit injury risk.
• Speed: Lee was lightning fast on offense and defense, and his nunchuck skills are considered one of the best of all time.
• Mental Focus: The master emphasized the importance of staying calm, focused, and present under pressure.

“One of the main principles of Bruce Lee’s training philosophy is — lift what can be lifted with control. This means using a weight that you can control throughout the entire range of motion. Lee would often use isometrics, which means holding a weight in a fixed position, to improve his control over the weight.” — Jeff Cavalier, CSCS (AthleanX) 

How To Follow Lee’s Workouts

Most people can’t afford the luxury of training multiple times throughout the day. If you are like me and can only train once daily for about an hour, pick any one of Lee’s workouts and stick with it for at least 30 days.

Remember, while you can follow the same exercise for four weeks, you must incorporate progressive overload (progressively increasing training volume) to ensure consistent progress. Sticking to the same exercises, weights, sets, and reps for a prolonged period can lead to strength and muscle plateaus.

Irrespective of which training protocol you pick, Lee’s workouts are high-intensity and will lead to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), especially in the beginning. Beginners must work with a trained professional to scale their workouts according to their experience levels and objectives.

Unveiling the Dragon’s Diet

Lee’s diet played a pivotal role in transforming his physique and relentless energy. Here is a sample Lee-inspired diet plan to fuel your gains and take your performance to the next level:

Meal One

• Eggs
• Fruits

Meal Two

• Beef
• Oyster sauce
• Veggies

Meal Three

• Protein Shake

Meal Four

• Chicken
• Rice
• Veggies

Meal Five

• Protein Shake

Bruce Lee Diet Principles

To fully comprehend Lee’s dietary choices, you must understand the principles behind them. This is what makes Lee’s diet so simple yet powerful:

Whole Foods

Vegetables, fruits, lean proteins (chicken, fish, beef), and complex carbs (brown rice, sweet potatoes) formed the basis of Lee’s diet. He stayed clear of simple carbs to avoid blood sugar spikes and energy crashes.

Processed sugar and white bread had no place in Lee’s diet. He prioritized calorie-dense natural foods to fuel his body and gains.

Small, Frequent Meals

Depending on his current goals, Lee had anywhere between five to seven daily meals. He believed that this kept his metabolic rate high and energy levels stable throughout the day. The high-quality whole foods prevented mid-day cravings, allowing him to stick to his regimented diet plan.

Chinese Herbs & Supplements

Lee incorporated traditional Chinese medicine to support his training. He opined that ginseng boosted energy levels and pollen improved blood quality. This depicts Lee’s holistic approach to fitness and overall well-being.

Lee’s diet felt like a revelation. As a seasoned fitness professional who has been eating clean for over a decade and a half, Lee’s diet felt natural. Unlike most fad diets doing the rounds these days, his diet is not about deprivation but about nourishing the body with the right fuel.

I don’t remember starving at any point during this 30-day challenge; my cravings disappeared, my energy soared, and I felt leaner and stronger — just like a dragon!

Another great thing about Lee’s diet is that you can easily substitute the foods you don’t like. For instance, I replaced beef with roasted chicken breast for lunch.

However, considering the volume of food, I highly recommend prepping all your meals on your day off from work to ensure you don’t reach out for junk food when you are starving and don’t have time or resources to cook healthy meals.

Remember, contrary to what most people think, Lee’s diet isn’t a rigid dogma but a flexible framework. Adapt it to your preferences and lifestyle to ensure long-term adherence.

Mental Fortitude: The Jeet Kune Do of the Mind

Lee’s training is as much psychological as it is physical. His philosophy, Jeet Kune Do, translates to “The Way of the Intercepting Fist.” It wasn’t just about fighting but about life in general. Adaptability, fluidity, and the ability to react are core tenets of this approach.

So, when you follow Lee’s training program, it isn’t just about lifting weights; you’re constantly seeking out new challenges.

Lee’s training philosophy encourages you to flow around obstacles like water and make new paths.

Lee was also a proponent of meditation and mindfulness, as he believed true strength comes from within. I must admit that meditation was the most challenging part of this program for me. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying Lee’s training program was easy. But as a personal trainer, I’m used to that sort of intensity. However, meditation and mindfulness were a completely different ball game.

30 Days Later: The Dragon’s Transformation

You don’t take on a 30-day Bruce Lee challenge for nothing. I had big expectations from this challenge, and I can attest — it delivered.

Here is a breakdown of my 30-day transformation story in an easy-to-digest format:

Measurement	Day 1	Day 30	Change
Bodyweight (pounds)	175	170	-5 pounds
Body Fat (%)	16.5	14.0	-2.5%
Waist (inches)	34	32	-2 inches
Chest (inches)	41	42	+1 inch
Arms (inches)	14	14.5	+0.5 inch

Although these numbers are seemingly small, their impact is significant. I shed a whopping 2.5 percent body fat, and all the martial arts training helped me achieve a leaner, more defined physique. I also notice a significant improvement in my overall posture.

Lessons From Lee’s 30-Day Training and Diet Challenge

This 30-day Lee-inspired training program isn’t about becoming a champion martial artist or playing table tennis with nunchucks; it is about becoming the best version of yourself.

I experienced firsthand that training, eating, and meditating like Lee for 30 days completely transforms your physique and mindset. Also, it teaches you to embrace simplicity. Lee’s diet was uncomplicated and his training basic, focusing on the essentials and mastery.

Will I be following Lee’s training and diet program indefinitely? Not really.

However, Lee’s philosophy of quality over quantity resonated deeply with me, and I will continue to prioritize workouts that are brief, intense, and leave me feeling energized, not drained.

Also, Lee’s training philosophy pushed me to focus on mindfulness. I now approach all physical activity, whether high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or a simple walk in the park, with a heightened awareness.

Conclusion

There’s one name that’s always ignited a fire in my soul — Bruce Lee. I finally decided to try his training and diet philosophy as a 30-day challenge, and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the results. My muscles were denser, my reflexes quicker, and my movements more fluid. Plus, all the martial arts workouts helped boost my confidence, focus, and mental resilience.

Even if you have no prior martial arts experience, Lee’s training program is simple enough to be scaled to your current fitness level. If you have any questions about Lee’s diet and training program, drop them in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to help!