The Art of Expressing the Human Body (Paperback)

~ (Author), John Little (Author) "Allow me to describe to you a particular day in Bruce Lee's life-a day when he failed to achieve the level of expectation he had..." (more)
Key Phrases: side pulley stretch, personal training diaries, pak sao, Bruce Lee, Hong Kong, Marcy Circuit Trainer (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Beyond his martial arts and acting abilities, Bruce Lee's physical appearance and strength were truly astounding. He achieved this through an intensive and ever-evolving conditioning regime that is being revealed for the first time in this book. Drawing on Lee's own notes, letters, diaries and training logs, bodybuilding expert John Little presents the full extent of Lee's unique training methods including nutrition, aerobics, isometrics, stretching and weight training.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing; 1st edition (November 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804831297
• ISBN-13: 978-0804831291
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #19,460 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #28 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Exercise & Fitness > Bodybuilding & Weight Training
  #29 in	Books > Sports > Individual Sports > Martial Arts
  #58 in	Books > Sports > Training

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

114 of 118 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book!, October 8, 1999

By	"fascarz" (Honolulu, HI USA) - See all my reviews

Excellent book showing how Bruce Lee developed his awesome body and how he built-up the power behind it. The author has great sources that he got the material from, since some of the pictures are of actual notes that Lee himself wrote. Lee worked extremely hard to get his body in the near-perfect shape that it was in, and this book describes how he did it. This book contains alot of material that was previously unavailable before to anyone wanting to know how Lee trained, what he ate, how he taught his students how to train, what his views were on exercise, cardiovascular training, stretching, and most important, how to develop power from your workout. His training was based on his martial arts influence, as he always searched for ways to improve himself in his own martial art of Jeet Kune Do (JKD). This book shows how he incorporated various exercises and his training regimen during various parts of his life to constantly change and adapt to what he felt would benefit him the most at that particular time. If he felt he needed more endurance, he would incorporate more running and punching the heavy bag, if he felt he needed more quickness and speed, he would do more speed drills, jump rope, etc. An excellent book to learn more about how Lee trained himself and his students to get in the best shape of their lives, and also an example and inspiration to other who exercise and try to keep fit. Of course, if you want a book to show you "how" to workout with weights, then this is not the book for you, but if you want to learn how to improve your overall self through exercise, diet and training, then this is an excellent book.

47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpecting, September 8, 2005

By	B. Inoue "MiyagiSenpai" (Tacoma, WA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Some people may be skeptical about Bruce Lee as a martial artist, bodybuilder, fitness enthusiast, etc. But in reality one need not be a fan to understand the brilliance to his methods. The book always emphasizes that Bruce was all about changing things, looking and trying all aspects, then deciding what stays and what is unnecessary. Like chiseling away the pieces of stone to carve a statue.
After having done extensive research into bodybuilding, fitness, martial arts, Asian Medicine, Eastern Philosophy, exercise physiology, and dietetics I can honestly say that this book is very advanced. What I mean by this is that one has to do his/her own research to decide about the methods outlined. Indeed some of the research is outdated. For example the couplings of incomplete proteins and complete is slightly flawed in logic. However, you must not forget these methods were employed way before large advances were made in the way of sports nutrition and supplementation.
In the training aspect any normal human would indeed be overtrained. But the body is a magnificent creation and can adapt to anything that it encounters. Shaolin Monks, Ultra Runners, Olympic Gymnasts... they all do things that would overtrain any of us normal people. But they are not overtrained. Indeed Bruce had trained long and hard to become as resilient as such.
As someone who has done a little Personal Training I have to say that his development when he started lifting weights showed his ability to adapt. His body became very muscular very quickly. However, for those who think steroids were his thing... they were not. Not only did he believe in the natural way he also believed that a bulky body will decrease flexibilty and overall speed and endurance. So he actually lost muscle for the sake of being a better martial artist. At this time the only available steroids were things such as testosterone and Dianabol. Bulking agents. (Yes, some steroids build mass and others build power. Some even build endurance by producing erythropoetin but they weren't invented until the mid 70s. The most famous came into vogue in the 80s.) The pills he was seen popping so often were often amino acid pills.
My overall advice about this book? Get some training under your belt whether it's in body building, endurance running, martial arts, etc. Then read this book. It will bring you to the starting point to try and take your body to the next level. Anyone can be an armchair quarterback, but to get out there and try is much more practical.
Keep using and changing the things that challenge you and make a positive difference. Take away the things that do nothing or take away from your goals. If you're a body builder maybe running two miles a day every morning will be detrimental (Although for one who lives in Texas it actually helps keep him in the right shape to do his intense powerlifting/body building hybrid training). For an endurance runner perhaps having well conditioned forearms that enhance the hooking techniques of Wing Chun isn't necessary for running a marathon better. But for a martial artist perhaps a more conditioned midsection to enhance kicking and punching power might be of benefit to you. Or the added cardiovascular endurance to fight for 5 rounds instead of three.
As for the nutrition... remember. The only part that you have to remember is to eat foods that benefit you towards your goal and not eat foods that don't. Moderation is key as well. (A few cups of tea a day can make a LARGE difference)
As a personal experience... I used this book to not only increase the power of my midsection, but also to help lower my bodyfat, decrease my 2 mile time, strengthen my grappling ability, enhance my muscle mass, increase my energy, and also to reinstill that feeling of wanting to experiment. To find what works and what doesn't. The book is the gateway and not the means to an end. After applying the priniciples that suit you... it is up to you to keep learning new ways to keep improving.
If anyone is curious... I am a martial artist, body builder, dietician, Buddhist (born into the temple itself), scientist, and a sports nutritionist. And yes... I practice what I believe is necessary for improvement. Including the practice of taking a day off to eat anything, not train, not think, and just enjoy time with the people who matter in my life.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quite Simply the Best Moivational Book for Exercise, Ever, June 21, 2000

By	"lilsheminx" (Florida) - See all my reviews

Bruce Lee was a man who truly made use of every spare moment he had. Long thought of as simply the pinnacle of martial arts, many fans and non-fans alike are discovering that Bruce Lee was also a thoughtful and profound philosopher. Even in this volume of the fantastic Bruce Lee library, you will find tremendous philosophy and insight by Bruce Lee, as retold by his friends and students. Mr. Lee saw exercise as "The Art of Expressing the Human Body," and he went to great lengths to craft his body--not for appearance--but for functionality. His circuits, weight routines, calisthenics, and cardiovascular workouts are just a few of the things detailed in this clearly exhuastively researched book. It reads quite well, and I have never worked harder at improving my own body as I have when I was actively reading this book. This is a *must* for all martial artists, and a fantastic book for anyone who needs any motivation to work out. Bruce Lee's example is all you need to really get moving.