Bruce Lee's Training Routine from the 1960s Has Gone Viral, Here's His Full Programme

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The legacy of the late martial artist and actor Bruce Lee extends far beyond his screen presence, as his training program has gone viral on X in 2024. The post details his entire workout regimen at Hak Keung Gymnasium in Hong Kong.

At the time he was completing this program, Lee was actively working to establish himself in martial arts and acting. He was teaching and competing, while also beginning to gain attention in the film industry, particularly for his role in the television series The Green Hornet. Afterward, his acting career gained momentum.

Could this be the training program that laid the foundations for Lee’s films, such as Enter the Dragon? MH takes a look.

The Workout

It’s important to note that the exercises listed are all the moves he performed in his program, and they were likely performed in a fluid and flexible manner, rather than rigidly in succession.

Squat x 10 reps and 3 sets — 43kg

MH: According to the plan, Lee lifted 95 lbs (43 kg). Weighing 64 kg and standing 172 cm tall, the martial artist likely didn’t need to lift much more than 43 kg for 3 sets of 10 reps. This was probably due to his focus on martial arts training and his need to stay light and agile.

French Press x 6 reps and 4 sets — 29kg

MH: The French press (or tricep extension) i likely completed with the barbell due to the lower rep and set range and higher weight choice. 29kg is a pretty decent weight for this exercise choice, demonstrating Lee’s superior arm strength.

Incline Curl x 6 reps and 4 sets — 16kg

MH: The incline curl works the long head of the biceps muscle and encourages a larger range of motion in comparison to standard bicep curls. Due to the nature of the incline set up, more resistance is placed on the biceps in the stretched position, therefore increasing the potential for muscle growth.

French Press (2) x 6 reps and 4 sets — 29kg

MH: Maybe Lee really enjoyed the French press, or maybe the programming is “fluid.” Either way, his decision to include it twice in the routine at the same weight is unclear – except that it likely increased his chances of building bigger triceps.

‘Con’ Curl x 6 reps and 4 sets — 16kg

MH: Short for concentration curls, the ‘con’ curl is a bodybuilding staple. They work the long and short head of the biceps. As you work the arms one at a time, the move can increase mind to muscle connection.

Push-Up x 10 reps and 3 sets — Bodyweight

MH: Lee’s workout is clearly very ‘arm’ heavy — with eight out of the 14 moves hitting the biceps and triceps. The addition of some push-ups to work the chest and shoulders is warmly welcomed to perhaps offer the arms some light (ish) relief.

Two Hand Curl x 8 reps and 3 sets — 32-36kg

MH: The two hand curl refers to a standard bicep curl. This is where the programme again doesn’t make a huge amount of sense due to the exercise order and weight choices, but was likely organised as rough guidelines for Lee to adhere to.

Tricep Stretch x 8 reps and 3 sets

MH: The “3” marked could perhaps refer to a 3-minute hold of the tricep stretch, likely included to improve flexibility alongside his strength and hypertrophy efforts. It might also serve as a well-earned break.

Dumbbell Circle x ‘inf’ and 4 sets — 7kg

MH: Frequently seen in exercise classes, dumbbell circles elicit quite a delt burn. While this won’t necessarily translate to shoulder growth, they were likely completed to build muscular endurance.

Reverse Curl x 6 reps and 4 sets — 29kg

MH: Reverse curls work the biceps but also the forearms a little harder than supinated grip bicep curls. This would have come in handy for improving grip strength, which may have been influenced by his martial arts participation.

Wrist Curl x ‘inf’ and 4 sets — 29kg

MH: These heavy wrist curls are likely again to support Lee’s martial arts training. They build forearm strength and size. ‘Inf’ likely means: ‘Until Failure’.

Wrist Curl (2) x ‘inf’ and 4 sets — 4.5kg

MH: This dropset, which is lower in weight and working to failure, was likely included with the intention of building forearm muscle mass and muscular endurance.

Sit-up x 12 reps and 5 sets — Bodyweight

MH: Sit-ups are an ab training staple. The addition of this core training at the end of his workout likely had functional purposes to support trunk strength during martial arts training.

Calf Raise x 20 reps and 5 sets — Bodyweight

MH: Calf raises may be included in his programming to build calf size, however they are a great way of building ankle and lower limb strength to support running, which Lee apparently took part in daily.