BRUCE LEE
"... as an actor, as a martial artist, as a human being, all these -- I have learned from martial art."
​​Martial Arts Icon
Bruce Lee was one of the most significant and influential martial artists ever. Referred to by many as the ‘Einstein’, ‘Edison’, and ‘Leonardo DaVinci’ of martial arts, Lee probably did more to expand the public’s consciousness regarding the martial arts than any other person during the twentieth century.
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While Bruce Lee did not invent martial arts, he revolutionized it by challenging the status quo, shattering much of the mystique that often surrounded martial arts, and innovating a whole new attitude and approach to martial art training, the results of which are still being seen and felt today. Lee came up with radical innovations in and around martial art training methods and techniques, including such things as cross-training and inter-disciplinary training (which were, for the most part unheard of in martial arts at the time), and initiated a process of experimentation and investigation that transformed the way many, if not most martial arts have since been taught and developed.
Cinematic Visionary
Bruce Lee shook up not only the martial art world, but also the film world. As with martial arts, Lee did not invent martial art films, but as an actor, writer, producer, director, and stunt action choreographer, he changed the face of action films forever. Lee’s innovations created a whole new genre of action films which not only made him a cinematic superstar and the most sought-after motion picture actor in the world at the time, but propelled the martial arts into the worldwide cinematic mainstream and popularized it on a global scale. Lee’s actions also helped empower Asian actors and changed the way they were treated by the Hong Kong film studios.
20th Century Philosopher
While Bruce Lee may have been considered by many to be the premier martial artist of his day,
interest in Lee as a contemporary philosopher and visionary has been steadily increasing. Many people are now discovering that, in addition to being one of the world’s top martial artists, Lee was also a philosopher, and one of the original champions of self-help and human achievement. As Lee evolved his revolutionary, “non-restrictive” approach to martial art training and combat, he simultaneously cultivated a unique, non-restrictive philosophy toward life and living built around the same fundamental principle he applied to his martial art; “Using No Way as Way; Having No Limitation as Limitation.”
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Over the last several decades Lee’s philosophical concepts and ideas such as maintaining fluidity of thought and action, honestly expressing oneself, eradicating the cause of one’s ignorance, and many others have influenced the lives of countless individuals. His writings and actions have spurred people in all sorts of disciplines and he continues to inspire and influence people around the globe. In addition to martial artists, rappers, musicians, film directors, artists, bodybuilders, athletes, self-help gurus, business entrepreneurs and innovators are amongst those who have cited Bruce Lee as a source of inspiration.
Read what professional athletes, celebrities and others say regarding the effect that Bruce Lee and his philosophy has had on their life and career.
“Bruce Lee inspired the world of all athletes from different sports, not just martial arts, to train.”
​​​Franco Columbu (legendary body-builder and two time Mr. Olympia)
“I’ve told people all over the world that Bruce was one of my idols, mainly because of his mental stability, because of his fighting spirit, because it was more mental than just physical."
Sugar Ray Leonard (Former World Champion boxer)
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​“His teaching helped shape the man I became and am always in the process of becoming.”
Kareem Abdul Jabbar (Legendary NBA basketball player)
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“Bruce Lee was always one of my muses growing up. I’ve read everything he’s ever written. I’ve watched every film he’s ever been in.”“The one thing, among many, that I learned from him is the philosophy of jeet kune do is being able to adapt. Having the fundamental skills available to you so that you can react to any situation. Also, he was really big on sharing his knowledge and hoped that he could inspire someone, not to learn how to fight, but through the art of fighting, learn how to be a better person.”
Kobe Bryant (Legendary NBA basketball player)
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“I think Bruce Lee is a great inspiration and a great fighter, and was ahead of his time. Now people are starting to realize what his message was. Was it not for mixed martial arts, people would just say, ‘ Bruce Lee said this’, or what not. I think they would still have appreciation for him, but not like now. Now they understand just how truly great he was because he was there from the beginning, experimenting with MMA. He didn’t believe one style was the best, he was mixing all different styles to make a complete fighting style. He was preaching it his day."
Tito Ortiz (Former UFC Champion)
“He was an inspiration, even though he came before I was born… Bruce Lee changed my life… Bruce Lee said ‘be like water’, and that’s what I was. It was all there in his philosophy.”
George St.Pierre (World-renowned MMA fighter and UFC champion)
“But definitely, everything he speaks is the true essence of martial arts. So it has a good impact on me also. I think Bruce Lee brought to the reality of what's going on in martial arts. A lot of good components like in his philosophy was 100% right."
Rickson Gracie (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Legend)
“He definitely inspired me to want to do more with my life...Bruce Lee did a lot of speaking through movement, glances, etc.”
LL Cool J (1st rap artist to amass 10 platinum selling albums)
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“His fighting style was whatever his opponent made him do. That is to me so much of what design is too, because as a designer you have to become the person and/or the object that you’re designing.”
D’Wayne Edwards (former design director for Nike’s Jordan line before founding Pensole Footwear Design Academy)
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“Bruce Lee is the hero whom I always aspire to be like. One of his philosophies is: Be water! I apply this as a creative professional. It means we must not have a solid mindset; we should adapt
ourselves according to the changing environment, like in media, technology, etc.”
Bill Chan (Chief Creative Officer at JWT Shaghai)
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“Bruce Lee influenced me tremendously -- Creativity is about sort of spitting out what you’ve got inside -- the things that have influenced you, the images that have stayed in your mind -- BL and all the things I took away from his movies always stayed in my mind."
Ari Merkin (CEO of NY ad agency TOY)
​​"Bruce Lee has inspired many skaters. He exemplified discipline and finding your own path to success while committed to doing something you love."
Tony Hawk (professional skater, entrepreneur, founder of the Skatepark Project)
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"Every time he spoke I would shudder because it was like poetry. He was like the first Asian rapper without a beat!"
Steve Aoki (Global DJ superstar abd record producer)
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"Bruce draws you in with his martial strength and prowess, fascinates you with his aggression and superlative masculinity, and then you go deeper and learn about his philosophy, his depth as a thinker and a scientist, and that really hooks you."
Ang Lee (renowned Chinese film writer/director/producer)
“Bruce inspired me, made me dream -- made me realize I wanted to be a filmmaker.”
Brett Ratner (Film director -- Director of “Rush Hour” trilogy with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker)
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“Bruce Lee encouraged me to make my own films with the real Chinese spirit."
John Woo (Renowned Hong Kong and Hollywood film director)
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​“I think he would be very proud of the fact that his legacy has transcended 30 years of updating the film industry, and that to this day he still remains inspirational to young Asian filmmakers and actors”
Andre Morgan (former Golden Harvest executive, producer of “Martial Law”) ​