Is Bruce a legend or a myth? Facts about Bruce Lee
1. Bruce was too fast for the camera.
Bruce Lee could strike in 0.05 seconds from a distance of 1 m and in 0.08 seconds from one and a half meters. On regular film (24 frames per second), such a blow was not visible - in one frame Bruce is standing, and in the next he is standing again, but the opponent is writhing in pain. So in the first takes of the Green Hornet, rivals magically scattered around Bruce, who was standing almost motionless, which did not suit the producers.
While fight scenes would normally be sped up for action, the directors asked Bruce to shoot slower and filmed it at 32 frames per second, then cutting-edge, and then slowed it down. And even so, all that was achieved was very blurry movements.
2. Bruce could do two-finger push-ups half a hundred times.
On several occasions, Bruce Lee publicly demonstrated 50 push-ups on one arm, pressing only his thumb and forefinger into the floor, simply because he could.
Doing 50 pull-ups on two fingers of one hand was also not a problem for him.
Bruce could hold a 32-kg weight in his outstretched hand for several seconds.
3. Bruce could hold his abs for half an hour in any position.
Bruce Lee could hold his legs in an angle position on his hands for 30 minutes or more, and the dragon flag exercise was named after him:
4. Bruce did more than 8,000 exercises almost every day
His daily routine included 5,000 punches, 2,000 sidekicks, 360 waist twists, 100 sit-up twists, 200 leaning twists, 100 leg raises. and 200 knee-to-chest pull-ups (frog kick). And that doesn't even include training!
Even when Bruce was not training, he often performed various exercises in everyday life - during the day, for example, while watching TV. He was a fan of abdominal training.
5. Bruce was too strong for the punching bag.
With one side kick, Bruce Lee could break a standard 150 lb (68 kg) punching bag, so his training bags were made to order - twice as heavy (300 lb) and with a metal base. There are rumors that Bruce could send even such a punching bag to the ceiling with one side kick.
6. Bruce could deliver a devastating blow from a distance of 3 cm
In 1964, Bruce Lee was invited to the karate championships in Log Beach, California, to demonstrate his famous One Inch Punch.
Bob Baker - the man in this video - then asked Bruce not to do any more such demonstrations as he had to stay home the next day due to unbearable chest pain.
7. Bruce could send a man flying with one punch
Bruce was so much stronger than ordinary people that he almost never hit with full force, but there are cases when he kicked an assistant holding his training shield into the air.
And one day he dislodged a guy’s shoulder with what he called a “light slap.”
His blow was impossible to block - he hit the US karate champion (Vic Moore) after warning about it... Of course, the blow was not full force because then he could not repeat it 8 times.
8. Bruce hasn’t lost a single fight...
...except for one thing. Bruce Lee lost a fight only once in his life: when he was 13 years old. It was this defeat that prompted him to study martial art. After the other students learned that Bruce was not a full-blooded Chinese, they demanded that he stop training with them. The teacher had to study with him individually.
After that, Bruce really didn’t lose a single fight, both in street fights and in international competitions. Moreover, few people managed to strike him at all. He fought his fastest fight in 1962, knocking out his opponent in 11 seconds, delivering 15 punches and one kick.
9. Bruce was an excellent boxer, dancer and poet
In 1958, Bruce Lee won two tournaments at once - the Hong Kong Cha-Cha Championship and the Boxing Championship. His secret hobby was poetry. According to experts, he produced very good poetry.
10. Bruce could pierce an unopened can of Coke with his fingers.
And in those days, the layer of aluminum from which the container was made was much thicker than today.
He could also break a 15 cm thick board.
11. Bruce could break a light bulb with his foot hanging at a height of ~2.5 meters
This is what he demonstrated in the film “Way of the Dragon,” where he knocked out a light bulb while jumping.
12. Bruce could catch a grain of rice on the fly with his chopsticks
Trying to further develop his reflexes, Bruce Lee trained to catch a grain of rice in flight with chopsticks.
13. Bruce could light a match with nunchucks
Bruce Lee glued a striker from a matchbox to the nunchucks and could make such a precise strike that they carefully struck the match and set it on fire. By the way, the assistant was holding a match in his teeth.
14. Bruce could change the coin in your hand faster than you can clench your fist.
Bruce Lee was so fast that, standing a meter away from a person, he could ask him to hold a coin in his palm and as soon as he noticed the movement, clasp it in his fist. Everyone with whom he performed this trick, unclenching his fist, was already holding another coin.
15. Bruce Lee was stronger than Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris was one of Bruce Lee's students, his friend and one of the pallbearers at his funeral in Seattle. Bruce "defeated" Chuck in the movie Way of the Dragon, and when Chuck Norris was asked who would win in a fight to the death, he replied: "Bruce, of course, no one can beat him."
16. Bruce Lee starred in only 5 Hollywood films
17. The phenomenon of “Bruceploitation”
The short career of a film actor gave rise to the phenomenon of "Bruceploitation" - a wave of cheap second-rate films with actors who looked like Bruce. In total, 168 such fakes were counted.
18. In 1970, Bruce Lee suffered a back injury that made it impossible to play sports anymore.
He trained with a 45-kg kettlebell without warming up and ended up in the hospital with a pinched spine. Doctors said that, at best, Bruce would be able to lead a normal life without serious stress and that for six months he would learn to walk again. Soon he left the hospital on his own two feet and became even stronger and faster than before.
19. Bruce Lee was a fan of the Great Gum - the most invincible fighter in the world.
The career lasted 50 years.
20. A statue of Bruce Lee was installed in Mostar, Bosnia,
because he was a hero who was loved by all ethnic groups that lived in the city. The statue was later destroyed by vandals.
21. Bruce Lee was a big fan of Muhammad Ali
and used his free time to watch his fights on film.
22. Bruce Lee was a quarter German (his mother was half German).
23. Bruce Lee's secret hobby was writing poetry.
and he was actually a pretty good poet.
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Three years later, on May 10, 1973, when an unusual allergic reaction in the brain to painkillers interrupted the life of a one-of-a-kind superman - Bruce Lee. By the way, real video footage of Bruce Lee lying in a coffin was included in his last film - Game of Death, where Bruce's character allegedly faked his death.
This is what Bruce Lee's grave looks like today in Seattle, where he is buried next to his son, Brandon Lee, who also died under mysterious circumstances on the set of the film The Crow.
The birth of the "little dragon"
He was born in San Francisco in 1941, the year of the Dragon according to the eastern calendar, so he was named Li Xiaolong, which means “little dragon.” In 1942, the family returned to their historical homeland - Hong Kong. Bruce Lee endured climate change very hard. As a child, he was generally a rather sickly child.
Being the son of an actor, Bruce Lee made his film debut at the age of three, playing a little girl in the film. Even before reaching adulthood, he starred in more than twenty films.
He got these roles thanks to his special plasticity; he danced the cha-cha-cha perfectly and even then amazed street onlookers with the grace of his movements.
While growing up, thirteen-year-old Bruce often suffers from street punks. His mother enrolls him in the kung fu section, and this finally determines his fate.
Bruce Lee with his family. Photo © Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images
From the age of sixteen he has already been studying with the legendary Ip Man, the patriarch of the Wing Chun style. In the technique of this martial arts, the opponent’s strength is used against him, the fight is fought at a very short distance with the opponent. Bruce Lee's myopia was one of the reasons why he chose wing chun.
Having succeeded in martial arts, he becomes a school legend, and then a terror of the streets, gets involved with a criminal gang and soon leads it. One day he beat the son of a boss from a triad - the most influential Chinese group, similar to the Japanese yakuza, and his father, out of harm's way, decided to send Bruce to America.
The path to the American dream
In America he is calmer, but has less room for ambition. The 19-year-old guy first works as a waiter, then enters the Faculty of Philosophy, and practices techniques in the evenings.
He soon realizes that he must devote more time to kung fu, and in general make a living doing what he loves. Having recruited the first students, he trains them right in the park, since there is not enough money to rent premises. Soon his school becomes popular, and funds become available for expansion.
Bruce trains everyone indiscriminately, which causes discontent among his competitors, who only accepted Asians for classes. One day, kung fu master Won Jack Man comes to him and offers to fight with the following condition: if he wins, Bruce Lee closes his section or stops accepting everyone indiscriminately. However, Bruce wins. But, although he won, he was unhappy because the fight lasted three minutes, which, in his opinion, was too long. This is what prompted him to the idea of developing his own style - Jeet Kune Do.
Photo © Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images
In the mid-60s, after starring in several TV series, Bruce gained popularity. Such stars as Roman Polanski, Warren Beatty and Steve McQueen train in its sections. The downside of fame is endless provocations from the press, attacks from the city's crazy people, and pressure from Hollywood bosses who don't give him leading roles or the director's chair.
Return to Hong Kong
Having moved to Hong Kong with his family, Bruce gains creative freedom, since he is a recognized idol in his homeland. After all, it was thanks to him that the Chinese grew from insignificant and curious characters on the screen into real heroes. The films "Fist of Fury" and "Big Boss" are absolute hits, they made Bruce famous and brought money.
He is intensely busy training and writing a new script. However, in the early 70s, by all appearances being a healthy and successful person, Bruce fell into depression. With his wife, Linda Lee, he shares his secret that he has risen to the very top and can go further, but is afraid of falling. He suffers from headaches, from which he finds relief in marijuana.
Bruce Lee with his wife Linda and son Brandon. Photo © Public Domain
Death from overload
Successes and misfortunes in the life of a master alternate with new victories. On the one hand, a contract with Hollywood, filming, the cult of his name, on the other - serious injuries on the set, gossip and scandals. Newspapers wash the actor’s dirty laundry and write about his mistresses. On the set of "Games of Death" he loses consciousness. After a thorough examination, doctors find no pathology and convince the 32-year-old star that he has the body of an 18-year-old boy.
According to relatives, as well as one of his friends, Chuck Norris, Bruce Lee did not know how to relax at all. In the last month of life, several scandals occur. Bruce quarrels with unscrupulous producer Lo Wei, and the press accuses him of using violence.
Photo © Concord Productions Inc. / Golden Harvest Company / Sunset Boulevard / Corbis via Getty Images
Black mark from the Chinese mafia - forbidden strike
According to one version, Bruce Lee was killed by a master hired by the mafia, who had a grudge against the actor. The killer mastered the deadly martial art of dim mak - the so-called delayed strike technique. Those familiar with this technique thoroughly know the location of nerve points on the human body and can control energy flows. The blow is delivered in such a way that after a month, six months or even a year the victim develops cancer or dies of a heart attack.
This version is associated with the fact that a year before the death of Bruce Lee, an incident occurred on the set. A certain person from the crowd kindly offered to help perform one of the stunts. However, when the rehearsal began, he hit Bruce in the head, causing him to briefly lose consciousness. When the actor woke up, there was no trace of the stranger. This version has many adherents - the hero had problems both with the mafia and with other masters. Whatever one may say, it all adds up to a rather dark puzzle.
A spirin or special poison
On July 20, while visiting his friend Betty, Bruce complains of a headache and takes a mixture of aspirin and painkiller called Equagestic that she suggested. Unfortunately, he was not destined to wake up. According to another version, he was poisoned by competitors from the film industry. And there is logic in this: his films took away profits from large film companies and drove small ones out of the market.
Photo © Bruce Lee Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Roger Hutchinson, the author of one of the books about the actor, believes that the family knows something more than is known to the public, but the time has not yet come to reveal the secret. Linda Lee is probably more aware of her husband's health problems.
A year ago, a new version appeared, and it was associated with the removal of Bruce Lee's sweat glands. The actor did not like to sweat, but worked out intensely, and the lack of sweating led to overheating of the body and a colossal load on the heart.
On the day of Bruce Lee's funeral, there was an outbreak of suicides around the world; some fans took a vow of celibacy. Since then, for forty years, new versions of the hero’s death have been appearing. No one can believe that the symbol of strength and health died so young.
The curse of the Li family
In 1965, Bruce and Linda Lee had a son, Brandon. The master liked to joke: “This is the only blue-eyed and blond-haired Chinese in Hong Kong.” Brandon followed in his father's footsteps - he became an actor and martial artist. Already at the age of five, he amazed those around him with his excellent physical fitness - he walked on his hands and could reach his father’s shoulders in a jump. Every year the boy became stronger and more technical, following the example of his father even after he was gone.
The film Showdown in Little Tokyo, where Brandon played in a duet with Dolph Lundgren, made him famous in the world of big cinema. All roads were open for him, but 20 years after the death of Bruce Lee, a tragic and absurd accident ends the life of his son.
Still from the film "The Raven" / Kinopoisk
On the set of the film "The Crow", in which Brandon played the main role, in one of the scenes he was supposed to be shot by the antagonist. They forgot to remove the plug from the pistol firing blank cartridges, and when fired, it hit Brandon in the abdominal cavity. A few hours later, the actor died in the hospital from loss of blood. Many associate this event with mysticism, but this does not make it any easier.
If we talk about mystical omens, then two days before the death of Bruce Lee, a glass angel fell from his house, protecting the family nest from the attack of evil spirits. There were rumors that the house Bruce bought in 1972 was cursed. Within a month of moving into this house, all members of the Lee family, including the dog, suffered from colds and other illnesses. Dan Inosanto, a friend of Bruce Lee, said that the master became interested in esotericism, and also entered into a contract with dark forces in order to become a great actor and earn 10 million dollars.
Shortly before his death, Bruce Lee said that even if he were gone now, he was happy with what he managed to do. His achievements are truly amazing: he invented and tested a new martial arts - jeet kune do, starred in 36 films and several TV series, opened several martial arts schools, and achieved phenomenal physical shape for a person.
After Bruce Lee's death, his students remained and opened their own schools. A genre such as Bruceplotation appeared in cinema, where the plots of Bruce Lee’s films were played out and developed, and the doubles who played there took pseudonyms like Lee Bruce. He is a hero of two worlds - Eastern and Western, because no one before him managed to popularize Chinese martial culture and make it part of the Western mainstream. The talent and performance of the 32-year-old fighter is truly unique. Almost half a century has passed, but so far no one has been able to repeat Bruce’s results and achieve such fame.
One of the many misconceptions about Bruce Lee is that he was born into a wealthy family. One often reads the phrase "by Hong Kong standards" when referring to Lee's house, which was located in Kowloon, above a row of crowded shops and was anything but an example of the best houses and gardens. Apart from his parents and four siblings, the house at 218 Nathan Road provided room and board for Bruce's aunt and her five children, as well as a married couple and their son Vu Ngan, who twenty years later, as Bruce's butler, was considered by the press to be the prime suspect in his mysterious death.
Behind the iron accordion door were several sparsely furnished and separated rooms. None of the nearly twenty residents had their own bedroom; instead, the entire tiny space was divided into cramped sitting areas. Although the house had a bathroom, the bathtub was often used during dry periods to conserve water for cooking and flushing the latrine.
Apart from the thousands of Chinese who lived in filthy slums made of sticks, tarpaulins, cardboard and corrugated steel, and the thousands more who lived as squatters on the rooftops of tenements, the Lee family lived like the vast majority of Chinese in Hong Kong in the spring of 1941 like herrings in ramshackle apartment buildings, surrounded by an urban hive of garish neon signs and bustling stalls. Among the aromas of spices, incense, boiling oil in a cauldron, systems of open drainpipes, perfume and body sweat, blaring music from radios, non-stop clinking of spoons, mahjong dice, coins, abaca, hammers and electric drills, Bruce suffered greatly that summer from the sweltering heat and humidity. , covering Hong Kong Island and the surrounding Kowloon area.
Another misconception about Bruce Lee is that he was born into this world with amazing muscles and boundless energy. On the contrary, Bruce was from the very beginning an extremely fragile child and painfully slow in physical development. The reason for this was that he was born with a condition known as cryptorchidism, which is a disorder in which one or two of the newborn's testicles did not descend before he was born. This condition is often naturally corrected by the administration of androgen, a male sex hormone that neither the baby nor his mother produced during the eighth month of fetal development. Although it is unknown whether Bruce was treated in early childhood, the question regarding the case history is why the primary defect remained uncorrected in Bruce until well into adulthood.
As a result of Bruce's cryptorchidism, his bone and muscle growth was hampered, and throughout his life his reproductive system never progressed beyond puberty. As for the well-developed and shaped body that earned him the title of "the most athletic man in the world" despite his highly publicized physical training, that Herculean physique simply was not his natural genetic ability. Moreover, what is particularly important for understanding Bruce's early years is that the main symptom observed in most children with untreated cryptorchidism is psychosocial immaturity.
"Ah, it's not hard to deceive me
I myself am glad to be deceived..."
A.S. Pushkin
We bring to your attention a series of articles by expert Alexander Rodin on the topic “Myths and reality in the world of martial arts.” Part 1. Bruce Lee.
Today there are a lot of myths around such a popular topic as the martial arts of the world, and these myths, in turn, give rise to speculation, leading to the deception of many for the sake of enriching the deceivers. The emergence of these myths is primarily associated with the transfer of the product of cinema and advertising into real life without dividing into truth and fiction. In this regard, I would like to bring to your attention a number of excerpts from my manual, written for students of the Kyiv State Institute of Physical Culture in 1992, in which we will talk about Bruce Lee, the Shao-lin Monastery, Wu-shu, Kung Fu , Aiki-do, Karate, Sumo, Cossack martial arts, Astral karate, etc.
Laziness is, perhaps, a universal and basic property of people. Everyone strives to: find a pill that, if taken, will help them lose weight once and for all and be cured of all diseases; a book that, after reading, will gain wisdom; clothes and makeup that will make you irresistible; an injection, after which the body will be covered with voluminous and prominent muscles, etc., etc.
In our case, the dream is that there is some kind of mysterious style, the development of which does not require long and grueling training, but at the same time in the shortest time makes anyone an invulnerable and invincible fighter, and all that is needed for this is to find a mysterious master or, what is even simpler and more desirable, read a secret book.
Let's remember the 50s - 60s judo, 70s karate, jujutsu, 80s wushu, kung fu, ninjutsu, aiki do, muay thai, etc. Each new trend became fashionable and acquired fans eager to learn that great secret that would finally make them a superman. But life took its toll, it turned out that in order to achieve the goal it was necessary to work a lot and hard, and in addition to have certain abilities, if you like, talent, and the fans who had lost faith with enviable enthusiasm embarked on new searches.
The real popularity of martial arts came from the fusion of two arts - the ancient, eastern martial art and the modern, Western art of cinematography. Cinema, as the most accessible and easily perceived means of information and advertising, spread the legends and real achievements of eastern fighters around the world. The work of popularization was completed by television, which introduced invincible heroes into every home, every family, the result was not long in coming all over the world (and our country is no exception) schools, clubs, sections, federations of all existing martial arts were opened. Today it is hardly possible to find a person who does not know Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal, Jean Claude van Damme, Cynthia Rothrock and many others.
The end of the Second World War opened up access for Western countries to the cultural and historical values of the peoples of Southeast Asia. Film producers quite quickly discovered a new, not yet used layer - hand-to-hand combat in the oriental style. Having started filming, the directors were faced with a very serious and, at first, simply insoluble problem.
The paradox was that those who wanted and were ready to star in their films did not know how to fight and had a very superficial understanding of martial arts. Those whose knowledge and skills were beyond doubt flatly refused not only to act in film, but even to act as consultants or demonstrate their art. Warrior monks could not violate religious prohibitions, and secular masters, according to tradition, had to keep the secrets of their clan. Thus, despite the fact that there were a lot of masters around, it was impossible to find a movie character for filming, and therefore, the first films of this genre were pale, boring and unartistic.
Bruce Lee, fighter or actor?
Everyone sees the skin of a tiger,
few people see his bones.
A qualitative breakthrough was the appearance on the screen of Li Zheng Fan (Li Xiao Long is a child's name, Bruce Lee is a movie name). Bruce Lee, unlike the Chinese masters, could drink whiskey and smoke, he was not embarrassed by naked girls, he did everything that the directors demanded, he knew how to fight, he made no secret of the techniques he performed, he was educated, modern, spoke English , was artistic, had a pleasant appearance and, last but not least, was a US citizen.
So, a myth named Bruce Lee: “Champion among champions, the most perfect and unsurpassed fighter in the world, who never knew a single defeat, etc., etc.” Next we will get acquainted with his real biography.
On November 27, 1940, a boy, Li Zheng Fan, was born in San Francisco (where the Chinese Opera Theater was touring). Since he was born in the year and hour of the Dragon, he received the corresponding child name Li Xiao Long (Li Little Dragon), who became a citizen at his place of birth. USA.
Lee Xiao Long first appeared in a movie at the age of 3 months ("The Girl with the Golden Collar"), and Bruce Lee himself considered the beginning of his film career to be the film "The Origin of Humankind" - 1946. As a film artist, Bruce Lee was very successful , until 1958, he starred in two dozen films, in addition, he successfully studied at a ballroom dancing school, in 1958 becoming the Hong Kong champion in Cha-cha-cha dance (Bruce Lee's only championship title).
At the age of 13, he began training in the Wing Chun style, at the school of master Ip Man, where, not without success, he studied for about 3 years (everyone who has encountered the traditional teaching system understands that during this time you can become, at best, a junior student). Due to the fact that Bruce Lee's youth was very turbulent, in 1958 he had to leave Hong Kong, the alternative was prison or death in a street fight. Before leaving, Ip Man reminds Bruce that the art of Wing Chun under no circumstances should become the property of outsiders, and especially foreigners. Lee swore allegiance to the teacher, the school and the covenants of his ancestors.
Having entered the Faculty of Western Philosophy at Seattle University, he immediately opened the only school of Wing Chun at that time to teach American students (Bruce Lee certainly could not open a school for the Chinese, since he did not have sufficient knowledge and experience for this; it was a different matter for the Americans who know nothing about Chinese martial arts). He soon realizes that he is exhausted and cannot give anything new to his students.
In 1965, he goes to Hong Kong, asks for forgiveness from his teacher and permission to continue his studies, he asks Ip Man to remove him while he is performing tao-lu (sets of formal exercises), so that he can continue his independent studies in the United States. Having strong convictions, Master Ip Man refused all of Bruce's requests. Lee begs to forgive him and offers to pay for his training at the highest level, to which the master replied: “Knowledge is passed on to the worthy from heart to heart, and not to the rich from hand to hand, like money.” Bruce Lee makes the same request to the master's son Ip Chun, but is refused there too.
There is a version that Ip Man, after some time, having opened his art to general study, introduced a number of changes to his teaching methodology that significantly emasculated it. Thus, only a very narrow circle of trusted students today study the authentic Wing Chun (I repeat, this is just a version).
Returning to the USA, Bruce Lee understands that he will not be able to study Wing Chun himself or teach anyone else Wing Chun, he has no knowledge and nowhere to get it from, he is at a dead end. But being an ambitious, talented and persistent person, he looks for a way out and, in the end, finds it. Having synthesized the techniques of Wing Chun known to him with elements of taekwon-do, karate, boxing, judo, jiu-jitsu, kung fu, in 1967 he introduced the world to a new style of Jeet Kune Do (the way of the leading fist), the essence of which he defined as “style without style” (in other words, a haphazard set of techniques pulled from everywhere). The style gained wild popularity, since it was presented by Bruce Lee himself, but it did not prove itself to be anything good, not for sports, not for special forces, not for the street.
In 1966, Bruce Lee found himself on the set of the television series “The Green Hornet”, and this is how his brilliant career as a film character began. But show business has its own laws and he unconditionally accepts them.
He creates a myth about an unsurpassed “inch punch”, available only to him, while the “fa-li” (force release) technique is studied and practiced by adherents of absolutely all internal styles, and tens, if not hundreds of thousands of fighters perform the “inch punch” no worse, and often much more effective, than Bruce Lee.
The hero must have an ideal figure, from the point of view of Europeans, and Bruce begins bodybuilding, using all available chemicals to improve performance, grow muscle mass, burn fat and remove moisture from the body.
The actor should not be forgotten and films with his participation are being released one after another: “Big Boss”, “Fist of Fury”, “The Chinese Connection”, “Enter the Dragon”, “Way of the Dragon”, in total he starred in 36 films. He is in a hurry to live, striving to gain all the fame and money in the world. The cost of one hour of training with him reaches $500; he is not only an actor, but also a director, screenwriter, fight scene director, producer, and since 1973, the owner of his own film studio, Concord.
And the body cannot withstand this race; on July 20, 1973, during the filming of the film “Game of Death,” he takes a pill for a headache, after which he begins to have convulsions and dies without regaining consciousness.
Death, like the life of an artist, gives rise to a lot of legends and rumors:
- Triad revenge for refusal to cooperate
- revenge of the Shaolin monks for disclosing secret knowledge (touching slow death)
- lover's revenge
- suicide, drugs, poisoning, etc., etc.
The most exotic, perhaps, was the following:
In 1971, Bruce Lee (Li Xiao Long - Little Dragon Lee) moves to Hong Kong and settles at Nine Dragon Lake. The version is as follows - nine dragons who lived there previously did not tolerate the appearance of another dragon on their territory and killed him. This is the version of experts in Feng Shui, the ancient science of interaction between man and the world around him.
An autopsy showed that Bruce Lee's death was the result of a disorder of brain activity that arose as a result of increased sensitivity to the chemical components included in the headache pill he took.
Bruce Lee's body was sent to the United States and buried in Seattle. His funeral was grandiose and tragic, several young people committed suicide, unable to survive the death of their idol, the girls swore not to marry, his death was perceived as a world tragedy.
So, let's summarize:
- How great is Bruce Lee’s contribution to the popularization of martial arts? They are huge; no one, perhaps, has done more.
- Was he an outstanding film actor? Undoubtedly.
- Was he a champion? Yes, in 1958 he became the champion of Hong Kong in Cha-cha-cha dance, but he did not take part in any competition, be it duels or performing Tao-lu complexes.
- Was he a fighter? Perhaps, but only one out of millions.
Images:
budopeople.ru
brucelee.com
moikompas.ru
oboisunsve.bestoboi.no-ip.org
The official cause of death was cerebral hemorrhage. Read more in the material of sports commentator Dmitry Kalugin. "Little Dragon"
The death of the legendary Bruce Lee, even after almost half a century, continues to acquire legends. A new theory of the death of the legendary man was put forward by the author of his new biography, American Matthew Polley. The answer lies in Bruce's latest films.
If you notice, Bruce Lee doesn't have a drop of sweat on him. Matthew Polley claims the artist removed sweat glands from his armpits for better shots. And such self-sacrifice ultimately cost Bruce his life. His body began to tolerate stress worse, and he eventually died of heatstroke.
Although this is just another version among a dozen others. There is also an official expert opinion - Bruce Lee died of a cerebral hemorrhage. But fans of the great master do not believe this.
Theories are the most varied: from the banal - murder and drugs to the mystical. There is a version that Bruce was killed by a certain master of the art of delayed death. 30 thousand people came to the farewell ceremony in Hong Kong. Some lost consciousness due to the crush. Above Bruce's coffin hung a banner: "A Star Sank into the Sea of Art." And next to the body sat his American wife Linda Lee, who was in an almost insane state from grief.
The name of Bruce Lee is generally surrounded by a huge number of legends. But there are also completely irrefutable facts.
The great master had incredible speed: in just a second he could deliver up to nine blows. At the same time, the force of the blow did not suffer from speed; it was phenomenal - 1800 kilograms, more than that of many heavyweights. Lee developed it through constant training. He could do one and a half thousand push-ups on the floor, and on his thumbs alone his result was about a hundred.
All these achievements still inspire thousands of people. Bruce Lee created his own style of martial arts - Jeet Kune Do. He perfected it until his death. And now this style is being studied all over the world.
“This is a style that suits, in principle, anyone. Because if your legs don’t work, you can try with your hands. If you don’t have enough strength, you can use... This is like one of the components. Well, secondly, we must not forget who Bruce Lee was. He was a purposeful person, and, most importantly, he had a unique physical talent. In fact, no one has surpassed his speed,” said Jeet Kune Do coach Sergei Ryzhov.
This is not Bruce Lee at all, but his exact copy. Abbas Alizadeh from Afghanistan is already a world celebrity. He studied the techniques and techniques of his idol from films, and now he is going to try his luck in the film industry.
Today, on a memorable day, an exhibition dedicated to Bruce Lee opened in Hong Kong. It features more than a hundred comics from around the world about the great martial arts master.