Is there a reason Bruce Lee is so mysterious?
He kept meticulous records of his workouts and even took notes. Bruce Lee had tried almost all of the exercise equipment available at that time. Tensolator is one example.
What’s the Tensolator?
It was basically two tubes with one tube sliding into the other. There were handles on each end. The steel cable was covered with plastic wrapping. Although it is difficult to imagine, I can see the concept. It’s really important to visualize it. I will soon show you how it looks.
Tensolator used a coil spring for resistance, and integrated isometrics in its training program. Gert F. Kolbel (German inventor) created the Tensolator. He modeled it after a German Think Tank device.
Bruce Lee’s workout featured the Tensolator, which was used to boost punching power, speed, and muscle size. Bruce Lee has shown it as a dumbbell substitute to enhance his one-inch punch.
Bruce Lee wrote his Tensolator program in The Art of Expressing the Body. Bruce Lee found that even though 24 exercises were allowed in the original Tensolator for his entire body it was sufficient.
According to Bruce Lee’s instructions, here is Bruce Lee’s Tensolator workout:
Chest-
Chest Compression
Twisting.
Arms-
Bow and Arrow
Vertical Compression
Biceps — Standing or Kneeling
Forearm
Shoulders-
Hinter the Head Compression
Compression Above Head
Door Corner Press.
Stomach-
Sitting Pulling Downward
Kneeling Compression
Oblique Compression
Back-
Kneeling pulling downwards
Vertical compression of the Thigh
The Secret Behind Buttocks Comppression
Compression can be avoided.
Dead Lift.
Leg-
Straight Legs Outward Stretch
Extend your knees outward
Stand Calf Press Down.
Grip: Knee squeeze inwardly on Grip
Elevating in Take the First Step.
Exercises in Circulation
Bruce Lee wanted to make his body the most powerful possible. He achieved this goal without doubt.
These are just a few of his feats of strength:
* Lee’s striking speed from three feet with his hands down by his side reached five hundredths of a second.
* Lee’s combat movements were at times too fast to be captured on film at 24fps, so many scenes were shot in 32fps to put Lee in slow motion. Martial arts movies are normally sped-up.
* In a speed demonstration, Lee could snatch a dime off a person’s open palm before they could close it, and leave a penny behind.
* Lee could perform push ups using only his thumbs
* Lee would hold an elevated v-sit position for 30 minutes or longer.
* Lee could throw grains of rice up into the air and then catch them in mid-flight using chopsticks.
* Lee performed one-hand push-ups using only the thumb and index finger
* Lee performed 50 reps of one-arm chin-ups.
* From a standing position, Lee could hold a 125 lb (57 kg) barbell straight out.
* Lee could break wooden boards 6 inches (15 cm) thick.
* Lee performed a side kick while training with James Coburn and broke a 150-lb (68 kg) punching bag
* In a move that has been dubbed “Dragon Flag”Lee was able to perform leg raises by placing his shoulders on the bench edge and suspending his legs horizontally midair.
* Lee could thrust his fingers through unopened steel cans of Coca-Cola, at a time before cans were made of the softer aluminum metal.
* Lee could use one finger to leave dramatic indentations on pine wood.