The First Firebreather

The Dragon

Bruce Lee was the original Firebreather. He pushed himself beyond his limits. Bruce Lee understood the limit blockade for most people was the mental barrier. He roundhoused through his mental barriers harder than Chuck Norris fighting his way around the Coliseum.

So what did Bruce Lee teach me about CrossFit? Read on.

Cross-Train

Vary every aspect of your training for best results. Experiment with different exercises even when it’s mentally uncomfortable. Try exercises you’re afraid of. So what if you need to spot yourself during a set of handstand push-ups. You’re still doing them while others that are intimidated stand on the sidelines wishing they had the guts to try.

Get out, and stay out, of your comfort zone.

Bruce Lee constantly tinkered with exercises to get the best results. He even made, or had friends fabricate, his own workout devices and equipment. Sound familiar?

Videos play all around the web that shows Bruce Lee working out in his backyard, in his garage, and in his house. He didn’t need a designated workout spot. Neither do we.

Read to Learn

Bruce Lee devoured books like a pack of hyenas ripping through a monkey dinner. He had a collection of 2,500 books in his library. And he had read every one of them; some he had read more than once. He not only studied martial arts books, but also books on boxing, fencing, and philosophy.

If something didn’t make sense to Bruce Lee, he would read about it to understand it. Then, after he finished reading it, he experimented with it. If it returned results he would snatch what was effective, and dump (and remember) what was not. It’s what successful people do.

Research Outside Your Inner Circle

His teacher, Yip Man, was a martial art legend. And yet, Bruce Lee took all opportunities to learn from others which were nowhere near being a master. And you know what else? When something worked, he didn’t keep it a secret. He told everybody what worked. But it was most people’s unwillingness to put in the work for the results which hindered his ideas from going gangbusters. To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities. -Bruce Lee

Your CrossFit coach is captain, I know, but there’s always, always, someone with deeper knowledge that you can learn from. Don’t close yourself off to other CrossFitters or CrossFit coaches outside your inner circle. You can learn what not to do too. They can help you expand your knowledge so you too can forge elite fitness faster.

Fad Fitness Is Not Elite fitness

Bruce Lee never bought into the mainstream idea of fitness. Could you imagine if Bruce Lee hadn’t forged his own path to elite fitness, but instead worked out at Gold’s Gym? Sure he would get results, but he wouldn’t come close to where he took his athletic ability and fitness level. He would have had a one-sided fitness physique like Lou Ferrigno.

It’s hard to picture Lou Ferrigno crushing Fight Gone Bad. Though, that would be fun to watch.

Stay Focused

Bruce Lee longed to become the world’s biggest Chinese actor, and the best martial artist he could be. He did a pretty good job of attaining both, and it didn’t come easy for him. His road to stardom and elite fitness was riddled with potholes.

If fitness goals were easy, they wouldn’t be goals at all. They would be stuff you did yesterday. That’s why they’re goals, because you’re working your ass off to achieve them.

Your goal may be to look good naked, have a sub 3 minute Fran time, or you may just want to lose a few pounds. Whatever your goal, keep your eyes on it.

Some days you don’t feel like throwing the sheets off to get out of bed, and that’s okay. Everybody has those days. However, even if your chin is hanging lower than usual, keep your eyes on your goal. The bad day will pass, and life will go on. I assure you.

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