Bruce Lee- A martial art inspiration
There are many reasons for doing a martial art but I think that Bruce Lee above all others has helped inspire more people to want to learn them. He was unique and fitted more into his short 32 years than we could in a lifetime, he was simply a genius. We all need an inspiration, someone you see that makes you want to move like them, follow them, copy their movements, a role model. No I am not going to put on a yellow jump suit and start waving my hands about. (Game of death style) although I have been asked to!
Everyone has their own path to follow and no one can ever be the same as Bruce Lee as there was only one, just as there is only one of you. Many of us and I include myself in this remember mimicking his movements after seeing him on the big screen. We used to go to the Chinese late night showings of his films in London at 2.30am where it would be packed with his fellow countrymen cheering on their hero. When there were no more Bruce Lee films we still went because Jacky Chan came on the scene although he was very different in his approach to his martial arts by adding more humour to them.
For me when I look and think about Bruce Lee I don’t really want to copy him as I think he would have been set against that. What comes to my mind is an overwhelming feeling that he was saying be the best version you can be of yourself. We all have ideas, thoughts and skills and it up to us to develop them and bring them to the forefront then in turn you may inspire others to have their own ideas and ways. This is healthy and should always be encouraged. I leave you with one of my all time favourite Bruce Lee quotes;
Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless and add what is specifically your own.
Thanks for reading and keep positive, keep safe
All the best
GM Angelo