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Bruce Lee: The Greatest Martial Artist of All Time


Originally posted on 05/29/2020

A crowd lines up to look at a statue of Bruce Lee, the founder of Jeet Kune Do.It is widely accepted by fighters and other people around the world that Bruce Lee was the most influential martial artist of all time. From his famous action movies to his unique martial art of Jeet Kune Do, the legend of Bruce Lee has held strong.

And while many may think Bruce Lee was little more than a Hollywood actor, his greatest achievements extended far beyond the big screen. He was also a wise philosopher saying many things regarding the sport of martial arts that people still recognize today.

Although he is seen as the most influential martial artist in history, one question remains that some try to argue regarding his abilities and skills in a real fighting situation:

Is Bruce Lee the greatest martial artist of all time?

You’ll quickly find more than just one or two people who think so.

Fighters Learned to Adapt by Watching Bruce Lee

Among his most famous quotes, Bruce Lee once said -

“Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”

Lee followed this mindset of adapting to surroundings throughout his entire life and has since impacted millions who try to follow his example. 

UFC President Dana White once said that Bruce Lee was "the father of mixed martial arts." He also referenced that if you ask any fighter out there who their inspiration was for joining the sport, pretty much everyone will list Bruce Lee among their idols.

Former UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis agreed saying he’s the reason why most guys become a part of martial arts.

Over the years, Bruce Lee learned many styles of fighting such as boxing, fencing, and the art of Wing Chun, which he studied under the direction of Ip Man. He incorporated these and other forms into his own martial art that he called Jeet Kune Do (JKD), which directly translates to “the way of the intercepting fist” in Cantonese.

Bruce Lee mural on NY Martial Arts Academy location in Brooklyn.

Even Randy Couture, a UFC Champion, said a huge part of his wrestling techniques came from Jeet Kune Do.

The concept of JKD was that no one style of martial arts had all the answers. Similar to his quote about water, the point was to always be adapting your fighting to the situations around you.

Former UFC Champion Anderson Silva said he changed many of his fighting techniques to make them “similar to Bruce Lee”. This mindset and his own training helped Silva remain champion for 2,457 days, the longest title reign in UFC history.

In an interview, boxing Hall of Famer Mike Tyson once talked about a key aspect of Bruce Lee’s fighting style being the increased ability to avoid taking hits. A major part of Jeet Kune Do is to “do as much damage as you can and then get out.”

Shannon Lee, Bruce Lee’s daughter, has previously talked about how he was determined to be the greatest at everything he did. He was always trying to find the best and most efficient way to do martial arts and express himself. She said he was always asking himself questions like:

  • “What is the best type of footwork?”
  • “What is the best way to bridge the gap?”
  • “What is the best way to effectively strike?”

He would then adjust his style to fit the answer to each of these questions.

Bruce Lee Called the Greatest of All Time by World Champions & Beyond

Pro Boxer Manny Pacquiao says Bruce Lee is his idol, saying he tries to copy his hair and other looks. But more than that, Pacquiao also said he changed many of his fighting techniques into Lee’s style because he felt it would help him become a champion. Which he did — 12 times.

The actor and mixed martial artist Chuck Norris famously fought Bruce Lee on the big screen in their movie The Way of the Dragon. In the audio commentary on the DVD, Jon Benn who played the movie’s mob boss asked Norris who would win in a real-life fight. Norris responded almost immediately saying, “Bruce of course. Nobody can beat him."

This opinion by Chuck Norris has been shared by hundreds of professional fighters both before and after.

In an interview with UFC Champion Connor McGregor, he once said he had no doubt that Bruce Lee would have been World Champion in MMA if he’d had the chance.

Hong Kong statue of Bruce Lee the Greatest Martial Artist of All Time.

Some naysayers argue comments like these, claiming Lee only ever fought in movies, which were fake depictions of these battles. But Joe Rogan joined the ranks of people who say Bruce Lee is the greatest martial artist of all time, even when it comes to recognizing the moves he used in these movie scenes.

Mentioning things like his oblique kicks and his counters to block incoming attacks, Rogan once referenced on his talk show how Bruce Lee’s style was more realistic than any moves you see in martial arts movies today.

Bruce Lee is the Greatest and His Martial Arts Traditions Continue

Bruce Lee continues to be seen by the masses as the greatest martial artist of all time. He was referred to by Dana White as a “worldwide fighting icon” not only because of martial arts but because of his philosophies, movies, teaching ability, and more.

It’s easy to agree with boxing Hall of Famer Sugar Ray Leonard who said, “In the dictionary, you say ‘Greatest’, you say ‘Bruce Lee’. That’s the way it is. He is second to no one.”

Here at NY Martial Arts Academy, we train in the Jeet Kune Do style of Bruce Lee. His inspiration guides our instruction and our classes. Consider taking a class for you in our adult classes or your children in our youth program. Give our team a call to find the best location and class.

Learn more about Jeet Kune Do here!

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My son has been attending NYMAA for over a 1.5 year and overall he has gained more confidence, discipline, and love his classes. We had the pleasure of working with many of their Sifus and they are all amazing. Special thanks to Sifu Chuck, Sara, Carlos, James and everyone else that my son has worked with. We started doing private classes and then switched to group classes. Great place to have your child gained discipline and learned martial arts. Marcia S | Astoria Marcia S | Astoria's Rating
I am extremely pleased with instructors Sifu James, Sifu Carlos and Sifu Dino. My son has participated in their classes for the past 3 months now. have noticed a great change in my son's school work and how motivated he is to come to class! They are the best of the best!!!!! Would recommend for all ages! Víctor Santamaria | Astoria Víctor Santamaria | Astoria's Rating
My daughter loves it here, and I can see improvements in her character. Lenny Lam | Astoria Lenny Lam | Astoria's Rating
I've been training here for almost 3 years now and it has allowed me to meet great people and form strong bonds with the people I train with. It's a great environment to learn martial arts because not only are you surrounded by good people, you also have a lot of fun training as the instructors tend to crack jokes throughout the classes. Great place get in a hard training session, and a real confidence booster as you will be pushed to your limits and be encouraged by the instructors and your teammates to continue despite being tired. Great instructors that know their stuff and will explain why we do certain techniques or drills a certain way. More importantly than that, it's great for personal growth as it also tends to highlight the more philosophical aspect of Bruce Lee and martial arts as a whole. mcgregor conner | Queens mcgregor conner | Queens's Rating
I have been a student at New York Martial Arts Academy for about 10 years and it is such an amazing opportunity to be a part of this school! All of the instructors are very knowledgeable and are always there to help you. You can tell that all of the instructors love what they do and they want to see us become the best version of ourselves, both on and off the training floor. The instructors and students at New York Martial Arts Academy have created such a welcoming and fun environment for anyone to learn martial arts in. I would definitely recommend training at New York Martial Arts Academy! Angela Gallo | Queens Angela Gallo | Queens's Rating
When I was looking for a martial arts to try, for the first time ever, I was very nervous especially starting at the age of 30 and not having had any prior experience. Starting from day one I felt comfortable with the trainer who was amazingly patient, had a positive attitude and didn’t make me feel self conscience about my inability to land a half decent kick. But after attending for many months I started to get the hang of it. The instructors here as well as my fellow students who I have the privilege to train with are top notch. The culture is amazing, you will never feel out of place and the teachers here are absolutely amazing, they will provide you with all the tools you need and all the attention you need to make sure you succeed and achieve your goals. I Highly recommend you check this place out! Dan B | Queens Dan B | Queens's Rating
I've been a martial arts practitioner for 12 years now, and have trained in different countries around the world. New York Martial Arts Academy has, by far, the best facilities of any school I've been a member of. The instruction is top tier as well. I haven't met an instructor here that doesn't have at least 10 years of experience. You can tell that they all really love what they do. Whether your goal is to get in shape and have some fun, fight in a cage, or defend yourself in the street, NYMAA will be able to accommodate.

One of the things that most impressed me about the school was the camaraderie between students. You won't find cliques here. Advanced students are encouraged to help newer members, and I've never seen anyone be disrespectful or intentionally try to hurt anyone else.

If you want to learn a skill that helps your confidence, increases your fitness, allows you to be able to defend yourself, and make some good friends at the same time, then I would de initely recommend checking out NYMAA.
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Growing up, I have always admired Bruce Lee's unique fighting style, so I was extremely happy when I finally found a Martial Arts Academy that based their instruction on jeet kune do. I have tried several different academies, and I can proudly say that none of them met the exceptional experience that I received from NYMAA. In here, the instructors, staff, and even students form a team based on mutual respect, creating a great atmosphere. I also love how the instructors pride themselves in teaching their students a new way of life rather than just self-defense. I would highly recommend this place to anyone who is interested in seeking new opportunities to better their life. Elke Xenophontos | Queens Elke Xenophontos | Queens's Rating
Joining was the best decision I've ever made. It's an amazing workout that I genuinely look forward to everyday and I have never felt better.

I highly recommend the NYMAA to anyone looking to take martial arts for any reason.
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