Bruce was an icon, an innovator, a great thinker and a truly gifted athlete. That said, he was not a particularly skilled martial artist. That's a bit of a sweeping statement I know; what I mean is that, though he was a master of martial theory and philosophy, an almost unrivalled innovator in conditioning and reminding martial artist that they need to train like athletes, and apparently a gifted teacher, he was not actually a very accomplished fighter. He avoided sparring with his students for fear of embarrassment and only ever engaged in a small handful of very undramatic fights/sparring sessions. He DID win the few fights he was involved in, but often against poor opponents or with little skill.
Part of me hates to "bad mouth" one of my biggest icons, but I think that the truth about someone is a better way of remembering them. The things he really did for martial arts, film and culture, are more fantastic than any legend about his apparent martial arts skills.
Part of me hates to "bad mouth" one of my biggest icons, but I think that the truth about someone is a better way of remembering them. The things he really did for martial arts, film and culture, are more fantastic than any legend about his apparent martial arts skills.