Little John R. - The art of expressing the human body: as revealed through the notes, letters, diaries, interviews, reading annotations, and library of Bruce Lee ; [comp. and ed.] by John Little

APPENDIX A. BRUCE LEES VITAL STATISTICS

Height: 5' 7"

Weight: 135 (Note: By the time he made Enter the Dragon, Lees weight was down to 125 pounds.)

Waist size: high 30"; low 26"

Measurements

Body Parts

Chest (start): relaxed 39"; expanded 41"

Chest (after): relaxed 43"; expanded 44"

Neck (start): 15"

Neck (after): 15"

Left Biceps (start): 13"

Left Biceps (after): 13"

Right Biceps (start): 13"

Right Biceps (after): 14"

Left Forearm (start): 11"

Left Forearm (after): 11"

Right Forearm (start): 11"

Right Forearm (after): 12"

Left Wrist (start): 6"

Left Wrist (after): 6"

Right Wrist (start): 6"

Right Wrist (after): 6 "

Left Thigh (start): 21"

Left Thigh (after): 22"

Right Thigh (start): 21"

Right Thigh (after): 22"

Left Calf (start): 12"

Left Calf (after): 12 "

Right Calf (start): 12"

Right Calf (after): 13"

By the time of Enter the Dragon, Bruce Lee had lost considerable body fat: His chest measurement was down to 33 inches (normal) and 38 inches (expanded), at a body weight of 125 pounds, and his waist was only 26 inches.

(based on a 1965 bodyweight of 140 lbs)

APPENDIX B. BRUCE LEES MUSCLE MACHINE: THE RETURN OF THE MARCY CIRCUIT TRAINER

Bruce Lee used his Marcy Circuit Trainer exercise machine up until the day he diedJuly 20, 1973. After his death, Bruces widow, Linda Lee Cadwell, realizing that it would be unnecessary, difficult, and expensive to move the machine from Hong Kong back to California, donated the machine to Bruces former secondary school, La Salle College, in Kowloon. And so the Marcy Circuit Trainer remained at La Salle College until 1995.

While researching this book, I contacted La Salle, hoping that Linda may also have donated one of Bruces workout programs for the machine, which they might share with me. At the very least I hoped they might be able to take a picture of the machine that I could include in the book. On May 1, 1995, Brother Patrick at La Salle College responded: Im afraid we cannot be of much help to you in your quest for the Bruce Lee materials. Yes, his Circuit Trainer machine was left to our Primary School but had to be dismantled a few years ago in order to make room for reconstruction and renovation. The dismantled parts are now kept in a storeroom here in La Salle College.... Should you feel I can be of any further assistance, just fax or phone.

Brother Patricks last statement seemed to invite a follow-up fax. Plus, the thought of such a significant item of Lees lying dismantled in a storeroom over a period of several years did not sit particularly well with me. I wrote back to Brother Patrick, informing him that I was sorry to hear that Bruces exercise machine has been dismantled. If you plan to put it together soon, I wrote, would it be possible to obtain a photograph of it? Or, if you are planning on making additional room in your storage facility and would like to sell it, please keep me in mind, as I would be interested in purchasing it.

Then came the shock of a lifetime. I came home late one evening to find a return fax from Brother Patrick: Despite my best efforts, I have not been able to unearth anything in the line of photos or charts about Bruce.... Now as regards the Training Machine which had to be dismantled, you are very welcome to take it and there is no need at all for payment. In fact, it is a pity to see it rusting away in the storeroom. Let me know if I can be of further help.

His response left me shockedand delighted! I immediately called Linda Lee Cadwell to let her know that, after a period of some twenty-two years, Bruces exercise machine was coming home! I knew Linda would be as excited as I was about the news. I also felt an obligation to let her know that even though La Salle College had given me the machine, I recognized that its real owner had been her husband, and although Linda had given it away in 1973, if she wanted it back, I would be obliged to return it to her possession.

Linda was very interested in the news. She asked me only one question: Are you planning on selling it, John? No, I repliedquite sincerelyI want to restore it, train on it, and some day pass it on to my children. My response seemed to please her. Well, in that case, why dont you keep it? Linda said. I was ecstatic.

At this stage, I had no idea how much the machine might have deteriorated (or even if it had deteriorated), nor how much work would be involved in its restoration. And there was the not so-small-matter of finding a way to pay for the shipping of this free machine. As most writers will readily attest, unless your name happens to be John Grisham, what little money a writer makes is usually long ago spoken for, and I certainly had none to spare.

Enter Ted Wong

I pondered this dilemma for many weeks. During that time, I received a phone call one night from my sister Jane Loftus informing me that my father had passed away. He was eighty-five years old, and while his passing was not completely unexpected, it caught us by surprise. I returned home to Canada for the funeral, and during my absence, Ted Wong happened to call my house. Upon learning from my wife about my fathers death, Ted asked when I would be returning, and shortly after I arrived home, he called again. Im always delighted to talk with Ted, who is one of the kindest and most sincere people Ive ever encountered. (Ive found this to be the case among all the men in Bruces inner circle of friends. Men such as Taky Kimura, Herb Jackson, Dan Inosanto, Daniel Lee, and Ted are all straightforward, honest men of integrity and sterling character.) On this night, Teds voice sounded more serious than usual. John, Im sorry to hear about your Dad, he began. I know that with a new baby on the way (our third child, Brandon) and everything else youre doing, times are probably pretty tough on you financially. I concurred, adding that things were, as the saying goes, tough all over and that while I appreciated his concern, he neednt worry about things. Well, I would like to stop by your house, he said, if you dont mind.

I looked forward to seeing Ted and, having just left the somberness of my fathers funeral, I welcomed the change in conversation. To my surprise, though, Ted had a specific purpose for that evenings visit. He presented me with a check, and insisted that I take it. I think Bruce would have wanted you to have that machine, he said, quite earnestly. There were times during my friendship with Bruce when he was strapped financially and I wished I could have helped him then, but I wasnt in a position to, he explained. Now I am in a position to do something for you, and for Bruce. I think he would want his machine restored and protected. And dont bother paying me back. I want to do this. Im just glad to see Bruces Marcy Machine come home.

I didnt know what to say. I still dont. I had never been the recipient of such kindness or generosity before. I learned a lot about Ted Wong that nightand about the caliber of Bruce Lees friends. I accepted his offering because I wanted that machine more than anything else in the worldbut also out of respect for him; I knew that this was something Ted felt very strongly about.