Better Physique: Bruce Lee or Arnold?

Arnold. Is this real life?

Would have to say Arnold. By being tall and not asian I can relate to Arnold more.

[quote]Silo101 wrote:

[quote]undecimber wrote:
If it still counts:

As a pre-teen watching Bruce Lee films - I wanted to be like him.
In my teens watching Arnie films - I shifted to Arnold’s physique.

It’s pretty clear who would win in a fight though. [/quote]

Not if Arnold had a machine gun. Son.[/quote]

Naw man, Rocky will come out of no where and win.

In terms of physique look, Arnold is clearly superior. This is a bodybuilding site. But Bruce Lee is more badass in general.

Arnold is old and flabby now. Bruce Lee has been dead for a while now, I haven’t seen any recent pictures of him but I imagine that he’s not looking too good these days. I’m going to have to say that Arnold currently has the better physique.

WOKKA WOKKA WOKKA!

[quote]___ wrote:
Arnold is old and flabby now. Bruce Lee has been dead for a while now, I haven’t seen any recent pictures of him but I imagine that he’s not looking too good these days. I’m going to have to say that Arnold currently has the better physique.[/quote]

Who are you? What do we call you?

A Bruce Lee thread! Aaaaaaah takes me back man, so oldschool it’s like preschool. Been like 5+ years since there’s been a Bruce Lee thread on T-Nation, place used to be lousy with 'em.

[quote]DBCooper wrote:
the ability to make a 300lb punching bag hit the ceiling with one side kick [/quote]

Bullshit, I think theres a lot more fol lore/legend surround bruce lee, kinda like the chuck norris phenomenon but less philosophical and less established.

[quote]carbiduis wrote:

[quote]DBCooper wrote:
the ability to make a 300lb punching bag hit the ceiling with one side kick [/quote]

Bullshit, I think theres a lot more fol lore/legend surround bruce lee, kinda like the chuck norris phenomenon but less philosophical and less established.[/quote]

AT LEAST OUR FACES AREN’T PERFECT CIRCLES JERK

Yeah, I wouldn’t believe half the stuff that’s said about him.

LOL@ thinking anyone could hold a flag for 30 minutes

[quote]Rhino Jockey wrote:
Arnold. Is this real life?[/quote]

lol - that’s what I’m thinking! I swear I’ve read this argument before on here and it went down much differently

[quote]kothreat wrote:
Just because Lee could manage all those physical feats doesn’t translate to better aesthetic appeal. Highly subjective in first place.

Besides I’d vote for Brad Pitt in Fight Club. He was too big in Troy. [/quote]

When you say “aesthetic appeal,” you are trying to apply the (obvious) context in which Arnold is remembered (bodybuilding, i.e. “aesthetic beauty”) and trying to apply it to Bruce Lee. Yes, the reverse is also valid, and therefore that sort of mirrored argument, in my mind, nullifies the point that either side could make.

If anything, I would judge them each on their work ethic–both impressive. You’d be an idiot to deny that (if you’re a bodybuilder denying that of Lee, or a martial artist denying that of Arnold). Don’t forget that Lee began lifting and following bodybuilding, allegedly espousing the merits of bodybuilding training. Was his goal size? Obviously not.

I’m not sure if it’s true but I once read that Lee had an open invitation for anyone in the world to fight him. That’s pretty ballsy if true.

Trips me out that he was born in San Francisco.

[quote]Hallowed wrote:
What a physique can do… Arnolds could pick up hella heavy shit.[/quote]

When you’re a famous movie star, you get to pay people to lift heavy shit for you.

Hella nullifies your argumentz.

[quote]gregron wrote:
LOL@ thinking anyone could hold a flag for 30 minutes[/quote]

You’re jelly. Full of preservatives.

[quote]PonceDeLeon wrote:

[quote]Hallowed wrote:
What a physique can do… Arnolds could pick up hella heavy shit.[/quote]

When you’re a famous movie star, you get to pay people to lift heavy shit for you.

Hella nullifies your argumentz.[/quote]

That’s irrelevant. We’re talking about what they could do, not what you can pay someone to do. By that argument, Bill Gates has the most impressive physique because he can hire the most shit done.

[quote]Blaze_108 wrote:

[quote]PonceDeLeon wrote:

[quote]Hallowed wrote:
What a physique can do… Arnolds could pick up hella heavy shit.[/quote]

When you’re a famous movie star, you get to pay people to lift heavy shit for you.

Hella nullifies your argumentz.[/quote]

That’s irrelevant. We’re talking about what they could do, not what you can pay someone to do. By that argument, Bill Gates has the most impressive physique because he can hire the most shit done.[/quote]

[quote]kothreat wrote:
Just because Lee could manage all those physical feats doesn’t translate to better aesthetic appeal. Highly subjective in first place.

Besides I’d vote for Brad Pitt in Fight Club. He was too big in Troy. [/quote]

brad pitt in fight club?? This is a bodybuilding forum, is it not?? Brad pitt was lucky if he was 145lbs in that movie. being ripped and looking starved doesn’t make that a good physique. not by a long shot. Without size and power, you have nothing.

[quote]carbiduis wrote:

[quote]DBCooper wrote:
the ability to make a 300lb punching bag hit the ceiling with one side kick [/quote]

Bullshit, I think theres a lot more fol lore/legend surround bruce lee, kinda like the chuck norris phenomenon but less philosophical and less established.[/quote]

yes, its all legend, like his one arm 2 finger pushups, oh wait, you can view it on youtube. guess it isn’t a legend after all. is it.

[quote]Blaze_108 wrote:

[quote]PonceDeLeon wrote:

[quote]Hallowed wrote:
What a physique can do… Arnolds could pick up hella heavy shit.[/quote]

When you’re a famous movie star, you get to pay people to lift heavy shit for you.

Hella nullifies your argumentz.[/quote]

That’s irrelevant. We’re talking about what they could do, not what you can pay someone to do. By that argument, Bill Gates has the most impressive physique because he can hire the most shit done.[/quote]

Historically speaking I would say Hitler had Gates beat considering he came up from being in a political party with a budget so small they couldn’t afford rubber stamps. He basically sweet talked all those cats into genocidal rage on a shoestring budget. Now there’s a book title.

I don’t know about 30 minute flags, but he could actually complete the movement for multiple repetitions. He could do lateral raises with a 70lb dumbbell and could hold his body weight at arms length one handed for a period of a few seconds. Many of his actual physical feats break down to body mechanics and velocity, the one inch punch and side kick for instance. He was also filmed tearing a 150lb heavy bag in half with a side kick, lets not forget that one. But given the same technical training and focus on speed, I have little doubt that Arnold could perform very similar physical feats. However this may have compromised the aesthetics of his physique.

Whose physique would be capable of producing more power given equal technical ability? That would come down to whose muscles were capable of producing more force and who had superior tendon/bone geometry to translate that force. It could go either way, but I’m willing to bet that Arnold’s tendon geometry was pretty damn good, at least nearly as good as Lee’s. That said, given access to the anabolics that Arnold was using, Lee could easily have accomplished more. Very little is known about his anabolic use, but it wouldn’t surprise me in any way if he was popping tabs or on the needle.

So there really is no answer. If you like small, wiry guys then you go with Lee. If you like traditional golden age bodybuilding form, you pick Arnold. We can e-compare their skills, capabilities, and aesthetics to hell and back but there can be no true comparison because both are so vastly different.

Physique is generally regarded as the body’s general shape with regard to development, size, and proportions. Going by that definition Arnold is a clear winner.

That said, I would love to be built like Arnold and have pound for pound equal physical capabilities as Lee. I’m a second generation JKD black sash and a bodybuilding powerlifter. As it stands I pale in comparison to both, but strive to surpass collectively.