Bruce Lee’s Tool of Transformation: Journaling for Peak Performance

By Kelan Ern
​Last updated: 01/23/2026

One of the most interesting people I studied in 2025 (and there were a few) was legendary martial artist Bruce Lee.

Especially when comparing his teachings to “how he walked the talk.”

Here’s one timely example for the New Year’s:

Bruce Lee was always looking for the edge - ways to take his martial arts to the next level. So when he decided to add weight-lifting to his routine, he sought help from pro bodybuilder, Allen Joe. Joe showed him the ropes of pumpin iron and with Lee’s superhuman work-ethic, he started building bigger muscles and becoming physically stronger.

But it came at a cost.

He got slower in martial arts.

Instead of ditching the dumbbells completely though, Lee simply adjusted how he used them. He used lighter weights and cranked up the reps – while also incorporating isometrics which allowed him the best of both worlds:

Get strong and lightning fast.

This wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for Bruce Lee’s curiosity and meticulous tracking though – according to his daughter, Shannon Lee:

“Bruce Lee charted his progress. He set goals. He created reminders and exercises and tools for his growth — physically, mentally and spiritually. If he didn’t have a specific tool, he created it (or had someone create it for him.) If he was unsure about what would work, he experimented and tracked the results until he could find the best way forward.”

​The Role of Journaling in Bruce Lee’s Transformation

One of the simplest tools for this experimenting process was a workout journal.

Here’s one of his training entries:

March 31st 1968

Punch training:

• 500 punches (R) 250 (L)

7 sets of stomach exercises:

• Leg raises
• Sit-ups
• Side Bends

Punch training:

• 500 punches (R) 250 (L)

Cycled 2 miles (in 7 minutes)

​7:30 Workout with Ted, Herb and Dave

7 Benefits of Journaling for Personal Transformation

While you don’t need to do 1,000+ punches and two-a-day workouts like Lee to get otherworldly results, there’s enormous power in keeping a workout journal like he did. In fact, it might be one of the most underutilized ‘tools of transformation’ for both beginners and seasoned fitness pros.

Here are seven benefits that come to mind:

Test your experiments: You may have theories about what will help you lose 15lbs… do one full pull-up… or bench press 315lbs-  but your experiments will uncover the truth about what it really takes.

Capture your fleeting small wins: It’s very easy to lose sight of small wins and believe you aren’t making any progress. The journal will be a friendly reminder of how far you’ve come.

Discover hidden patterns in your workout: The journal will tell you if you slack off on Friday workouts… skimp out on leg day…  or devote more gym time doing ‘arm farm’.

More accurate trouble-shooting: When you have a log of all the workouts you did for last month, you can trouble-shoot better. You can decide if you need to step up your workout frequency or revamp your workout routine altogether.

Unleashes organic motivation: If you’re discouraged about slow progress, you can see an honest count of how many strength workouts or miles walked you actually did. While not always fun to face the truth, it can fuel explosive motivation to get after it the following month.

Build proven maps: When you track what allowed you to lose 25lbs or gain 25lb of lean muscle mass, you have a map that can serve you in the future. And possibly help someone else.

Celebrate at the end of the year: If you have been tracking your workouts and capturing wins throughout the year, it can be an enormous celebration to see the ground you covered.

Those are just a few stream-of-consciousness benefits that come to mind.

In my book, a workout journal is a non-negotiable.

Make it your ‘second brain’ where you track your all workouts… jot down what works… and collect your lifting numbers – instead of trying to hold it all in your head. It frees you up to stay focused, grounded in reality and constantly improving.
 
More importantly, it gives you greater ‘fitness intelligence’ to making measurable progress… faster breakthroughs… and discovering what brings you fulfillment along your journey.

​Kelan Ern
Elite Fitness Coaching