I was told by my teachers that you should do weight training because it makes your muscles stiff, but i know that bruce lee did weights. To what extent is weight training with weights OK?

You might want to edit that paragraph. I think you really meant "You SHOULDN'T do weight training cause it makes you stiff". Cause otherwise it sounds as though your instructor is encouraging you to get stiff. LOL

But to answer your question, weight training can make you stiff only if you do nothing but weight training. But, if you have a daily martial arts training regimine and use weight training to supplement your training, then it can work in your favor. As long as you stretch and practice power and speed drills along with the weight training, you shouldn't get stiff. And yes, Bruce Lee did lift weights. He kind of had to cause he weighed as much as a woman his size and in order to have any kind of power in his strikes he realized he needed some amount of natural muscle behind him.

As far as how much weight training and a specific workout, it will vary depending on the individual. If you have never picked up a weight in your life, I recommend something like Bruce Lee's weight training schedule around 1970 to get you started. In other words, join a gym if you don't have a equipment or know a friend who has equipment. Try an every other day full body workout type of routine something like this:

(Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) OR (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday):

3 sets for each exercise.

1. Squat - for legs
2. Bench Press - for chest and triceps
3. Barbell Curl - for biceps
4. Military Press - for shoulders
5. Good Morning - for lower back
6. Cable Lat Pull Down or Barbell Bent-over row - for upper back
7. Wrist curl (over and underhand) - for forearms

Do all the movements while breathing through your nose and diaphram. This will ensure full breath and oxygen intake. You will have heavy days and light days. On heavy days you will want to do the movements slow and use heavy weight enough where you can only do like 5 to 6 reps of each for power/muscle building. On light days you want to do higher reps around 10 - 12 and do the movements fast to develop your fast twitch muscles for speed/endurance. Alternate the heavy/slow to light/fast workouts every time you lift so for instance you can go heavy and slow on Monday, Wednesday will be fast and light, Friday will be slow and heavy, etc. Try this and see if it works for you.

Len

In order for you to get so big and too stiff to execute tactics quickley, you gotta be on steriods. I don't think you can actually get large enough to slow your techniques down. So, if you want, lift weights like crazy and watch your diet, cause fat will slow you down, not muscle.

Phases ®

"On heavy days you will want to do the movements slow and use heavy weight enough where you can only do like 5 to 6 reps of each for power/muscle building."

If you want muscle, lift above 6, for power below 6 reps in an explosive manner(or you will train your muscles to operate slowly)

Phases - yes you can get stiff and slow even without getting huge. When you lift heavy weights and go slow you are training your slow twitch muscles and unless you practice stretching along with speed drills, in other words...if you don't do any training except weights, it will slow you down. And it doesn't matter how big you are.

Words from bruce lee: "it is best to stay fit and healty during your martial arts training, this involving weight training". when you workout during martial arts, you should remember one thing: mind over body. it is important to gain strength during training, but not too much of it. keep your weight training at a low level while learning martial arts. Make your schedule about 2-3 times a week. Mental training and stamina-speed training are more important than your strength. Another good thing to keep in mind while training is balance and coordination. once you have mastered these you will be in perfect shape to fight swiftley.