What Kind Of Martial Arts is Jet Li Skillfully Mastered In?

Jet Li has been a kung fu whirlwind for decades, so by now even the most average movie buff probably knows that this person knows how to handle a high kick. But how good is he really? Is he one of those action stars who are actually terrible fighters? No, it’s not. As the biography tells us, Jet Li is as real as it gets. The youngest child of a poor family, he started wushu (the Chinese term for kung fu) at the age of eight. He was so good that his family sent him to a special sports school and he responded to the call by winning his first championship at the tender age of 11. This led him to the Beijing Wushu Team, which has visited over 45 countries, including the US.

Kiss Of The Dragon Mistake Made Jet Li’s Movie Even Better

The young Lee even managed to demonstrate his skills in front of President Richard Nixon himself. After that, Li’s martial arts prowess only grew. He held the national wushu all-around title for five consecutive years, but retired from the sport when he was only 17 years old. After that, he got into the cinema and … skills. Interestingly, Jet Li himself says that in his youth he was not going to do martial arts. According to his website, he was randomly assigned to a wushu class when he was in school and didn’t even know what it was. It was luck – with the same success he could be ordered to swim, play football or do gymnastics.

What Martial Arts Does Jet Li Practice Today?

Unfortunately, these days the legendary martial arts star doesn’t train as hard as he used to. According to the South China Morning Post, Li revealed in 2018 that his multiple injuries and nearly decade-long battle with hyperthyroidism had robbed him of much of his agility and skills. The list of injuries Lee has suffered in his career is horrific. He had a long list of injuries (including a broken leg) back in 1982, and the years have added to the pile: Lee fractured a vertebra, fractured his ribs, severely fractured his left ankle, and sustained multiple internal injuries. In 2013, doctors told him bluntly that if he continued to act in action movies, he would end up in a wheelchair. However, while he may no longer be fighting the on-screen hordes of enemies, his fighting spirit is certainly still alive. As the man himself says: “I’m in pain, but I’m not in a wheelchair yet.”