Brad Allan began boxing and karate training around age 10. He studied Wushu and gymnastics from age 14, spending two years learning under Beijing Wushu Team members Liang Chang-xing and Tang Lai-wei, compatriots of actor Jet Li. He is also trained in a number of other martial arts including Karate, Aikido, Hapkido, Taekwondo, Wing Chun, Boxing and Kickboxing. He later spent time at the Shanghai Institute of Sport and learned Mandarin. In 1993, he made his first film appearance in the unofficial sequel film Drunken Master III, after which, he returned to Australia. He briefly joined the Australian stunt team New Generation Stunts.

He appeared in the Australian team at the 4th World Wushu Championships in Rome, in November 1997. Later that year, he heard Jackie Chan was filming Mr. Nice Guy in Melbourne and knew some of the Australian crew. He was invited to demonstrate his martial arts style for action Director Cho Wing. Allan made a brief appearance in the film and was signed for a role in Chan's next Hong Kong film, Who Am I? (1998), where he would double for Ron Smoorenburg and Michelle Ferre. He was subsequently invited to join Chan's stunt team, 'Sing ga ban', as their first non-Asian member. Allan progressed through the stunt team, and ultimately became team leader.

In the 2000s, in addition to being a member of Chan's stunt team, Allan gained action choreography/direction roles in major Hollywood films including The Chronicles of Riddick and Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

In 2010, Allan teamed up with British Director Edgar Wright for the making of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World as second unit Director. Allan and his team again teamed up with Wright in 2011 and 2012 for Cuban Fury and The World's End, respectively. He worked on the Marvel film Ant-Man, released in July 2015.