About Master Lee Barden
In 1973 I was privileged to witness, “Bruce Lee” on the silver screen. I found my calling at that point. I went right home and prayed, please God, I want to be the best there is, and I will do anything to be the best. So, I sawed down my mother’s broom handle, drilled two holes, laid a dog chain down the middle and a nail through the side to secure it. 3 inches was what I liked and found out that most liked about the same. I went everywhere looking for the Nunchaku Master. 2 years later I left home at 15 in search of “the best”. I hitchhiked to Canada, the International Peace Gardens, looked there, went to California, Anaheim, looked there. I looked everywhere in between. I slept under bridges, ate candy bars from concerned people to stay alive, basically I was one of those homeless guys you see aroud and still couldn’t find the Great Master. 1979 I went to visit my Mom, I was then 19 at that time and I saw a commercial on TV, it s not a job, “it s an adventure”, the Navy. I had been everywhere my thumb could take me and thought I will try the World. So I joined the Navy. I traveled to Europe, no help, Middle East, no help the “Great Master” still eluded me. So, I gave up. When I least expected it, I met a old man playing pool in a bar one day and he said, I know this Karate guy that lives behind this bar, come with me and I’ll introduce you. He said, you will like this guy, he is a Martial Arts Master. I thought, great, maybe he will have some Nunchucks there and I could impress him with my Dazzling chuck skills. He came out and I asked him if he had any chucks, he said yes over there. I picked them up and said “these are to small”. He said “to small for who”? I had to think about it and said, “I guess too small for me”. He said, “you should say what you mean and not give absolutes like that”. I went well, OK. I started doing every technique I knew, Well, that I could pull off with those dinky little Chux. Then he said, pretty good. Now sit down and let me show you something.
I sat in a big red chair right in the middle of the garage and then, out went the lights, on came some Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon. Out came these fire red chux dancing around everywhere, while keeping beat with the music, like the conductor of a symphony. I was completely floored, and then, out came the Neon Green Chux. The red were moving at different directions to the green, at different speeds and “Wow”. After that I began a journey that would change not only the way I looked at the chux, but all sports and life. I had found the Master. It took me years to get over those damn small chux. It also took me years to actually see the rings, or ratios as they were called by him. I didn’t really believe that I was doing something special until I went into International Competition and saw what the world had to offer. I was floored again. Right then I knew I really was involved in something truly special. 32 years later, I still find myself caught up in the debate over traditional Chucks and ProChux. I will end this now, If you really want to grow with your understanding of natural Flow, you will have to swing ProChux at some point in your training, or miss something truly special.
Lee Barden
Jacksonville FL USA
I sat in a big red chair right in the middle of the garage and then, out went the lights, on came some Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon. Out came these fire red chux dancing around everywhere, while keeping beat with the music, like the conductor of a symphony. I was completely floored, and then, out came the Neon Green Chux. The red were moving at different directions to the green, at different speeds and “Wow”. After that I began a journey that would change not only the way I looked at the chux, but all sports and life. I had found the Master. It took me years to get over those damn small chux. It also took me years to actually see the rings, or ratios as they were called by him. I didn’t really believe that I was doing something special until I went into International Competition and saw what the world had to offer. I was floored again. Right then I knew I really was involved in something truly special. 32 years later, I still find myself caught up in the debate over traditional Chucks and ProChux. I will end this now, If you really want to grow with your understanding of natural Flow, you will have to swing ProChux at some point in your training, or miss something truly special.
Lee Barden
Jacksonville FL USA