Robert Trias
Encyclopedia
Robert A. Trias was a U.S. karate pioneer, founding the first karate
school in the mainland United States
. He also developed Shuri-ryū
karate, an eclectic style with roots in the Okinawan Shuri-te tradition.
, Robert Trias was stationed on or around Tulagi
in the Solomon Islands
from June 1944 to November 1945, and was a Navy champion middleweight boxer. There he met Tung Gee Hsing, a Chinese missionary of Chan (Zen
) Buddhism. Hsing often watched Trias work out and imitated his boxing footwork, and he asked to practice with Trias. Trias refused because Hsing was "just a tiny little guy," but Hsing was persistent and at last Trias agreed to spar with him. Hsing gave Trias "the biggest thrashing of his life" and Trias then asked Hsing to instruct him in the martial arts.
Hsing taught Trias some xingyi
as well as some Okinawan Shuri-Te karate, which Hsing had learned from Choki Motobu on Okinawa. Later, Trias studied with Hoy Yuan Ping whose lineage was from the Teshin Shinjo School of Kempo Ju-jitsu in Japan. Trias also held a 6th dan black belt in Kodokan Judo and studied under Yaju Yamada. Trias was also mentored by Yasuhiro Konishi and Makoto Gima.
(USKA), the first karate organization on the US mainland. Through his pioneering efforts in Karate, he became the United States' liaison with Korea
, Japan
, China
, and Okinawa for many years. Jointly with John Keehan, Trias hosted the first actual national karate tournament, called the 1st World Karate Tournament, at the University of Chicago Fieldhouse in 1963 in Chicago
, IL. This event was retitled the USKA Nationals in 1966 and the USKA Grand Nationals in 1968. His rules for tournament competition are still used today with only slight variation.
Trias' style was known as Shorei-Goju Ryu, Shorei-ryu and Shuri-ryu and many organizations claim to trace their roots to him and the USKA, including the United States Karate-Do Kai, Professional Karate Commission, United States Karate Alliance, International Shuri-Ryu Association, and Kondo No Shokai.
Trias died on July 11, 1989 of cancer leaving the Shuri-ryu system to his daughter Roberta Trias-Kelley, inheritor of Shuri-Ryu and Menkyo Kaiden, and precipitating a struggle for succession within the USKA. Trias is buried in Section 35, Site 112 of the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix, AZ.
Robert A. Trias is the author of Karate is my Life, The Hand is my Sword, The Pinnacle of Karate, The Supreme Way, and Render Yourself Empty. He was the recipient of the 1989 Black Belt Hall of Fame Honorary Award.
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
school in the mainland United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He also developed Shuri-ryū
Shuri-ryu
karate, is an eclectic martial arts system developed by Robert Trias , the first person to teach karate in the mainland United States, who opened the first dojo in 1946 in Phoenix, Arizona. Later in 1948 he formed the first karate association in the U.S., The United States Karate Association...
karate, an eclectic style with roots in the Okinawan Shuri-te tradition.
Early years
Trias was employed by Southern Pacific Company as a boilermaker apprentice from 1937–39 and a boilermaker from 1939-42. Later, while serving in the United States Naval Reserve as a Metalsmith First Class (M1c) during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Robert Trias was stationed on or around Tulagi
Tulagi
Tulagi, less commonly Tulaghi, is a small island in the Solomon Islands, just off the south coast of Florida Island. The town of the same name on the island Tulagi, less commonly Tulaghi, is a small island (5.5 km by 1 km) in the Solomon Islands, just off the south coast of Florida...
in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
from June 1944 to November 1945, and was a Navy champion middleweight boxer. There he met Tung Gee Hsing, a Chinese missionary of Chan (Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
) Buddhism. Hsing often watched Trias work out and imitated his boxing footwork, and he asked to practice with Trias. Trias refused because Hsing was "just a tiny little guy," but Hsing was persistent and at last Trias agreed to spar with him. Hsing gave Trias "the biggest thrashing of his life" and Trias then asked Hsing to instruct him in the martial arts.
Hsing taught Trias some xingyi
Xingyi
Xingyi may refer to:*Xingyiquan, one of the major internal Chinese martial arts*Xingyi, Guizhou, county level city in Guizhou, China...
as well as some Okinawan Shuri-Te karate, which Hsing had learned from Choki Motobu on Okinawa. Later, Trias studied with Hoy Yuan Ping whose lineage was from the Teshin Shinjo School of Kempo Ju-jitsu in Japan. Trias also held a 6th dan black belt in Kodokan Judo and studied under Yaju Yamada. Trias was also mentored by Yasuhiro Konishi and Makoto Gima.
U.S. history
In late 1945, shortly before Trias left the Navy in January of the following year, he began teaching martial arts in his backyard. He later opened his first karate school in Phoenix in 1946. Trias served as an officer of the Arizona State Highway Patrol from 1946-1961 utilizing his self-defense knowledge on duty and teaching his fellow officers. In 1948 he founded the United States Karate AssociationUnited States Karate Association
The United States Karate Association was the first karate organization on the mainland United States, founded by Robert Trias in 1948.The USKA became one of the largest associations of karate instructors in the nation, and through this organization Trias was also instrumental in setting up and...
(USKA), the first karate organization on the US mainland. Through his pioneering efforts in Karate, he became the United States' liaison with Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and Okinawa for many years. Jointly with John Keehan, Trias hosted the first actual national karate tournament, called the 1st World Karate Tournament, at the University of Chicago Fieldhouse in 1963 in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, IL. This event was retitled the USKA Nationals in 1966 and the USKA Grand Nationals in 1968. His rules for tournament competition are still used today with only slight variation.
Trias' style was known as Shorei-Goju Ryu, Shorei-ryu and Shuri-ryu and many organizations claim to trace their roots to him and the USKA, including the United States Karate-Do Kai, Professional Karate Commission, United States Karate Alliance, International Shuri-Ryu Association, and Kondo No Shokai.
Trias died on July 11, 1989 of cancer leaving the Shuri-ryu system to his daughter Roberta Trias-Kelley, inheritor of Shuri-Ryu and Menkyo Kaiden, and precipitating a struggle for succession within the USKA. Trias is buried in Section 35, Site 112 of the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix, AZ.
Career accomplishments
Robert Trias was responsible for the following accomplishments in developing karate in United States.- 1955 - Wrote the first rules for karate competition.
- 1955 - Conducted the first karate tournament.
- 1958 - Wrote the first textbook.
- 1959 - Made the first instructional film.
- 1963 - Conducted the first world karate championships.
- 1968 - Conducted the first professional karate tournament.
Robert A. Trias is the author of Karate is my Life, The Hand is my Sword, The Pinnacle of Karate, The Supreme Way, and Render Yourself Empty. He was the recipient of the 1989 Black Belt Hall of Fame Honorary Award.