regarding Elvis' karate
Hello, I was curious aboiut the topic relating to the legitamacy of Elvis' ranking in the martial arts as mentioned by a few members in the "would Elvis and Segal have liked each other" forum.
I have read an article that states Elvis studied karate while in the army with a Shotokan instructor named Seydel. During 1958 Elvis took private lessons with Sotokan blackbelt Tetugio Murakami.
According to the article, Ed PArker introduced Elvis to a military instructor named Hank Slomanski. Dan Inosanto, one of Slomanski's students stated that there was no disputing Slomanski's reputation as a very powerful and tough karateka. It was Slomanski who put Elvis through a 6 week "marine style" exam to determine if Elvis was worthy to attain the rank of 1st degree blackbelt. According to Innosanto, the exam consisted of fuul contact sparring along with very grueling exercises.
As Innosanto contiued, Hank Slomanski had Elvis involved with a full contact match, no protective equipment, with one of Hank's top instructors. After Slomanski's instructor floored Elivis with a hard body shot, Slomanki saw a very determined look come over Elvis' face and he got up to continue. The fight was stopped shortly afterwards but convinced Hank Slomanski that Elvis had tremendous heart and desire. After completing Slomanski's exam period, Elvis was awarded his ranking.
Apparently, this award from a recognized figure as Slomanski in the karate circles legitimized Elvis credentials. As the article stated, the karate community had sreious doubts after singer Ricky Nelson received a blackbelt ranking from Bruce Tenger. Everyone was saying how the ranking was bought, admittedly from Bruce Tendger himself. Having Elvis test with Slomanski seemed to have silenced evryone in karate at the time.
Wheter this type of testing is adequet enough to acheive blackbelt, is a valid point. However there are many in the martial arts world who have supposedly studied a style for years but are not capable of withstanding a street fight. So, there seems to be more than one way of determining blackbelt legitamacy.
It may also be true that instructors Elvis had afterwards may have promoted him well beyound 1st degree blackbelt for their own self interests.
No one can answer whether or not Presley and seagal would have gotten along together based soley on their mutual interest in the martial arts. There are quite a few martial artists around who continue to verbally abuse other in the business, namely the most popular and well to do ones.
It is easy to taunt and question the expertise of martial artists who gain their fortune by way of becoming movie stars. This is probably done because it draws attention to oneself as the "karate expert" who questions the abilty of Seagal, Norris, Don Wilson, etc...