Yoseikan Budo question
This question is for any senior Yoseikan Budo practitioners. I apologise if this question is out-of-place in the Aikido section.
Generally how did Yoseikan Budo students react when Hiroo Mochizuki decided to shelve the coloured belts in favour of the current blue and white block belts?
I'm not sure when he moved away from "white gi and coloured belt" to the current navy blue kimono and white pants (which I think look really smart by the way) - but I should imagine many seniors were loath to take off their black belts in favour of the blue and white. Is this true?
I'm not particularly concerned with the Yoseikan syllabus in asking this question, more out of interest to how Budoka react when their VISIBLE grades are taken away from them.
Do any Yoseikan instructors find the lack of coloured belts a help or a hindrance? When teaching large groups does it make it more tricky to determine the experience level of students at a glance? Or is it beneficial because there's less one-up-manship among students?
I'd appeciate any thoughts on the issue.
Kindly
Simon
Simon Keegan 4th Dan
www.bushinkai.org.uk