Nichlas Keszler - Senior Project

Senior Project Update #12 (Final Blog)

This week I made a couple changes to my routine, I added a few extra gymnastic moves that i hope will improve the balance between martial arts and gymnastics in my routine. Over the break i will be trying to practice on the actual stage that i will be performing on in order to get a better feel for what my real performance will be like. 

Over the break i will be working at ross with my mentor Michelle Del Giorno occasionally before christmas and hopefully everyday after new years. My sensei will hopefully be meeting us at ross for a couple sessions but i will also be going to middle island to meet with him at his studio. 

My paper will receive its finishing touches over the break as will my process folio. I feel confident that i will make the deadlines for the approval to present and that my project will come together nicely as a whole.

Im still looking for music to put with my routine but ive taken a video of me performing the routine that i can play while listening to various tracks to see how they fit. 

Senior Project Update #11

This week i continued to practice my martial arts routine both in school during senior project time and in middle island during karate lessons. I finally got the MMA shoes i ordered and im excited to start practicing my routine with them.

A new parkour session started this week in westhampton, but i wasn't able to go because i had to go to riverhead to take a driving class. I'll be going for the next couple weeks as of next thursday.

My paper is coming along nicely aswell as my process folio.

I have weight training first period this trimester which i think will help me get a lot stronger so i can improve my physical performance.

Senior Project Update #10

This week has been a good week for me because i was able to get a good overview of my project as a whole.

My Sensei, Mentor, and I completed the choreography for the routine i will be performing, im continuing to go to both martial arts and gymnastics classes. I can tell that my physical performance and strength are improving a lot and feel pretty confident about my final product. Also i ordered Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) shoes that will give me extra support and stability during my performance.

I've been working on my paper and i plan on having my rough draft finished by the end of next week so i can get it revised. I've fallen a little behind on my process folio but i hope to catch up next week too.

Senior Project Update #9

This week I began the first draft of my essay using the outline i had already made. I got a new book from my sensei a couple weeks ago that i think will help me a lot, my mentor also gave me a Martial Arts encyclopedia that will definitely help too. 

Im going to Gymnastics this afternoon, i plan on focusing on specific moves that i will do during my performance such as, Back-handsprings, Back tucks, and round off back tucks. 

Over the break im going to be meeting with my sensei frequently and instead of driving out to middle island he will be driving to ross. We're going to wrap up the rest of my routine so i can focus on practicing and writing my paper. 

Senior Project Update #8

I was only able to go to one class this week because i was in Germany. I went to a gymnastics class on thursday and teacher told me that he would look into getting my shoes so i can work on the hardfloor.

Also, while i was in Germany i finished the outline for my research paper on Martial arts. I will be meeting with my mentor early next week to discuss any corrections that i should do on the outline. 

I looked at videos of XMA martial artists and am talking to my sensei and gymnastics teacher about incorporating some of the things in the videos into my routine.

I also still need to find music for my routine that coordinates with the choreography. 

Senior Project Update #7

The past two weeks i've been going to a lot of classes during the week both in martial arts and gymnastics. Gymnastics has been better than usual since i've started getting a lot better overall. My sensei and i have been working on putting together my choreographed routine that i will be presenting.  

I have been working on an outline for my paper that i will be putting in my process folio. 

I ran into my first real problem this week, as i began practicing my routine in the movement room i realized after, 3 round offs, that the hardwood floor was to hard to work on bare foot. I asked my gymnastics teacher about it and he said that you could actually break your toes easily practicing on too hard of a surface.  

My mentor and i began to make preperations for my performance such as measuring the stage in the lecture hall in order to guage how much room i will have. We are still undecided on what music we will be using for my performance.

Senior Project Update #6

This week I went to both martial arts and gymnastics classes. On monday i went to my karate class and also signed up for judo classes. Judo involves grappling and throwing people whereas karate sticks to the more standard kicks and punches. I think doing both will help me expand my versatility in the physical aspect of the martial arts.

My gymnastics class went really well this week, i worked on my standing back tucks, roundoff back handsprings, and roundoff back tucks i also did my first wall flip. Unfortunately at the end of my class i injured my big toe which will hold me back a little for the next couple days.

Next week, once my toe feels better, im going to make my first video displaying what i've learned so far.

Senior Project Update #5

This week I had another private karate lesson at the ECBBA, also I got a membership that lets me go to up to 10 lessons a week. I also had another gymnastics lesson on thursday in which I worked on my standing back tucks.   

I got another book on the Zen characteristics found throughout the martial arts. I also got a lot of work done in my process folio.  

Senior Project Update #4

Unfortunately this week i've been pretty sick and haven't been able to do any physical training so i started writing my paper on Zen in the Martial Arts. My summer reading book helped a lot with my paper because it specifically focuses on my topic in a really easily understandable way. I hope i'll be feeling better over the weekend so i can get back to training.

Senior Project Update #3

This week I bought a membership at the (ECBBA) in Middle Island which will allow me to participate in up to 10 classes a week in addition to my private lessons. I worked with Sensei Jerry on creating a form that I will be performing as my product. 

My Process folio never turned up so i ended up buying a new one.

Also i trained with my mentor Michelle Del Giorno at Ross during Senior Project time.