In 1998, Peter Corning published an article entitled “The Synergy Hypothesis.” In the publication, he suggests that synergy, which he defines as the effects produced by wholes rather than what the parts can produce on their own, is a pan-disciplinarian philosophy. Corning illustrates that all sciences, ranging from the complex earth systems to the molecular level symbioses to the human kinetic chain, take part in this phenomenon. This principle influences all aspects of my life. In seeking to gain greater synergy, I have pursued athletic, academic, intellectual, and professional achievements. These parts will become more whole through a Master’s of Science Degree in Integrated Physiology, conducting research in the Locomotion Laboratory.
My foundation of kinesiology comes from my athletic upbringing. As a talented athlete from an early age, I was humbled by the sport of swimming. Despite being larger, stronger, and taller than my peers, I was one of the slowest swimmers on teams during my youth. Only once I realized that flowing with the water, rather than fighting against it did I come to learn swimming success. In my early teens I became obsessed with the fluid dynamics of swimming: staying late after practice to watch film, asking my coaches incessantly to critique my flaws, and sneaking biomechanical technique literature to class. Slowly it paid off. In my sophomore year, I gained Varsity MVP honors and a Section Champion title. But I wasn’t done. This insight allowed me to better understand running and movement efficiently from an early age. I completed my first Olympic Distance Triathlon when I was 15, coming in the top 200 finishers overall. I walked onto the high school football team and became a two way starter. I joined the track team and was the best long jumper in one week. The attention to detail allowed me to work smarter, rather than harder. Despite only one year of high school football, I walked on to the college football team (NCAA D1) and started in the spring game. The best athletes aren’t always the ones with the best measureables; however those who have the greatest understanding of how to use their body are best able to apply all of their talents. That’s synergy.
The college experience was an eye opener for me. Upon hearing of the concept of majors, I was befuddled; “I can learn anything I want to?” I had always been equally good across the board, so I decided that in college I would pursue the study of complex issues and systems, while still maintaining my sense of breadth. Environmental Resource Sciences allowed me to understand complex systems and by being a biologist, chemist, botanist, soil scientist, hydrologist, or pathologist; I was satisfied with a more complex, stratified understanding. At UC Davis, I had the opportunity to work in the Rizzo Plant Pathology Lab: the world’s premier lab for studying the pathogen behind Sudden Oak Death. I owe this lab for teaching me more about molecular biology than any class in the subject could have. Working alongside Lab Technicians and Graduate Students, I was able to complete an ecology senior project in which I conducted Koch’s Postulates, a virology technique using series of steps needed to identify the causal relationship between a disease and the culprit organism, in this case phytopthora syringae. While my courses pertained to complex physical and biological systems, I see tremendous similarities between how systems interact. Without understanding how the atmosphere and hydrosphere interact, I might have a difficult time understanding the circulatory system. Without understanding how pathogens interact with their host, I might have a difficult time understanding how the digestive system works. Because of my background in complex environmental systems, I was now more capable in understanding any complex system.
College was short-lived for me. Having entered college with AP classes from high school and taking summer school before my first year started, I was a sophomore standing in my freshman year. By the winter quarter of my first year I was in upper division courses. Since the time I arrived I had to plan for my post-college life. After completing my coursework at UC Davis, I attended UCLA’s Motion Picture Producing Program in hopes of uniting the fields of environmental science and major film and television, having impact like the documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. Despite working for National Geographic Feature Films and developing incredible contacts, I soon learned that the field was much less developed than I had anticipated. Living in a bustling city and attending a very athletically proud school, I began to yearn for the times where I studied academic journals and read the latest fitness blogs. Seeing the opportunity to combine my hobby of fitness with that of a professional career I began preparing to become a personal trainer. I pursued and received certification through NSCA and NASM. My natural tendency towards higher education led me to study and take the Miller Analogies Test, a standardized test used by many Schools of Education across the country. I scored in the 97th percentile and later gained admission to Mensa International as a result. I built the base for success in the health education field; bridging the gap between educational and professional goals.
Having an aptitude for quick learning came in handy when I entered the fitness industry. Despite the competitive nature of the field, the necessity for salesmanship, and my lack of a kinesiology based degree; I was able to find quick success as a personal trainer. Having to shift gears between understanding the body from a biomechanical textbook approach to a practical understanding was a lot like changing running surface; shaky at first, a little awkward and uncomfortable, but later something that I desired to be doing. Because most clients only buy small packages when first starting personal training, finding a meaningful way to illustrate their transformation through subjective and objective measures is important. Despite weight loss being a goal of many of my clients, twelve sessions is often not enough to show dramatic transformations. I learned that the greatest way to affect new clients was to correct muscle imbalances and teach them how to use their body more effectively and efficiently. One female client that I worked with in her late twenties has gone from a recreational runner to completing three marathons, all while modifying her technique to run more efficiently. Another client was able to eliminate most of her back pain by correcting the imbalance between her anterior and posterior chains. Another client, in her eighties, was able build strength in her legs so that she could walk without a cane. It was an especially moving moment when I was told by this teary-eyed client that I had given her the ability to walk again. After hearing that the business I was working for was closing down, I decided to take on in-home personal training, running my own business operations individually. Despite only being in the field for a very short time, I have made tremendous strides understanding how to work with and coordinate exercise programs, eventually culminating in a business of my own.
Hopefully I have been able to illustrate that I have the foundation for entry into the program of Integrated Physiology as a Master’s candidate. I would whole-heartily enjoy having the opportunity to contribute to the research interests of biomechanics in the Locomotion Laboratory, headed by Dr. Rodger Kram. After reading some of the current and past publications regarding subjects of movement efficiency, I am inspired to take part in this prestigious program. Looking forward, I aspire to continue learning and teaching how we move as whole kinetic systems rather than the sum of our parts.
