John Tai is a BC Registered Massage Therapist practicing in the Greater Vancouver Area and the Fraser Canyon. His area of interest is in pain management, rehabilitation and sports.
John lives a very active lifestyle that is full of travel and adventure. In 2019 he and is family relocated to the Fraser Canyon to develop their homestead and future. His massage therapy practice is split between greater Vancouver and the Fraser Canyon.
Through out most of 2010-2020, he has been a participant in numerous obstacle events such as Spartan Race and Tough Mudder. He also offered obstacles and race services to schools and communities as a means of physical literacy through Grit Farm Fitness. He feels physical literacy is the keystone to health and wellness. A therapist can provide support and guidance, the patient is the one that needs to do all the hard work, which cannot be achieved without physical literacy.
In practice since 1997, John has developed a broad range of skills, knowledge and experience in health and fitness from a diverse journey in life.
Active in sports since the age of 10, he developed a keen interest in human performance and rehabilitation. He has been a certified coach since 1987 and a fitness instructor since 1991. In addition to the challenges of athletic training and competition, he is no stranger to the demands of hard labour. He has worked in the fishing and construction industries during their high seasons for over 7 years.
Today, as a RMT and a developer of race courses for obstacle sports and on his homestead, high physical demand is part of his everyday life.
John Tai has developed a good understanding and command of chronic pain and headaches through is life activities and from managing the impact of multiple motor vehicle accidents and repetitive strain injuries.
In the early 1990’s he experienced 2 rear-ended motor vehicle impacts and was cut off by a vehicle while cycling. In the latter he catapulted off his bike and over the vehicle sustaining concussions and rib-cage injuries. These impacts added to others from various contact and high velocity sports: rugby, wrestling, skiing and roller-blading.
In his recovery and training, he became a registrant of the College of Massage Therapy BC. He graduated from the West Coast College of Massage Therapy in 1997. This paved the way in his exploration and skill development in manual therapy.
John has achieved many certifications and training in health and fitness:
Electroneurophysiology, registration in electroencephalography 2007 CAET and nerve conductions 2011 AAET . He is familiar with the testing for epilepsy and neuromuscular diseases.
Canfit Pro Fitness Instructor Specialist 2018
Exercise Physiologist
American College of Sports Medicine
Spartan SGX Coach
Level 1 2016
Level 2 in 2017
Canadian National Coaching Certifications:
volleyball
wrestling
squash
road running
Yoga Instructor
Nasik Maharashta India 2007
Urban Poling Instructor
Level 1
Rehabilitation 2014
John is trained but is not certified in
Cranial Sacral I, II / Somatoemotional Release I, II
Visceral Manipulation
Meditation
Pilates,
CrossFit
Acupuncture.
Sabbaticals in his train brought him travelling to Thailand and India. where he studied Thai Massage, yoga and meditation. He also spent many months in Switzerland training in EEG and EMG as well as learning from wellness spas.
2008 also presented an opportunity to cycle in the Dominican Republic, South America and Cuba. These included time sharing fitness and meditation with an orphanage in Santo Domingo and with street kids in Lima. This trip also provided a special opportunity to dance and develop literacy around the movement rhythms of the merengue, bachata, salsa from different countries, cumbia, tango and samba.
John Tai Massage Therapy 