World Massage Festival &
Massage Therapy Hall of Fame


Read our Philosophy - The Bridge Builder


Our Mission Statement: To honor those who built the bridges for our profession,
to educate the general public about massage, to educate therapists
about different types of massage and to have fun.


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Joe Martin


Joe N. Martin, Founder of CHI (the Center for Holistic Instruction, LLC), has long been a practitioner of holistic and alternative care. His interest in these fields began with studies in martial arts over 47 years ago. In an effort to help his students work through their muscle pain as they progressed in their martial arts skills, Mr. Martin learned about trigger points. This education led him to massage therapy and then on to a number of related therapeutic techniques.

He is a certified Tai Chi, Qigong instructor, a Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist, a Grandmaster and founder of Esoma Kungfu (Awarded "Grand Master of the Year" in 2004 by the World Head of Family Sokeship Council's International Martial Arts Achievement Award). Joe teaches massage and bodywork therapies, qigong and tai chi regularly in the United States and Germany.

The massage therapy technique Joe teaches is called Esomassage, a newly developed massage modality that uses the inner structure and yin/yang principles of taichi to turn off the fast twitch muscle fibers and turn on the slow twitch muscle fibers. Mr. Martin works in a clinical setting at the Center for Holistic Care, PLLC with his wife Dr. Sandrine Martin, DC, DABCI in Cornelius, NC.

Website: Center for Holistic Instruction





Introduction to Esomassage - Four Legs, No Hands
2 CE Contact Hours

Through an unprecedented approach in teaching structural principles, this class will demonstrate how to achieve greater results in your massage sessions while reducing the physical strain on your body. The student will learn yin and yang fundamentals which, when applied correctly, will affect body weight distribution and as a result restore fun, ease and vigor to the practice of massage. Once put into practice these principles will relegate fatigue and burnout to things of the past.

Instruction and demonstration followed by plenty of hands practice in a group environment will help students learn and assimilate the intrinsic secrets behind ancient methods of grounding and energy (chi) manifestation. These learnings, combined with the presentation of unique table-side body mechanics will enhance the student's current massage and bodywork practice and take it to the next level.

In order to give students an invaluable first-hand experience of the effectiveness of the principles and practices presented in this unique workshop, the instructor will demonstrate the Esomassage Massage Routine which incorporates these practices.

During this workshop special attention will be given to the following important principles:
  • Total Body Unity - the ability to accomplish more work while expending less effort. This secret method used by tai chi masters to move a stable person with light touch will be invaluable to every class of bodyworker when manipulating soft tissue with the intent to heal.
  • Yin and Yang and their relationship with "Total Body Unity" and massage.
  • Why there should always be a Yin movement that creates a Yang force.
  • Tree Standing and its relationship to phasic and tonic muscle fibers.
  • How to develop the "core" and how to use "Total Body Unity".
Each of the principles taught in the workshop along with the accompanying activities will provide compelling enough evidence to the student to convince him/her of the necessity to incorporate these profound practices into their body work practice. Attendees will leave the workshop with a new approach to massage and may find a restored excitement and love rivaling that which first brought them to the profession of bodywork.

Supplies Needed by Students: Pen/paper for note taking