Dr. John Holash
Affiliations
Associate Professor (Teaching)
Faculty of Kinesiology
Child Health & Wellness Researcher
Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute
Academic Coach
Faculty of Kinesiology, Dinos Athletics
Contact information
Background
Educational Background
PhD Muscle Physiology, University of Calgary,
MSc Exercise Physiology, University of Calgary ,
Biography
About Dr. R.J. Holash
Dr. John Holash is a recognized expert in the fields of Exercise Physiology, Muscle Physiology, and Computational Biology, currently serving as an assistant professor at the University of Calgary in the Faculty of Kinesiology's Human Performance Lab. His commitment to understanding and optimizing human performance is deeply rooted in both his academic pursuits and personal experiences as an athlete, a coach, and a researcher.
From his early career as a ski instructor, backcountry guide, and canoe and kayaking guide, to his current status as a masters athlete in biathlon, Dr. Holash has consistently embraced a spirit of adventure and sport. A keen sailor and mountain biker, and an ardent competitor in adventure races, he has a firsthand understanding of the demands and joys of high-performance sports.
After honing his passion as an amateur competitive cyclist, Dr. Holash pursued a rigorous academic path, earning his Master's degree in Exercise Physiology and Biomechanics, followed by his doctorate in Muscle Physiology and Computational Biology. This blend of practical and theoretical knowledge allows him to bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world application, bringing a unique perspective to his work. John still works on bridging the gap between his coaching, training, and academic work so to complete the circle.
Dr. Holash currently serves as Principal Investigator on several funded research and technology initiatives within the Faculty of Kinesiology, spanning human performance, muscle modeling, metabolic efficiency, and educational technology. He is a founding PI of ACTIVATION Health, a digital recovery and performance-metrics platform developed with Drs. Fred Nicolls and Joe Kendal, and Lead PI of MELT (Multimedia, Education, for Learning and Teaching), an EdTech framework built on student-led software development and interactive learning systems.
Research
Areas of Research
At the helm of his innovative research program, "The Digital Athlete Lab," Dr. Holash is pioneering the use of data and technology in the realm of fitness and health. His lab integrates diverse metrics from smart devices and apps to create a comprehensive model of the "digital athlete," with the goal of predicting, prescribing, and developing holistic health programs for individuals.
By harmonizing data, Dr. Holash's work aims to revolutionize personal fitness and wellness. His vision is to unlock the full potential of individualized training, health, and nutrition, leveraging digital technology to create a healthier, better-performing, and more informed athletic community.
The focus of Dr. Holash’s work is developing and modifying courses and instructional materials within the exercise physiology group leveraging new technologies, instruments and research for course delivery.
Join Dr. Holash on his journey as he continues to push the boundaries of what we know about human performance and how we can use data to improve our lives. His love for adventure, competition, and the great outdoors fuels his commitment to this groundbreaking work.
Participation in university strategic initiatives
Courses
| Course number | Course title | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| KNES 606 TUT 01 T01 | Prac Skill App Exer Physiology | 2021 |
| KNES 213 LEC 01 01 | IntroToResearchInKinesiology | 2021 |
| KNES 375 LAB 04 B04 | Tests & Measurements In KNES | 2021 |
| KNES 213 LAB 01 B01 | IntroToResearchInKinesiology | 2021 |
| KNES 375 LAB 03 B03 | Tests & Measurements In KNES | 2020 |
| KNES 375 LAB 01 B01 | Tests & Measurements In KNES | 2021 |
| KNES 375 LAB 02 B02 | Tests & Measurements In KNES | 2021 |
Projects
ACTIVATION
ACTIVATION began in spring 2024 out of a McCaig Institute networking event, when spinal surgeon Dr. Fred Nicholls described a common clinical gap: surgeons assess recovery through clinic visits and patient-reported outcomes, but have no continuous, objective picture of how patients move at home. Dr. John Holash, a kinesiology professor working in wearable and activity-based research, recognized the idea was feasible and built the platform himself after an earlier development contract stalled. Dr. Joe Kendal, an orthopedic oncology surgeon, later joined to extend the approach to sarcoma recovery.
The ACTIVATION app passively captures activity data — steps, distance, gait symmetry, energy expenditure, and more — from participants' own smartphones and wearables, paired with PROMIS patient-reported outcome measures collected through an ethics-approved Qualtrics workflow.
The project is supported by a SPARC Ignite Grant from the McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, the Alberta Innovates Spark Ignite program, and the Alberta Spine Foundation, and has led to a spinout company, Activation Health. It has supported two master's research projects and several undergraduate contributors, with beta testing underway ahead of planned pilot deployments in spine and oncology patient populations, including two multi-centre trials with Mayo Clinic and the University of Toronto.
The MELT Project
The MELT (Multimedia for Enhanced Learning and Training) project is a scholarly teaching and training initiative in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary. It produces concise instructional videos, created by students for students, to prepare learners for laboratory-based measurement, health-testing, and wet-bench procedures.
Complex practical skills — physiological testing protocols, laboratory measurement techniques — are traditionally taught through in-person demonstration, which is time-intensive and inconsistent across sessions. MELT translates standardized testing protocols into accessible multimedia resources that reinforce methodological rigour, including validity, reliability, and procedural standardization, while giving students hands-on experience in instructional design and knowledge translation.
The project serves two main purposes. In coursework, videos support KNES laboratory courses by helping students prepare for and review physiological testing procedures before practical sessions. In research training, videos support summer research students through compressed onboarding periods, accelerating their readiness for wet-bench procedures in active laboratory projects.
The project is led by Dr. John Holash as Principal Investigator, with Dr. Venus Joumaa as Co-Investigator. Student contributors, including Mauricio Delgado, Sunnie, and Abdul-Samad, produce the videos themselves, which is itself part of the project's experiential-learning design.
MELT reflects a simple idea: students teaching students how to do rigorous science, on video, improving both the trainees' preparedness and the trainers' own communication and technical skills.
The MELT project is supported by a teaching and learning grant from the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning at the University of Calgary.
Publications
In the News
- ACTIVATION Health: Made-at-UCalgary app aims to change how recovery is measured. U-Today. (2026)
- Exploring the AI Running Revolution. Run to the Top Podcast | The ultimate running podcast. (2025)
- Can A Weighted Vest Amp Up Your Daily Walk?. Canadian Living | Sara Romano. (2025)
- Technology is revolutionizing sport performance.. Future Tense: Australian Broadcast Company. (2024)
- How to cold down when the heat is on.. Calgary Hearld. (2024)
- N.S. woman says ocean plunges offering her health benefits. Global News. (2024)
- Cold plunges are all the rage. But what does the science say?. CBC News. (2024)
- Innovator/Educator –Dr. John Holash. Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning.
- Are you ready to take the plunge? Experts weigh in on cold plunge benefits. Global News Calgary. (2023)
- The Many Health Benefits of Nordic Skiing. Best of Health Magazine. (2023)
- Creating a flipped Classroom with John Holash. Spotify Podcast COVID Coffee Chats @ Ucalgary Episode 8:.
- Why some people are taking a wintry dip from the banks of the Bow River. CBC news Calgary.
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