How Long Does It Take To Be A Sports Massage Therapist
Level 3, 4, and 5 sports massage course lengths will depend entirely on the provider. Some can be taken intensively but, on average, courses can be completed in around 12 months. Accelerated courses, which offer theoretical components online, and the practical elements in a 3-day workshop, are specifically designed for busy people looking to upskill around their existing work. Breeze Academy offers this course, which you can find more about, here.
Degree-level courses will take three years of full-time study, or 5-6 years of part-time study. Some courses may also offer a year in industry to gain experience this will usually take place between the second and third years of study.
Running A Sports Massage Therapy Business
Sports massage therapy continues to become a skill in demand within the sports and fitness sector. Sports Massage Therapists have seen their services increased in demand in recent years, with gym goers to professional athletes looking to them to treat and prevent injuries they pick up from training.
As well as putting together some quick details on becoming a Sports Massage Therapist, we also caught up with Danielle Gray from Grays Sports Therapy and Massage to hear her experiences working as a Sports Massage Therapist. Danielle told us her journey into the profession and what it takes to set up and run your own Sports Therapy and Massage business.
Key points to consider.
Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy:
This course can take around 3 months and involves face-to-face delivery and home study. This is an ideal qualification for those first starting their journey into the profession that delivers all the required knowledge. Those qualified can also become insured to practice as a Sports Massage Therapist.
You may also then want to become part of an association. This can add value to your practice as you’ll be updated throughout the industry and get cpd opportunities. It’ll also help with credibility with your potential clients.
You can see the units covered in the level 3 qualification and how they are assessed here.
Skills
Good communicator and people person:
Therapists also need to be adaptable:
9-5?
Potential income
Danielle Gray, Grays Sports Therapy and Massage
S To Become A Sports Massage Specialist
After you finish your level 3 course firstly you need to get your desired work experience.
- To train to be a sports massage therapist the best way to start off is to work as an apprentice.
- You can look for apprenticeships by yourself. Contact your nearest facilities that provide such services. Drop by and see by yourself.
- For instance, you may also seek help from the National Career Service.
- Look around on the internet to find yourself an apprenticeship. Get youself started off.
- You may also look online to look out for anyone who gives out apprenticeships in sports massage therapy.
- Either way, it wont that long to get you employed. As sports massage therapists is an in-demand profession
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How To Become A Massage Therapist: The Definitive Guide
Do your friends go to you when they have a kink in their neck?
Do you enjoy relaxing people?
Are you always making sure that you stretch before exercise?
With the help of massage therapy, people are finding that life is much better limber.
As a Massage Therapist, you can learn how to manipulate your clients bodies to relieve aches and pains, as well as help with their posture and to promote health.
How Long Does It Take
In order to become a sports massage therapist, you need to complete a training course. This can be done on a part-time basis, involving both working from home and attending practical sessions, which means that there is a lot of flexibility. You will have a tutor guiding you through the course and tutors are there for weekly video calls and answering questions. You will be expected to complete some of the course from home via solo studying. Its important to attend all practical sessions, as this is where all of what you learn throughout the course is put into practice.
Having a previous relevant qualification is required such as a Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training, a Level 2 Diploma in Beauty or a massage qualification.
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Have A Passion And Interest For The Massage Therapist Industry
Before entering any profession, its important to have a genuine interest in what youre doing. A massage therapist is a health care professional with a massage certification that helps relieve stress and tension every day. If youre interested in massage therapy, you should be interested in a hands-on career and the well-being of your patients. Before training as a massage therapist, ask yourself if you are interested in any of the following: a physical yet rewarding career, starting your own business, and flexible hours, among many other attributes. In addition, many massage therapists have high satisfaction in their jobs.
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What Is A Massage Therapist
We all work too hard, and most of us need to take a break to get a massage.
As a Massage Therapist, you can give clients the relaxation and calm that they so desperately need.
Working with your client to find out what ails them, you can then practice rubbing, kneading, massaging, and manipulating their tissue and muscles.
Doing this can relieve some of the pain that they feel physically, and even mentally or emotionally.
You can expect to work in places like spas, rehab centers, hospitals, cruise ships, resorts, the list goes on.
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Can You Become A Sports Massage Therapist Without A Degree
You can become a sports massage therapist without a degree by completing a relevant, accredited sports massage course. The most widely recognised sports massage courses outside of a degree are the Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy, and the Level 4 Certificate in Sports Massage Therapy.
These are entry level, and progression level sports massage courses, and are the minimum level of qualification required to practice sports massages in the UK.
Sports Massage Therapist Hours
When wondering whether to become a sports massage therapist, you should be aware of the hours you would be expected to work.
If you choose to work full-time, youll typically be working a 37 hour week. You should also be prepared to work evenings and weekends, as these are often the most popular times for clients who work during the day themselves.
If you work for a sports team, for example, you may also be expected to join the team on away fixtures, which may take place across a whole weekend. If this sounds like something youre interested in, well outline how to become a massage therapist for a sports team later in this article!
However, working evenings and weekends isnt for everyone. Fortunately, if you work as a freelance sports massage therapist, you can determine your own working hours to some extent, and will ultimately determine your earnings.
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Job Opportunities For Sports Massage Therapists
Sports massage has gone way beyond professional athletes. Now athletes, as well as people looking to live active lifestyles, are availing the benefits of sports massage. Since its use fullness to living a healthy life has become widespread more and more people are now availing the services.The common sports massage therapists jobs are:
Gym and fitness clubs
People are moving towards exercise in huge numbers. More and more people are joining the gym to rejuvenate their energy. In the process they are also feeling presence of knots in their joints and soft tissues. So to avoid any injury people seek the services of sports massage therapists more than ever. So its easier to get access to more clients if you associate yourself with any health club.
Sporting clubs
Participation in various sports such as cricket, football, hockey, tennis and so on are at an all-time rise in the UK. Injuries may occur anytime in these competitive sports like this. So there is a rising demand of sports massage Therapists both on an expert and trainee level to help the clubs operate with their events.
Sporting events
Many competitors attend sporting events such as marathons, half-marathons, triathlons, cycling races and Iron Man competitions. This is a great opportunity for sports massage therapists to meet potential customers. This allows the therapists to give pre and post-event massage to participants on demand.
Working freelance
The Level 4 Certificate In Sports Massage Therapy
The level 4 certification is an advanced form of the level 3 sports massage therapy course. This course covers a broader range of subject matters. The discussions go deeper into each of the topics. Likewise, This also includes advanced therapy techniques used to treat sports-related injuries.
It is important to note that its beyond the Sports massage therapists scope to diagnose an injury. A sports massage therapy can be prescribed by general practitioners, orthopaedic doctors, physical therapists and so on after diagnosis of the condition.
To clarify sports massage therapists are trained to condition the muscles of athletes with their specialized techniques. They mainly prepare the athletes for better performance, enhance recovery and injury management. The treatment enhances the circulation of body fluids properly and reduces muscle tensions.
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Meet Our Staff And Students
Erin McIntosh
“I attended an open event to find out more about the courses on offer and I make an application on the night. I was offered a place straight away on the course. Since starting I have made loads of friends.”
Paul Stuart Gibbons
“It was a big decision for me moving away from home for college. Its a complete new start, so making friends and feeling welcome has made it easier for me. The location is great, everything you need is nearby.”
Jessica Dixon
“I work at a clinic as part of my work placement, and this have given me the confidence to believe that I do have the knowledge to put what I have learnt into practice. I can take what I have learnt and apply it.”
“The best thing about teaching is supporting students to achieve their goals and develop a passion for sport and exercise topics. Sport and exercise is such an exciting subject area, which allows for discussion and debate across a range of topics and issues.”
Alex Mardan
The best thing about my job is the opportunity to have a positive impact in someone’s life.Sport has the power to bring people together.
Health And Fitness Clubs/ Gyms/ Spas
Another popular career option for sports massage therapists is to work in health and fitness clubs, or gyms.
Many leisure clubs will have on-site sports massage therapists for their members, particularly high end clubs.
Here is an example of a permanent vacancy for a sports massage therapist at David Lloyd:
As you can see, this role is a full-time permanent contract, but many gyms may also hire sports massage therapists on a freelance/self-employed basis too.
Many gyms and fitness centres will allow freelance sports massage therapists to rent a room, and you can offer your services from there. With this structure, you will pay a fixed fee to the health club and keep 100% of the earnings you make from sports massage services.
Check out our list of the best gyms to work for in the UK for an idea of the gyms who are likely to hire sports massage therapists.
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The Role Of A Sports Massage Therapist
The role of a sports massage therapist is multifaceted and so the nature of the work you will undertake will largely depend on where you are employed, what qualifications you hold, who your clients are, and what specialist skills you possess. Broadly speaking, you will be working with clients to either help them alleviate symptoms of pain, inflammation and dysfunction, or to prevent these symptoms from occurring in the first place.
Youll be required to treat people of all ages and backgrounds and you will be using a variety of therapeutic techniques. These may not always involve massage, so being flexible and adaptive to each patients individual circumstances and needs is a must.
While sports massage is perhaps still most often associated rehabilitation, the work also focuses as equally on injury prevention strategies and enhancing performance. Massage in this context is used to maintain optimum tissue quality and this approach is often referred to as prehabilitation .
In addition to treating the physical effects of an injury, you may also find yourself dealing with a clients emotional state. Many people suffer from depression, low self-esteem, anxiety and reduced mood and confidence when they are in pain and injured. Being able to provide an all-round level of care and support is of paramount importance.
What Is The Difference Between A Sports Therapist And A Sports Massage Therapist
As a quick finisher , were going to answer the question of what is the difference between a sports therapist and a sports massage therapist?
Despite having similar names, both of these professions are considerably different from one another, and have different roles. While sports massage therapy focuses more on supplying tight and fatigued muscles with relief, sports therapy is more involved with rehabilitation post-injury and injury prevention.
That being said, they are known for helping with elements of each of these things but in different ways.
Where sports therapy aids injury prevention or rehabilitation through monitoring the exercise, diet etc. of an athlete prior to a big event, sports massage would be administered on the day of the event to prepare the muscles .
Thus, the roles of a sports massage therapist include similar aspects to those of a sports therapist, but they are reached differently.
Hopefully, you now know the answer to the question ‘what is the difference between a sports therapist and a sports massage therapist?’ and understand how they work well together for achieving similar end goals for clients!
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What Qualifications Are Required As A Therapist
If you are wanting to become a self-employed therapist and want to work from home, or perhaps as a mobile therapist, then any of our Short Massage Diploma courses are the best.
Diploma massage courses
All of our Short Massage Diploma courses give you chance to learn the practical skills related to a massage treatment in just 1 or 2 days.
You will obtain a Diploma qualification accredited by the Guild of Holistic & Professional Beauty Therapists and the IICT.
This is the only qualification that you need to become a registered self-employed or mobile massage therapist.
You will also need to obtain professional indemnity insurance in order to practice.
We always advise that you contact your local district council to make sure that a fast track course qualification meets with their approval.
Certain Personality Types Do Well In Massage Therapy
Personality types that do well in the massage therapy profession are those who have an interest in the Building and Helping areas, as per the Holland Code career classification scale, which matches interests with appropriate careers. Building means you enjoy working with tools and machines and take joy in making or fixing things. Helping means you enjoy assisting, serving, counselling and teaching others.
You also must be an empathetic person, and able to build trust with your clients you need to have physical stamina and dexterity, as you may be giving several massages in one day and will be on your feet a lot you also must have time-management skills, both in terms of keeping track of your appointments and keeping track of the time while youre in appointments while still tailoring to your clients needs and, of course, excellent communication skills are paramount.
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Equipment And Other Costs
Student insurance cover for £1 million for 12 months is included enabling you to practice whilst studying, although you will be covered by Sports Therapy UK insurance whilst under the direct tutelage of our tutors.
Student membership to the LCSP Register of Manual Therapists for 12 months is also included providing you with extensive benefits whilst training.To set up as an independent sports massage therapist you will need to purchase a portable couch and sundry items, and hold a current recognised first aid certificate. A one day First Aid at Work qualification is normally the minimum requirement to be eligible to practice and costs may vary according to the provider.If you buy a good quality couch and accessories, you may expect to spend a total of £300, although costs can be reduced significantly by shopping around for cheaper alternatives.
Full guidance towards purchasing the right equipment will be given at the start of your practical training.
How Much Does A Sports Massage Therapist Earn
While there is no salary information available regarding specific sports massage therapists, the average salary for massage therapists is £17.32 per hour. This value could increase in sports settings, for example, if you work for an elite sports team. Additionally, this value can differ based on your level of experience, where you work, your specialisation and what qualifications you possess. Freelance sports massage therapists may also have different earning opportunities, as they do not receive a salary, but instead receive direct payments from their clients.
Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at time of writing. Salariesâ âmayâ ââvaryââ âdependingâ âonâ âtheâ âhiringâ âorganisationâ âandâ âaâ âcandidate’sâ âexperience,â âacademicâ backgroundâ âandâ âlocation.â
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What Is The Salary Of A Sports Massage Therapist
According to HFE, full-time sports massage therapists classed as employed rather than self-employed can earn between £22,000 and £40,000 per year. However, there are a number of variables influencing these figures
Self-employed sports massage therapists can earn between £35-£50 per hour, but annual salaries depend entirely on how much they work, overheads, other expenses, and tax.