sports massage course advice

[shevy]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the board and hoping to get some advice on courses. I've recently completed ITEC Holistic Massage but I feel like I need to do further training.

The institute I studied Holistic Massage at offers an APNT Sports Injury and Masage. I was happy with the training I received there and would not hesitate to book again, though I am wondering if there are better syllabi or training providers available.

I live in zone 2, SE London. I don't mind travelling for up to two hours but would prefer to keep the travel down to 1-1 1/2 hours each way, I also don't drive so would be limited by public transport.

Cost is not a great issue, I am willing to pay more for a good course because it will mean more work in the long run. I would prefer to do an intensive course and finish asap. I am self employed at the moment so taking time off to study wouldn't be a problem to me.

I am finding it all very confusing so any advice regarding courses and institutes would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Esther

 

[Azazello]

Hi Esther,
if you are looking to have a career in sports massage you need to make a very wise decision, otherwise your career will be very short lived.

APNT is a validating body and some of their schools offer ITEC courses, the others offer 'in-house' qualifications.

You will see from other posts on the sports therapies board, ITEC are derided by most people in the sports therapy industry, I myself did ITEC sports massage and it was a complete waste of time.

Due to lots of changes in the industry I decided I needed to do a recognised course, so I trained with Active Health Group, up in Bradford. They run intensive courses and they have just announced that they have been awarded a level 4 qualification in sports massage and level 5 in sports therapy. If you check other courses you will see that they are 'aligned' at level 4, which means it doesnt actually provide a nationally awarded qualification at that level. ITEC run nationally awarded level 3 courses. Active Healths awards are national qualifications.

I think if you get in touch with them [link=http://www.activehealthgroup.org.uk]www.activehealthgroup.org.uk[/link] they are running courses in London and other areas.

Good luck with your search!

 

[COD.warrior]

Thank you for that information. Yes, the tutors where I did Holistic Massage told me the ITEC's sports course is not very good. So you think AHG is the way to go? I have previously looked at their website but as their course is held in Surrey and I don't drive I thought it would be difficult to get to, esp. lugging couch accessories etc. but I've just looked again and noticed its 15 days in three chunks so that may not be so bad. Will email them. Cheers.

 

[Benedetta Torre]

I think it is the way for you to go. You will see people on here saying that the only courses to do are 'SMA' ones, however, anyone can now join the SMA (including ITEC graduates), so there is no point doing one of their courses. As Active Health Group have their sports massage accredited at level 4, you will still be able to join SMA as a level 4 member, should you so choose.

ps im really glad that your tutors warned you about ITEC sports massage!!

 

[Manohar]

HI KMP, why lug your gear around when all equipment is provided by ACTIVE HEALTH GROUP, I have completed 2 of their courses as a direct result of information on this site.

Get your self booked on a course and you won't look back, why settle for level3 course when you can get an undergraduate qualification/ HND level of training and assessment.
Regards
GAZ

 

[jillianbarker84]

This really is a bit misleading!Just about anyone can join the SMA as an Affiliate member,this is hardly the same as becoming a full member ,which only those who have completed and passed an SMA recognised course or taken their entry exam can do.
The AHG quals will certainly not allow you to join the SMA at L4 as currently such a membership category does not exist ,although as I understandit, the SMA are planning to build in a "Practitioner level system " in the future.

 

[Luz]

So most sports courses would qualify me at level 3 whereas the AHG course would qualify me at level 4? Is level 4 equivalent to undergrad?

Esther

 

[Deepak Kumar]

im sorry if it looks misleading as it wasnt meant to be, however, SMA have ALWAYS accepted VTCT and ITEC, as affiliates, but what has happened is most affiliates say that they are members of SMA, and drop the word 'affiliate'. To stop this the SMA has decided to develop 2 practitioner levels, level 3 and 4.

I know this becauseI have spoken to someone who works for SMA, have spoken to other full SMA members, read posts on here, and also as im an affiliate member.

I may have pre-empted it, but its going to happen soon!


To Esther: a level 5 qualification is the equivalent of a foundation/undergraduate degree or HND, however looking at their website, the level 5 only applies to their sports therapy course, and level 4 applies to their sports massage

 

[Yeoman Prince]

level 4 is equivalent to a HNC

 

[vera aFa]

sorry, me again...ive just re-read my post, where it says that there is no point doing an SMA course. What I meant to say was there is no point in doing an SMA course if the only reason you are doing it is to become an SMA member.

I hope this clears it up

 

[momof2girls]

I think that GB’s advice is out of date. The SMA has now revised its distinction between ‘full members’ and ‘affiliate members’, instead using the terms ‘members level 4’ and ‘members level 3’ respectively. They advised their members in April this year:



In response to KMP – yes most sports courses are recognised as level 3 and only a small number are recognised as level 4 (which is equivalent to HND).
The Active Health Group course has been accredited as Level 4 by ASET.
The LSSM / North London SSM course has been accredited as Level 4 by BTEC (and by the SMA).
SMA have also accepted the SPS course as Level 4 although (as we have discussed on earlier threads) that syllabus doesn’t include detailed tuition in remedial techniques such as STR and MET, which both the LSSM course and the Active Health Group course do.

Alan

 

[oldfart]

Thanks for kinda clearing that up Alan.It does beg the question -why isn't that info on the SMA website?
So,just to clarify...an AHG graduate [level 4 or 5] can become an SMA level 3 member.What of older graduates whose qual wasn't accredited by Aset?

Also,having studied at AHG last year,started at NLSSM earlier in the year and decided to probably do the Raworth course in a few months,I would say that all of these training providers have their pros and cons! I would put Raworth at the top in terms of depth of knowledge/experience gained.But it is twice the price and has 3-4 x the total tuition hours plus you have to do 60hrs work experience.So shouldn't the SMA recognise it as being at a higher level than LSSM and the others.Say SPS - 4,LSSM 4-5 [depending on your grades] and Raworth being 4-6 [depending on grades] To designate all SMA approved courses at one recognised level isn't really going far enough imo.

 

[Gathering Dust]

Hi GB,
the SMA dont make up the qualification levels, that is down to government awarding bodies. If a G.A.B deems a course to be at level 3 then that is what it gets, likewise for levels 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, which is the highest level.

I have a degree which is the equivalent of level 6.

I have looked at the Raworth course and it does look like a long course, and they certainly only teach a small number of people per year (7 on sports therapy last year), but maybe this is to do with cost?

I think if I were you, I would save my money and just opt for the sports therapy degree course, as on the Raworth course you will be issued with their own in-house qualification plus an ITEC(!!!) level 3 award.

(ps You must have money to burn if you are spending all this on training! [sm=jump1.gif])

 

[wumtucvu]

(should have said, government recognised awarding bodies)

 

[Part Time Cynic]

Yes you do get an Itec as part of the course.However,I know from speaking to graduates [one lives 2m from me} that the depth of training and detail even of the Itec tuition is on another level.I have hads a sneak look at the exam papers too.When you take the Itec exam at the end of the first term you have to do the Raworth one too [not multipe choice and requires a thorough depth of understanding] to prove that you reach their lofty standards.

As an example checkout the Cassar book - Handbook of Clinical Massage [this is one of the many required course textbooks] written by a recent Raworth tutor.Awesome book.

Back to SMA levels...wouldn't it have been simpler to offer just Student and Full memberships.This would have avoided any confusion and stopped some Affiliates masquerading as full members.

 

[HavinFun]

hi GB,
reading some of the MANY posts re SMA on here, it seems that they really need numbers, and it doesnt matter what level they are....if they approach the Health Professions Council with low numbers of members they wont be taken seriously. They need graduates from ALL companies to join to make them a worthwhile and respectedorganisation.