We are often asked about sports massage courses for beginners. So, I thought I would write a short blog explaining them and explaining what is suitable for a beginner. There are several levels of sports massage qualification available, and I will run through these plus any prerequisites to the course.
Accredited sports massage qualifications
As I have said in a previous blog always look for an accredited qualification you know where you stand and what to expect and so does any perspective employer. There are three main levels of sports massage qualification and they are numbered three to five. Level three is your beginners course. You then have level four and finally level five.
Level 3 sports massage
A level 3 qualification is your sports massage course for beginners and will cover all the basics you need to know. This includes all the anatomy and physiology, contra indications, so things you need to avoid and the all-important hand skills. That’s not all, you will learn to assess your client so you can provide the right treatment. You are taught the basic hand skills which you will use all your massage career, these are your bread-and-butter techniques. There are no prerequisites to this course except age, most courses will require you to be 16 or older some 18.
Level 4 sports massage
Once you have completed your level three qualification you can move on to level four. This starts to get away from the basics and is not suitable for beginners, I’ll explain why shortly. It builds on your exciting knowledge expanding information on firstly your consultation skills. This enables you to treat more effectively as you have a better understanding of the issue. Secondly you will develop your knowledge on injuries and dysfunctions opening you up to a broader range of clients. Thirdly you learn new techniques everyone’s favorite. These techniques will back up and support the ones you have already learnt.
Level 5 sports massage
Level five further builds on level four adding additional assessment skill, further techniques and better understanding in sports specific areas. You will need to be level three and four qualified before you can complete level five.
Sports massage courses for beginners their importance
So why is the level three qualification the all-important sports massage courses for beginners? Firstly its hard to jump straight to a level 4 on the back of other qualifications as you need the hand skills. Secondly and most importantly it’s the foundation to all your skills and knowledge.
You wouldn’t build a house with out foundations and similarly, you need to build a good solid base for sports massage. Strong foundations make for excellent practitioners. This is the framework you build everything else from. Every treatment you do will start from the basics and escalate up as required. Learn and do the basics well and you will be good at what you do!!
