I was at a meeting last night with different therapist from different holistic backgrounds. one by one we introduced ourselves and what therapy we practiced.
one member described themselves as a sports deep tissue therapist rather than a sports massage therapist, why that description i don't know, im proud to call myself a sports massage therapist, there was several others who were also SMT, i know the persons qualification (which is in SM (BTEC)) so why class themselves different to what they are????? after all deep tissue is only part of the work SM involves
Definately TB, there's nothing wrong in being a MT (massage therapist). Massage like many other professions and interests has it's specialities, but the core aspects are the same.
As a massage generalist that has special interest in wellbeing, pregnancy support, sports and injury rehab (a true statement but said tongue-in-cheek so not sounding toooo pretentious ) , I'm proud to stand up and say:
I was at a meeting last night with different therapist from different holistic backgrounds. one by one we introduced ourselves and what therapy we practiced.
one member described themselves as a sports deep tissue therapist rather than a sports massage therapist, why that description i don't know, im proud to call myself a sports massage therapist, there was several others who were also SMT, i know the persons qualification (which is in SM (BTEC)) so why class themselves different to what they are????? after all deep tissue is only part of the work SM involves
be proud of who you are
oh well rant over
A client´s point of view... When I really desperately needed it, I went for sports massage by a highly-qualified sports masseur for about 6 months. He did absolutely no deep tissue work and it felt just like a Swedish massage. Eventually, I just gave up and stopped going. Then I went to a deep tissue masseuse and was amazed by the benefit. With him, I felt better for a day. With her, the effect lasted 2 months. Some Sports massage therapists are not so well-trained nor give attention to detail and simply do not go to those muscles that really need it. I gather from what you say that you are definitely not in that category but maybe your acquaintance learned to ensure that people do know they will go to those muscles that badly need it by saying what they did.
I wish I had you as that massage therapist way back then
A client´s point of view... When I really desperately needed it, I went for sports massage by a highly-qualified sports masseur for about 6 months. He did absolutely no deep tissue work and it felt just like a Swedish massage. Eventually, I just gave up and stopped going. Then I went to a deep tissue masseuse and was amazed by the benefit. With him, I felt better for a day. With her, the effect lasted 2 months. Some Sports massage therapists are not so well-trained nor give attention to detail and simply do not go to those muscles that really need it. I gather from what you say that you are definitely not in that category but maybe your acquaintance learned to ensure that people do know they will go to those muscles that badly need it by saying what they did.
I wish I had you as that massage therapist way back then
Hi NAL, why did you keep going for 6 months?
to explain the spectrum of SM training; I could go online today (without a massage qualification) and book a level 3 (practitioner level) sports massage course (VTCT) in times ranging from 1 day to 3 weeks, I could also gain a distance learning qualification in sports massage, I could go on to do a diploma in sports massage at level 4 in as little as 1 day. I could also do the same BTEC/ITEC/VTCT at FE college in 38 weeks 3-6 hours per week.
Until the industry (GCMT) gets a grip of training and qualifications, and PAs (eg FHT) stop insuring level 2 massage therapists , I am afraid things will not get much better irrespective of what you call yourself.
Until VTCT actually police their qualifications, there is no hope that training providers will actually deliver what they say they are delivering.
A client´s point of view... When I really desperately needed it, I went for sports massage by a highly-qualified sports masseur for about 6 months. He did absolutely no deep tissue work and it felt just like a Swedish massage. Eventually, I just gave up and stopped going. Then I went to a deep tissue masseuse and was amazed by the benefit. With him, I felt better for a day. With her, the effect lasted 2 months. Some Sports massage therapists are not so well-trained nor give attention to detail and simply do not go to those muscles that really need it. I gather from what you say that you are definitely not in that category but maybe your acquaintance learned to ensure that people do know they will go to those muscles that badly need it by saying what they did.
I wish I had you as that massage therapist way back then
I train people who have sports massage qualifications, and I am amazed at how many don't know how to give a good deep tissue massage, other than by pressing harder!
In this therapists case, I think it's a case of marketing himself. I certainly wouldn't just book a deep tissue massage from anyone unless I know that they have deep tissue training.
The amount of times someone has booked me for a Sports Massage session (I even always check and they always say "oh yes I've had Sports Massage before!"), but really only wanted a Deep Tissue massage - because that's the extent of 'Sports Massage' that many 'Sports Massage' therapists practise (have even experienced this myself, a Sports Massage session I booked last yr in a physio clinic turned out to be no more than a Deep Tissue session - I felt cheated). I do not know whether this is due generally to some therapists' limited Sports Massage training (as BGFL says below it can vary enormously!), or whether it's just giving in to what the client(s) wants/expects. Bit of both?
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Myofascial Release, Sports, Deep Tissue, Holistic/Swedish and Pregnancy Massage, Reflexology and Reiki in Streatham and surrounding areas: www.myofascial-bodywork.com / twitter/SW16Massage
To explain the spectrum of sm training; i could go online today (without a massage qualification) and book a level 3 (practitioner level) sports massage course (vtct) in times ranging from 1 day to 3 weeks, i could also gain a distance learning qualification in sports massage, i could go on to do a diploma in sports massage at level 4 in as little as 1 day. I could also do the same btec/itec/vtct at fe college in 38 weeks 3-6 hours per week.
Until the industry (gcmt) gets a grip of training and qualifications, and pas (eg fht) stop insuring level 2 massage therapists , i am afraid things will not get much better irrespective of what you call yourself.
to clarify
just re read my post, to clarify fht accept level 2 members and insure them to work supervised, and provide a progression route to level 3 practitioner level. Lets just hooe that the employer sticks to that and doesnt get them to work unsupervised.
level 1 courses teach knowledge,
level 2 courses check the understanding of that knowledge
level 3 courses assess the application of that knowledge and understanding
level 4 courses have analytical attributes
level 5 courses have synthesis attributes
level 6 courses have critical reflection attributes
therefore a level 2 therapist has an assessed understadning of the knowledge taught but is not assessed applying the practical skills, therefore has to work under supervision.
until vtct actually police their qualifications, there is no hope that training providers will actually deliver what they say they are delivering.
level 1 courses teach knowledge,
level 2 courses check the understanding of that knowledge
level 3 courses assess the application of that knowledge and understanding
level 4 courses have analytical attributes
level 5 courses have synthesis attributes
level 6 courses have critical reflection attributes
Mr Bloom would be proud of you
Pity QCF unit writers dont have to go through you and not just really on their mates "interpretation" and EV's who would not know how to "Critically evaluate objective and subjective markers to measure the effects of massage / soft tissue methods" (an AC from a certain level 5 qual) if it bit them on the ....
Still if you use EV's who are more used to assessing hairdressing and beauty quals what else do you expect
One of my first appointments as a client was to a sports massage therapist complainig of a problem in my shoulder (from swimming) and they didn't even asses me. Whilst the deep tissue massage felt good it didnt actually resolve my shoulder issue. Now as a trained therapist myself I inform my clients of the need to asess as part of my SM role. Some then realise they just meant a deep tissue massage. A little communication goes a long way
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be proud of who you are
rather than a sports massage therapist, why that description i don't know, im proud to call myself a sports massage therapist, there was several others who were also SMT, i know the persons qualification (which is in SM (BTEC)) so why class themselves different to what they are?????
after all deep tissue is only part of the work SM involves
but said tongue-in-cheek 
but maybe your acquaintance learned to ensure that people do know they will go to those muscles that badly need it by saying what they did.
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