• YMCA Level 3 Technical Specialist in Performance Massage (Certificate) (610/6236/4)

    By completing this qualification, learners will meet Skills England-approved outcomes for performance massage (linked to the Level 3 Personal Trainer occupational standard OCC0302) and gain the knowledge and skills to deliver pre-event, post-event and maintenance massage. Learners will be able to perform fundamental massage techniques on non-pathological tissue within sports, fitness and exercise environments, supporting preparation, recovery and general wellbeing.

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    YMCA Level 3 Technical Specialist in Performance Massage (Certificate)

    Qualifications Type

    Population Specialism

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    X

    Population specialisms build on the knowledge and skills of occupational qualifications, enabling learners to expand their scope of practice to work with a broader range of clients with more complex needs e.g. children, older adults, individuals with disabilities/impairments etc.

    Qualification Number (QN)

    610/6236/4

    Qualification size

    GLH: 181 / TQT: 310

    | What does this mean?

    X

    Total Qualification Time (TQT)

    This is an estimate of the total amount of time, measured in hours that a learner would reasonably need to be able to show the level of achievement necessary for the award of a qualification.

    Total Qualification Time is made up of the following two elements:

    The number of hours which an awarding organisation has assigned to a qualification for guided learning (see below)
    An estimate of the number of hours a learner will reasonably be likely to spend in preparation, study or any other form of participation in education or training – including assessment – which takes place as directed by (but not under the immediate guidance or supervision of) a lecturer, supervisor, tutor or other appropriate provider of education or training.

    Guided Learning Hours (GLH)

    This is:

    Face to face delivery (learning delivered by a lecturer, supervisor, tutor or other appropriate member of the training team)
    eLearning with a lecturer, teacher or tutor present/available in real-time (the learner and tutor can be either remote or in the same physical place during eLearning)
    Invigilated assessment (external tests sat under controlled or open-book conditions)
    Internal assessment carried out by the learner with a lecturer, teacher or tutor present/available in real time (the learner and tutor can be either remote or in the same physical place during assessment).

    This is not unsupervised learning such as:

    eLearning that the learner carries out unsupervised and with no real time support from a lecturer, teacher or tutor
    Assessment internally carried out by the learner without a lecturer, teacher or tutor present/available in real time (for example, completing a Learner Assessment Record (LAR) at home)
    Any additional further study, revision and training activities that the learner does unsupervised to support their learning.

    Availability

    Operational start date: 1 August 2026

    Operational end date:

    Certification end date:

    Entry Requirements

    This qualification has been designed for learners who:

    Are 16+ years old.
    Hold an occupation entry qualification or apprenticeship endorsed against the CIMSPA Personal Trainer professional standard.
    Are fit enough to perform massage.
    Have basic communication skills

    Assessments

    Presentation and professional discussion
    Observed pre-event massage treatment session and professional discussion
    Observed post-event massage treatment session and professional discussion
    Observed maintenance massage treatment session and professional discussion

    Endorsement

    Overview

    By completing this qualification, learners will meet Skills England-approved outcomes for performance massage (linked to the Level 3 Personal Trainer occupational standard OCC0302) and gain the knowledge and skills to deliver pre-event, post-event and maintenance massage. Learners will be able to perform fundamental massage techniques on non-pathological tissue within sports, fitness and exercise environments, supporting preparation, recovery and general wellbeing.

    Qualification Details

    By completing this qualification, learners will:

    Meet Skills England-approved outcomes for performance massage (linked to the Level 3 Personal Trainer occupational standard OCC0302).
    Provide learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to deliver pre-event, post-event, and maintenance massage, supporting preparation, recovery, and general wellbeing following strenuous activities.
    Enable learners to perform massage at a fundamental level on non-pathological tissue, primarily within the context of sports, fitness, and exercise, such as an adjunct to personal training or gym-based sessions.

    To achieve the YMCA Level 3 Technical Specialist in Performance Massage (Certificate) , learners must pass six mandatory units. Assessments include:

    Presentation and professional discussion
    Observed pre-event massage treatment session and professional discussion
    Observed post-event massage treatment session and professional discussion
    Observed maintenance massage treatment session and professional discussion

    You can find further information on these assessments in the qualification specification and/or learner assessment record (LAR). The LAR is available for centres to download from Y-Connect.

    This qualification is designed to enable existing personal trainers to broaden their scope of practice by incorporating performance massage into their range of services.

    In addition, it provides a recognised pre-entry pathway to Level 4 sports massage therapy qualifications, which are essential for achieving full professional recognition and membership as a sports massage therapist.

    Level 4 represents the industry-standard benchmark set by leading regulatory bodies and professional organisations, including The Council for Soft Tissue Therapies (GCMT), the Association for Soft Tissue Therapists (SMA), the Sports Therapy Association (STA), and the Sports Therapy Organisation (STO). An example of a relevant qualification is:

    YMCA Level 4 Certificate in Sports Massage Therapy (Soft Tissue Dysfunction)

    It can also lead to further training at other levels to specialise in and further increase scope of practice. For example:

    YMCA Level 4 Certificate in Advanced Nutrition for Health, Weight Management and Sports Performance (610/2694/3)
    YMCA Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work (603/1903/3)
    YMCA Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work (603/1902/1)
    YMCA Level 2 Award in Mental Health Awareness and Understanding Approaches to Support Individuals (603/7146/8)
    Level 3 and Level 4 strength and conditioning qualifications
    Additionally, this qualification may also be used to support access to degree studies related to sports therapy and/or sport and exercise sciences/rehabilitation.

    UniteLearningManual
    Further anatomy and physiology for performance massage (L/650/1361)✔️✔️
    Massage professional practice (M/650/1362)✔️✔️
    The principles of soft tissue dysfunction (A/650/6136)❌✔️
    Assessing clients and treatment planning (R/650/1363)❌✔️
    Application of performance massage (Y/650/1365)❌✔️
    Providing post-treatment care advice (T/650/1364)❌✔️

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    Benefits of YMCA Awards endorsement

    Realise extra value from existing, non-regulated training programmes

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