What stimulates muscle growth is testosterone and repetitive exercise. Muscle must be torn from exercise, then in the repair process, new muscle fibers will grow, which causes muscle thickening (growth).

Having said that, massage therapy can be used for the recovery process to help push out toxins and lactic acid accumulation from exercise, as well as help aid bloodflow to the muscles by allowing the muscles to relax, which results in a vasodilation of the blood vessels.

What I would suggest is finding a school where they certify students- they do massages for super cheap. In Chicago, I go to a school up north and pay for a 10 pack and go about once every other week (once a week if things get whickety-wack and messed up). If you're going to use massage to aid in the recovery process, the studies and books I've read suggest that it has to be a deep massage, not a superficial massage that just hits the superficial muscles. You need someone in there kneading the deep muscles of the body to draw out the toxins and lactic acid. It's an expense, but worth the cost, and certainly an expense that can be lessened by finding alternative means of massage therapy.

Check and see if your insurance covers it too- some health insurance packages cover alternative therapy.

Koffee