RE: http://www.military.com/military-fitness/weight-trainin...-weights-or-machines

I'm 55 years old, and going before the promotion board for (National Guard) Warrant officer Candidate School. Have you heard of taking fruit pectin for your joints? I drink a protein shake every morning with a teaspoon of fruit pectin, a scoop of Knox gelatin, and a teaspoon of fiber mixed in. My joints were bothering me a bit but they don't any more. The fiber isn't for the joints, of course, but it really helps other areas. Do any of you do the fruit pectin or gelatin?

I'm a 79-year old retired reservist. I use both free weights & machines. I bench press using free weights, and using machines for almost everything else. I recently developed a soreness in my right elbow and stopped using an arm curl machine. I now use dumbbells.

I've found that bench pressing using light weights accellerates the healing process when recovering from rotor cuff injuries.

Ben

I've been lifting weights all my life and think there are benefits to both free and machines. I do prefer free because you utilize stabilizer muscles which are better for more functional movements that you use in athletics. I'm an ex-football college player so I tend think more functionally. I think machines are good options when you are recovering from an injury and you need more support and stabilization for that muscle you're working.

Ottmann