There are two schools of thought in resistance training. The first – one that’s made up of athletes and coaches – believe that free weights and unsupported training methods are the most effective when it comes to growth and development. The second – one that’s made up primarily of casual exercisers – prefer the security of supported training over the value of free resistance exercises.

Simply put, casual exercisers tend to prefer supported weights and exercise machines. There’s a lengthy list of good reasons for their preference, too – supported machines offer added safety and the promise of isolated development. They’re ideal for working on a specific muscle group, with users having more choice on how they plan their workout than those using free weights.

They also have a tendency to eliminate injuries, although not in the way most exercisers believe they do. The common assumption is that supported weight machines limit the amount of lateral movement a weight has – something that’s not always true. The most devastating injuries occur when weight is dropped or mishandled – something that machines prevent.

So rather than rowing using unsupported weights, begin your rowing routine with a session on the gym’s rowing machine. Squat on the supported barbell machine to warm up, and switch to a bench weight once you’ve warmed your major muscle groups. This behavior will help you eliminate any potential injuries and offer isolation benefits for your major muscle groups.