The New Year is around the corner, and your workout routine just might need to be revamped. When it comes to fitness, there are three main areas to use to evaluate the type of routine you are using. Evaluate yours and see where you may need to balance things.

Depending on what your goals are, or what sport you are in, may determine the types of workouts you experience. The three categories of workouts are strength, endurance and speed. Each category is needed for every sport, but some require more of one than another. You may even discover that you are ignoring one area completely.

Strength is important for football players, wrestlers, gymnasts, etc., and most workouts focus just on strength. There is everyday strength building like lifting weights 8 to 10 reps, which builds lean muscle and is perfect for sports like soccer, martial arts, etc. Then there are those that work on power. These are the football players and wrestlers who rely on brute strength and solid techniques. Their workout is 4 to 6 reps with a very heavy weight.

The endurance minded folk are those who need to never stop like long distance runners, basketball players, and rugby players. Endurance workouts are straight cardio mayhem. Each session is at least 20 minutes of non-stop activity. Cycling, 5k runs, ellipticals, jumping rope and many others make for great endurance exercise.

Finally, my favorite category: speed. Explosive speed is needed in almost every sport. Speed is seen with baseball players going from base to base, football players jumping off the line, or even martial artists shooting for the next point. Speed is one of the facets that take lots of work to increase. The best exercises are plyometrics, sprints, and jump stretch just to name a few.

Every sport requires a formula with these three elements. Each just requires more of some. Look at what you are doing, and see how you can rewrite your plan. Focus on the area most important to your sport and supplement the others. Once you find the recipe, dinner is served.