Of the various components of a fitness routine, some techniques are better suited than others depending on what your fitness goals are. Find out more about the different techniques and see what gains they can provide you.

Cardiovascular Health and Weight Loss

You can choose from a number of different kinds of cardiovascular training techniques, depending on your personal level of fitness. Some of the best are:

• Low intensity exercise - New to cardiovascular work? This is where you want to start.

• Medium intensity exercise - You could call this "level 2" for a fitness beginner.

• High intensity exercise - Your heart will get stronger and work more efficiently for your body.

• Fartlek training - A Swedish term, meaning "speed play".

• Circuit training - For an aerobic fitness technique.

• Hi intensity interval training - Specifically good for running machines, bikes or ellipticals.

Muscle and Strength Building

This type of training develops muscle strength and improves overall power. You'll use weight or resistance training to achieve these goals. Muscle power, strength and endurance are all important areas to work on, no matter what sport you are involved in. Muscle size is another factor, whether you are a bodybuilder or just want to tone up. Long distance runners and other athletes will want to improve their muscular endurance and stamina.

To help develop muscle strength and endurance, you should incorporate the following training techniques when you've stopped seeing gains:

• Forced reps

• Pyramid sets

• Supersets

Greater Flexibility

You should be aware of the different kinds of stretching, to improve different kinds of flexibility. Motion-based stretches are dynamic, whereas static stretches have no motion to them. Either one will help improve the same kind of flexibility. In other words, dynamic stretches will help with dynamic flexibility and static stretches are good for static flexibility. Some examples of stretching techniques:

• Dynamic stretching

• Static stretching

• PNF stretching

• Isometric stretching

• Active stretching and yoga

• Ballistic stretching

• Passive relaxed stretching

General Skill Training

No matter what your sport, you can use the right fitness training techniques to improve your skill or power. Power training can build muscle strength, but could also benefit a sprinter or even a soccer player who could use a strong kick. These skills can be improved with leg exercises and squats. Weight training can also improve overall endurance.

Plyometrics is another option to develop fast and powerful movements that can improve your athletic performance. Your nervous system reactions will also improve. It's a technique worth looking into.