STAR forward Jay Schulz says the start to the 2013 pre-season has been one of the most gruelling he has encountered in senior football.

Speaking exclusively to portadelaidefc.com.au, Schulz said the playing group had been focussed on pushing through the intense sessions prepared by high performance manager Darren Burgess since the resumption of training last week.

“It’s been pretty solid and pretty intense with a big focus on going as hard as you can,” said Schulz.

“We do a little bit of cross training, a bit of boxing, pool work and a lot of power weights to give our legs a rest in between the main session. 

“A lot of our blokes have been doing top ups at the end of training as well.

“So they've been pretty full-on, long days so far - but they’re good.”

Burgess came to Port Adelaide in October from English football giant Liverpool and Schulz says the Power players expected an intense pre-season on the track.

“You seem to do the same things each pre-season but I guess that it varies a little bit depending on what the fitness coach wants out of it and what the coach does at training,” said Schulz.

“It’s definitely been a more intense pre-season, one of the most intense I’ve started and this is my eleventh now.

“We’ll stick out there as long as possible, get through to Christmas as fit as we can be and then take it into games from January.”

In addition to fitness-specific training, Schulz says Burgess and senior coach Ken Hinkley have worked to incorporate a high level of running into ball work exercises.

“There’s been a big focus on us getting most of our running in-training because we want to focus on using the balls as much as possible,” said Schulz.

“With new coaches you’re learning new game styles and those sorts of things - it’s going to be the main focus this pre-season.”

Schulz made national headlines in June when he suffered a severe abdominal injury and blood clotting in a mid-air collision with teammate Justin Westhoff.

But he says those injuries have fully healed and is concentrated on achieving a stronger body for the start of 2013.

“The body’s good, the blood clots are finally gone and my kidneys are all good,” said Schulz.

“I lost a fair bit of weight after that incident but I’ve got it back to normal.

“I’m feeling very good, getting through the training sessions as best as I can and I’m feeling pretty fit.

“It’s great to be out there and not in rehab.